Brass Choice

[Shane Lindsey]

Easy button is what is available. ADG is good brass. Not sure what else is out there for 300 WSM.

I think the brass you have is fine. I wouldn't discard it. I would however separate it by brand. When doing so, you will want to weigh it if bought at different times and had different factory loads, as different lots can have different capacity even in the same manufacturer.

 

[shootist7]

For instance, I recently purchased some Alpha LRP 22CM brass. In the box of brass, there were 3 pieces of SRP brass. I contacted Alpha and they immediately replaced the 3 pieces. But they asked for either a lot # or an average weight, from multiple pieces, to be able to send me brass that most closely matched what I had received. IMO, they went out of their way for 3 pieces of brass, great company and great people to deal with.

 

[Kmccord]

This is what I have done for brass in other cartridges I have, I normally purchase two boxes of factory ammo to help with break in, etc. I will first just deprime but not size and weight sort the brass, you will be surprised how many in a 20 round box vary in weight. I try to sort out brass that are within .5 grain difference and group accordingly. Then I check length of brass and make sure they are all same lengths, if not, then I trim to manufacturer specs. After that prep has been completed, I will clean and check primer pockets, then start the process of reloading.

 

[JAYgs8163]

For instance, I recently purchased some Alpha LRP 22CM brass. In the box of brass, there were 3 pieces of SRP brass. I contacted Alpha and they immediately replaced the 3 pieces. But they asked for either a lot # or an average weight, from multiple pieces, to be able to send me brass that most closely matched what I had received. IMO, they went out of their way for 3 pieces of brass, great company and great people to deal with.

Wish they made 300WSM brass

 

[Beluebow]

Top three for the 300WSM in no certain order...Lapua, Norma, ADG. From a case capacity standpoint, ADG, Lapua, Norma.

 

[JAYgs8163]

But once and cry once.

Lapua 300 Winchester Short Magnum (WSM) Brass Pack of 100

Over the last 20 years the firearms industry has seen a rise in the popularity of rifle cartridges designed to equal or exceed the performance of the traditional belted magnums but without some of the limitations of cartridge overall length. Among the multitude of new cartridges, one of the most...

www.powdervalley.com

 

[Rick Richard]

Like everyone else, Lapua, ADG and Norma. I run Norma for my 300WSM and it has been great thus far.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

Ok I know I'm going to get punched in the head for saying this, but here goes anyway. This is my personal experience and my personal opinion. The Brand of brass Ihave used has never made any real difference on any of my hunting loads Std caliber ( 30-06 ; 270 Win) , or magnum. (270 Weatherby mag/ 300 Weatherby mag ) Any brass "I" have ever purchased , or any factory Ammo previously fired , requires the same amount of careful prep to make it acceptable for loading.
My personal preference for new Brass is 1. Run all NEW BRASS though the Sizer Die, then separate by weight. Std Caliber, I have plastic boxes or Baggies separated by 1/2 Grain case weight. EX; 186.0 to 186.4 the another box or baggie 186.5 to 186.9 . Magnums are separated by one 1 grain. Ex; Box of 244 grn Means every magnum case weight is between 244.0 to 244.9 . This case separation/segregation is done just once. Then every case has the inside of the flash hole deburred. Again this step is needed only once.
Now I can prep the necks, Measure and Trim is necessary, Chamfer every neck, De Burr every neck, clean clean clean the inside of the necks. Test every Primer pocket with a Go/ No Go gauge. Now you can begin loading. So for me, ,with the exception of the better Brass probably lasting longer, the brass is now acceptable for loading Hunting Rounds. With annealing every other loading , even cheapo Winchester Brass can last up to 9 / 10 firings. IMHO !!

 

[Philward]

Interesting that initially reloading was a way to save money, and now guys are basically preaching to spend as much money as you can. Re-use your brass.

 

[highfinblue]

I'm a big fan of Lapua and ADG. After spending some time reading threads here I am becoming a big fan of annealing brass. I believe neck tension is a much bigger deal than some folks think. Spend some time looking into that as well, it's really not that complicated. I am far from the most mechanical person in a room, but I can do it, and it absolutely makes a difference in some rifles. Haven't shot them all so I can't speak for all of them, but my 28 Nosler shoots far better with correctly annealed brass and the neck tension it produces.

 

[FEENIX]

Like everyone else, Lapua, ADG and Norma. I run Norma for my 300WSM and it has been great thus far.

Norma is one of the sources for WBY. I do not know who makes the ones I have on my .257 WBY, but they work fine and have no issues thus far. I will be trying out Peterson's when they start making them.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Ok I know I'm going to get punched in the head for saying this, but here goes anyway. This is my personal experience and my personal opinion. The Brand of brass Ihave used has never made any real difference on any of my hunting loads Std caliber ( 30-06 ; 270 Win) , or magnum. (270 Weatherby mag/ 300 Weatherby mag ) Any brass "I" have ever purchased , or any factory Ammo previously fired , requires the same amount of careful prep to make it acceptable for loading.
My personal preference for new Brass is 1. Run all NEW BRASS though the Sizer Die, then separate by weight. Std Caliber, I have plastic boxes or Baggies separated by 1/2 Grain case weight. EX; 186.0 to 186.4 the another box or baggie 186.5 to 186.9 . Magnums are separated by one 1 grain. Ex; Box of 244 grn Means every magnum case weight is between 244.0 to 244.9 . This case separation/segregation is done just once. Then every case has the inside of the flash hole deburred. Again this step is needed only once.
Now I can prep the necks, Measure and Trim is necessary, Chamfer every neck, De Burr every neck, clean clean clean the inside of the necks. Test every Primer pocket with a Go/ No Go gauge. Now you can begin loading. So for me, ,with the exception of the better Brass probably lasting longer, the brass is now acceptable for loading Hunting Rounds. With annealing every other loading , even cheapo Winchester Brass can last up to 9 / 10 firings. IMHO !!

Over 25 yrs ago I was weighting my brass. I found that Win brass generally were the lightest. it's better to volume weight the cases. The other is getting the same lot number brass. 250 or 500 lots. Only problem not all cartridge case are being make. I wish the manufactors would expand the list of cartridges they make. I talking about Lapua, Petersons, and a few others.
It took me a year to get 280AI cases from Petersons. I have called them and they did clue me in on when they were making a production on those cases. I am glad I did, because the cost really went up over the passed couple of years.
Funny back when I started reloading I could load 300 H&H mag for about $0.10 each. Over the counter about $5.00 a box. Now you are spending over $2.00 per case, not to speak the componments. Hell primers are over $0.10 each now.

 

[JAYgs8163]

I'm a big fan of Lapua and ADG. After spending some time reading threads here I am becoming a big fan of annealing brass. I believe neck tension is a much bigger deal than some folks think. Spend some time looking into that as well, it's really not that complicated. I am far from the most mechanical person in a room, but I can do it, and it absolutely makes a difference in some rifles. Haven't shot them all so I can't speak for all of them, but my 28 Nosler shoots far better with correctly annealed brass and the neck tension it produces.

Agree with this big time. I just went down this side road in my rabbit hole and ordered a bunch of mandrels and 2 dies from 21st Century. Neck tension is for sure important and there are different ways to tackle/address it.

 

[shootist7]

I started loading my own ammo years ago, not to "save" money, but to do everything I could to build the best ammo possible. The hunts I've gone on, and hope to continue to do, I really don't care if one bullet is 50 cents more than another bullet. Think about what we ask, and demand, a bullet to do.