Brass Quality - Best to Worst

[2ndson]

Remington hands down...shot em all and best results came from Winchester and Remington..Remington being the best! Remington must=Uniformity

 

[Naymola]

Lapua is like jewelry

 

[DUSTY NOGGIN]

i think most brass , given sample quantity can be prepped and serviced with extensive sorting criteria into usable decent brass

i do think if a brass manufacturer decides to change its formula of their brass for one reason or another. they should have to or want to change the headstamp to identify it

 

[capona]

I didn't think there was brass more expensive than Lapua but I guess I was wrong.

Alpha seems to be more expensive at a buck a pop for .308.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Depends on the cartridge, but I typically am NOT into boutique brass. Most of my brass is rem, ww, or Hornady and it's been fine...

 

[TRexF16]

I didn't think there was brass more expensive than Lapua but I guess I was wrong.

Alpha seems to be more expensive at a buck a pop for .308.

I am a recent convert to Lapua, and after trying my best to wear some of them out, I have decided they are actually the cheapest brass (per shot!) you can buy. [I picked out 10 Lapua .308 cases and have been loading them over and over and over and I'm past 10 loads now with max charges and the primer pockets are as tight as they were when new!] And when you think about it, "per shot" is really the only way to evaluate the cost of brass. This assumes of course, that precision of manufacture (consistent neck wall thickness, weight, etc.) is equal. And I've not found any brass any more precise than Lapua.
But that said I have never tried Peterson, and have only use Norma a little bit. I've not found the Alpha I've measured to be more precise than Lapua, and I have no data (yet!) on the longevity of Alpha.
But in 35 years of handloading I've never seen anything like the longevity of Lapua.

Cheers,
Rex

 

[Country Bumpkin]

I am a recent convert to Lapua, and after trying my best to wear some of them out, I have decided they are actually the cheapest brass (per shot!) you can buy. [I picked out 10 Lapua .308 cases and have been loading them over and over and over and I'm past 10 loads now with max charges and the primer pockets are as tight as they were when new!] And when you think about it, "per shot" is really the only way to evaluate the cost of brass. This assumes of course, that precision of manufacture (consistent neck wall thickness, weight, etc.) is equal. And I've not found any brass any more precise than Lapua.
But that said I have never tried Peterson, and have only use Norma a little bit. I've not found the Alpha I've measured to be more precise than Lapua, and I have no data (yet!) on the longevity of Alpha.
But in 35 years of handloading I've never seen anything like the longevity of Lapua.

Cheers,
Rex

You got me so excited…. I set out to go find and buy me some…..

they do t make it in 7RM….!!!!

the INJUSTICE!!!!!

 

[Sending156s]

MagnunManiac, I am getting ready to load some Norma 300wm brass, should I stay with a lower node?

I have a 100 batch of Norma 300 WM brass that I use. I load it pretty hot using RL26 pushing a 190 & 200 SMK. It is hot enough that I'm getting velocities that anyone who has not used RL26 in 300 WM would not believe. I have zero problems with it. This is in a custom with match chamber that I resize a minimum. My advise to you is measure your brass, reload per book, shoot, examine your brass by eyeball & calipers. I think you'll find you are fine with the Norma.

 

[Sending156s]

You got me so excited…. I set out to go find and buy me some…..

they do t make it in 7RM….!!!!

the INJUSTICE!!!!!

It may have changed. Lapua didn't make belted brass. Lapua had Norma make it with the Lapua name. I haven't checked in a long time. Lapua may make belted brass now. Anyway, the managem/engineers at Lapua must think Norma is good brass.

 

[bigdumboy]

Does Rule #7 apply to this ? My the poll should read Rifle Brass with no complaints or comment
Rule7.

1. There will be no threads started for the purpose of airing your problems with companies or individuals you have done business with. (Complaint Threads) Handle those issues privately. This rule applies whether the complaint is against a LRH Sponsor or not.

 

[OG10]

Absolutely the worst brass... is ... no brass . The best I have used is Lapua .

 

[Veteran]

As far as Hornady goes...I bought 3 boxes of loaded ammo to start with when I got my 338LM. I reloaded those cases upwards of 15x times. No problems whatsoever. I just retired the brass and went with some Lapua I snagged on sale. Why? I really don't have any reason! And, I might add I haven't noticed any difference in quality in any way between the two.

Have you fired any of the Lapua yet? Did you chronograph the Hornady loads, and will you be chronographing the Lapua loads?

I think you may find that the same charge weight loads you were using in the Hornady Brass will vary enormously in results in the Lapua Brass.

Hornady Brass has a lot less case volume than Lapua, so I'm guessing if you use the same charge weights, your velocity will go down in Lapua, (as well as pressure), and you might be able to go to a little more charge weight in the Lapua cases once you get some benchmarking done. I will be curious to hear what you find.

 

[Hondo64d]

Have you fired any of the Lapua yet? Did you chronograph the Hornady loads, and will you be chronographing the Lapua loads?

I think you may find that the same charge weight loads you were using in the Hornady Brass will vary enormously in results in the Lapua Brass.

Hornady Brass has a lot less case volume than Lapua, so I'm guessing if you use the same charge weights, your velocity will go down in Lapua, (as well as pressure), and you might be able to go to a little more charge weight in the Lapua cases once you get some benchmarking done. I will be curious to hear what you find.

Same charge weight fired in lower capacity brass results in higher pressure and velocity.

John

 

[coyotewillie]

Have you fired any of the Lapua yet? Did you chronograph the Hornady loads, and will you be chronographing the Lapua loads?

I think you may find that the same charge weight loads you were using in the Hornady Brass will vary enormously in results in the Lapua Brass.

Hornady Brass has a lot less case volume than Lapua, so I'm guessing if you use the same charge weights, your velocity will go down in Lapua, (as well as pressure), and you might be able to go to a little more charge weight in the Lapua cases once you get some benchmarking done. I will be curious to hear what you find.

Quite honestly I don't believe I have re-chronographed the Lapua rounds. I should have done that too. But I used the same load as the Hornady knowing I wouldn't have any problems. Of course I did use Hornady 4DOF ballistics, printed out the results, then I've gone through and adjusted all my actual holdovers. Actual is .1-.2 mil over what Hornady ballistics shows. Probably shows right there I have lower velocity with the Hornady brass.