Buying and Shooting Ammo for the Brass

[del2les]

If brass is a challenge to acquire and loaded ammo is your only other option, it is ok, but personally, I have loaded many first time, very precise handloads in numerous calibers/cartridges with new brass. Does it improve slightly after fireforming? "Most" of the time, yes, but that is not to say the original load developments were not very to extremely acceptable. I can recall several initial fireforming loads that maintained 1/2 MOA and under, and in some varmint/target rifles and loads, much better.

Winchester factory loads would not be my first choice, but if it is all you can find, it is better than throwing rocks.

 

[WoodPecker Hunter]

I picked 3 boxes of Nosler 06 brass not long ago. I'm going to fire form them with cream of wheat instead wasting components and putting additional wear on the barrel...

Really ? you think your gonna shoot your 06 enough that 60 rounds is going to make a difference - Why not just load them with your FAV load and shoot them for practice ?
Every one needs Practice . jmo

 

[orkan]

I tend to disagree with this. Commercial manufacturing companies cannot take the liability chance of hot loads! They must maintain a safety factor and be able to PROVE IT IN A COURT OF LAW! Especially in the United States of America....where people who order a HOT COFFEE...claim they burnt their mouth...and are awarded a 1,000,000.00 settlement! No company will load within 15-20% of Sammi max!

While logic would dictate I agree with you... it doesn't explain my own first hand experiences across 20 years. I've had some batches of hornady ammo that legitimately couldn't safely be reloaded even once.

 

[skipglo]

While logic would dictate I agree with you... it doesn't explain my own first hand experiences across 20 years. I've had some batches of hornady ammo that legitimately couldn't safely be reloaded even once.

Albeit....Sue! You'll be a winner! In my own 59 years experience...had it happen once with Canadian made .22 LR bullet....48 years ago...
Cracked the pistol grip on my Vostok .22 target pistol and blew out the ejector pins.... company paid for all repairs and sent me 1000 rds. I said a grateful thanks....and returned the bullets! Once bitten...twice shy! But Sue in Canada.... . We don't even have a LEMON LAW till this day!

 

[Triple BB]

Really ? you think your gonna shoot your 06 enough that 60 rounds is going to make a difference - Why not just load them with your FAV load and shoot them for practice ?
Every one needs Practice . jmo

I'm getting plenty of practice shooting two 300 RUMS & a 338 Edge...

 

[del2les]

While logic would dictate I agree with you... it doesn't explain my own first hand experiences across 20 years. I've had some batches of hornady ammo that legitimately couldn't safely be reloaded even once.

While a few manufactures' loads may act this way in certain firearms, the reasons can be many - Temperature, bore smoothness (or lack thereof), chamber size, leade, bore I.D, clean vs dirty, poor quality brass, etc, etc. All of these factors are reasons most factory ammo is not loaded to max SAMMI pressures, for there are just too many firearms variables that can lead to serious issues.

 

[nealm66]

Funny this subject came up. Just about done prepping 140,federal 270 wsm cases from some of the boxes my brother shot through one of his guns. Took quite a while sorting it out from the 4 other types lol. Crazy part is he sold that rifle to a buddy of mine and it's still a tack driver even after god knows how many rounds. Any ways, nothing wrong with it at all. I've done it both ways. I will say my amp anealer says federal takes longer than Winchester brass. Maybe it's the compound? I've never had any new brass, high end or low end that didn't need fire forming. I've pulled bullets/powder from factory to make my own even if the headspace is close. The low end weatherby ammo definitely needs fire formed but good to go afterwards. Never thought too much of hornady ammo, measuring it before hand ( bullet concentricity/headspace) raised my eyebrows.

 

[CoachChris]

Yep, I bought a bunch of Berger factory ammo when it was about $1.25/round. I could hardly load it for that price. Good Lapua brass costs almost that much..

Same here
Bought 300WM for the Norma brass and 6.5 Creedmoor for the Lapua brass

 

[deweyduck]

I picked 3 boxes of Nosler 06 brass not long ago. I'm going to fire form them with cream of wheat instead wasting components and putting additional wear on the barrel...

How much shotgun powder will you use for that? I have some 308 Lapua brass that I will fire form with COW for my first time ever. I remember reading about one load of 15 grs of shotgun powder. What say you?

 

[Chadp82]

I say go for it. I have done this on occasion. Closeout ammo can be cheaper than brass. I bought them as fouling/practice rounds. Not every shot needs to be on the money, there is an element of trigger time that's important too.

I just track it as with everything else. I have some brass that I know is 1x fired, etc. I also have a bunch that is who the heck knows but it still shoots just fine that has been acquired along the way.

For normal hunting purposes, The who the heck knows lot does just fine in my experience, but I still hunt with a known lot of brass/bullets. I want confidence, but just some practice, I can live with a little less uncertainty.

 

[Maol]

...The headspace is often fairly short, but yet the bullet seated well off the lands... so you end up with quite a bit of web expansion which can lead to premature case head separation.

... If you can find some that is loaded reasonably, you might have a great time. Just something to think about, and I hope that helps a bit.

I do this for the 6.8s. S&B makes some of the best brass from my point of view. Good web, case to case consistency and slightly more capacity. They load for SPCl and we run SPCll ARP chambers (4). So it's all good.

The 308 and 223 we have seen what you're talking about. Lake City NATO is pretty consistent unless it's remans. So we do them that way too with the surplus (never fired). Stronger cases too.

I definately prefer to buy 'tailor mades' with an eye to 'rolling my own'. Some just isn't worth the work. For factory actual hunting loads, then I pay up, and segregate the brass by manufacturer. Keep real good records and the flaws will show up at the range before they have a chance to in the field. Life is better if you anneal.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

If you want to buy factory ammo and your are trying to get several boxes from the same lot , you will find a 6 or7 digit lot number printed on the inside of the "Flap, on one side of the box. You may have to open 6 or 8 boxes to get two or three boxes from the same lot . In My opinion , after you fire them , they will all still need to be separated by weight , as well as the inside Flash Hole cleaned, and the usual neck prepping steps. Winchester , Remington, Federal, ect. The last time a bought Win Brass,( 2019 ) in .270 Win, it was still $39.95 a bag at Cabela's/ Bass Pro, for a bag of 50 cases. That's just .79 cents a shell.

 

[baggy270]

Albeit....Sue! You'll be a winner! In my own 59 years experience...had it happen once with Canadian made .22 LR bullet....48 years ago...
Cracked the pistol grip on my Vostok .22 target pistol and blew out the ejector pins.... company paid for all repairs and sent me 1000 rds. I said a grateful thanks....and returned the bullets! Once bitten...twice shy! But Sue in Canada.... . We don't even have a LEMON LAW till this day!

CIL ammo by chance?

 

[skipglo]

CIL ammo by chance?

It certainly was!