Brass quality: Performance and Expectations

[can1010]

brass is a funny thing to one person it is the greatest thing since slice bread and the next it is only good for the recycle bin.
used old Hornady in my 280 and it was good 6-8 reloads but the new not so good, tried it in my 300 win mag it is average but the 6.5-284 it has been top quality on 8 reloads and still going strong
use Bertram in 3 guns if your looking for pretty weight sorted and prepped brass look else where but if you do a little work and sort your brass it has held up real good even with top loads
the 300 rum norma brass has worked will in my 338 edge in the past just have to reduce load a little brass a bit soft but was consistant.
tried ADG in my 300 win mag twice two different lots wont ever buy any more.
when my lapua stash runs out so will my 300 win mag days but I have enough for 2 more barrels so it will be a while
will not pay nosler prices don't care how pretty it is
I think most brass is average with a couple exceptions lapua, Peterson has good reviews and so does ADG. I think if you develop a load that is accurate and gets 5-8 quality reloads and fits your needs and wallet most brass will work well enough for the average person.
true perfectionists and comp shooters set aside they are a special breed

 

[Bbear]

223/5.56 - Mostly PPU and Remington brass. Haven't weighed any of it, just load and shoot. I was on my 5th reload of the PPU and 6th on the Rem brass when the garage caught on fire and all went in the recycle bucket.

243 - Winchester - weighed about 30 pieces and found about a .2 - .3 gr weight difference. Still puts 5 inside of .5" with the 90 gr AB. Like the others, it's in the recycle pile.

25-06 - Ran Remington for many years. Was up to the 12th reload when necks started splitting. I did have a few start having primer pockets expanding starting around the 5 - 6th reload. Swapped it out for some Hornady and was up to my 3rd reload when the fire came along.

6.5x55 - Lapua brass was on it's first reload. Luckily, it was inside the house when the fire came. Haven't shot through all of the 100 rounds I've loaded for it just yet so, still on it's first loading.

7mm-08 - Ran PPU through 4 reloads before I tossed it. Some split necks (should have annealed) and primer pockets. Bought a new bag of PPU a LGS had and ended up taking it back. Of 50 cases, only 11 had primer pockets the correct size. Sold the gun so, won't need getting another batch of any sort of brass.

264 WM - Ran Winchester brass through 3 loadings so far. It was in the safe so wasn't damaged by the fire. I'll anneal before loading for the 4th time. I did run some Nosler brass and though it was great brass, I couldn't duplicate the accuracy and velocity of the Winchester. Just my rifle, I guess.

30-06 - ran some Federal that I got from factory. Trashed it after the first reload. Primer pockets mainly.

358 Winchester - Have tried military 308 necked up and had shots going all over the target. Went to Lapua and found a good load. Only gone through 2 loadings though. Also run some Hornady brass with very good accuracy but, a bit slower than the Lapua loads.

Yet to try - 25-06 brass necked up to 6.5 for my 256 Newton.

 

[Canhunter35]

IMO brass quality is a bit lot dependant. Sometimes one brand is good sometimes it's not...
My experience thus far.
Lapua is very good.
Peterson is really consistent, don't have enough reloads on it to attest to the primer pockets at all
Hornady can be good, seems to last even if consistency is lacking
Norma is overpriced, very consistent and very soft leading to primer pockets loosening quickly
Remington lasts, but requires flash hole reaming to shoot well
Federal is more consistent than rem but softer in the case head
Imperial-throw it out

Mostly, if you have it, use it