Is quality brass worth it in a AR platform?

[Deleted member 48126]

Never was concerned about brass in my ARs. It chews them up pretty good. Not sure if it's the guns or the concrete. I'm sure a brass catcher would solve a lot of problems.

 

[CaptnC]

I have 4 home built 6.5 Grendel's, 3 home built 7.62x39 and one home built 300BO.

I have piston systems in 3 of them but none eats brass. I shoot the Grendel's a lot. So much so that the head stamp is getting hard to read on many pieces of brass. I don't mess with annealing my Grendel brass even though they all shoot <MOA @ 200yds. So nearly every failure is split necks.

I pick up range brass so the bulk of my brass is Hornady. I'm careful with my loads and watch velocities to make sure I'm not over pressuring the platform. So I rarely ever have to trim my brass after the first sizing.

IMO if you are really after/need sub MOA it would be worth buying Lapua brass. It should last forever. If Hornady brass can handle the 8 to 10 or more reloads the Lapua should hang in there for a long time.

 

[CaptnC]

All of mine have side charge receivers, 3 have right hand reciprocating handles. So I bought these brass catchers. The frame work keeps the clear of the charge handles.

Everyone tells you the cheaper ones will cause brass to be kicked back into the receiver. My last trip was the only time that happened, after at least 10 trips where none did. Oddly enough it was a left hand non-reciproacting receiver.

I hunted with a brass catcher last season without a single issue. So don't let the low cost scare you off.

If I had deep pockets and cost wasn't an issue, I certainly wouldn't waste time with a budget brass catcher. There are some really nice ones out there. I can't recall the name of the one Dirty Naughty Spy (he pists alot of videos here in the hog hunting forum) uses but they are super nice. I would really like to have one or two.

 

[del2les]

As others have stated, quality brass in an AR depends on your purpose and expectations. In 2 of my Nat'l Match Target AR's, I run the good stuff, and it prints smaller groups with more consistent and lower SD's that equates into less verticals on the 600yd line. In my heavy barrel 24" 1/8tw AR target model used for LR varmints and 1,000yd shooting, I use quality brass the same as loading for any of my bolt guns. These rifles are all 1/2-3/4 MOA shooters, and the heavy 24" target routinely produces sub 1/2 MOA.

 

[basinman]

Cladwell makes a new style brass catcher that has 2 bands/ straps and a hinge to move it out of the way for access to the chamber. I have one on order. My fist Calwell with the single strap works fairly well but it sometimes lowers out of position causing a malfunction and I have to remove it to have access to the chamber.

 

[Chuckrub]

I use LC brass and Winchester brass. the prep time you spend for brass is the difference. My bushy varminter

 

[Lrreloader]

All of mine have side charge receivers, 3 have right hand reciprocating handles. So I bought these brass catchers. The frame work keeps the clear of the charge handles.

View attachment 152760

Everyone tells you the cheaper ones will cause brass to be kicked back into the receiver. My last trip was the only time that happened, after at least 10 trips where none did. Oddly enough it was a left hand non-reciproacting receiver.

I hunted with a brass catcher last season without a single issue. So don't let the low cost scare you off.

If I had deep pockets and cost wasn't an issue, I certainly wouldn't waste time with a budget brass catcher. There are some really nice ones out there. I can't recall the name of the one Dirty Naughty Spy (he pists alot of videos here in the hog hunting forum) uses but they are super nice. I would really like to have one or two.

If anyone could get manufacturer and model of those good brass catchers I would be interested, I only have one AR so I could many justify price of a good catcher if I decide to use lapua brass

 

[Buster Hemlock]

I'm running one of the Caldwell picitanny rail mounted catchers. They are around $30. No need to break the bank, this one works great and you can bend the aluminum bag rods to better fit your setup. Some of their earlier ones were pretty flimsy and didn't have as much structure as this one. The ones that Velcro around your hand guard are prone to shifting and are what I had issues with on my first one.

 

[CaptnC]

If anyone could get manufacturer and model of those good brass catchers I would be interested, I only have one AR so I could many justify price of a good catcher if I decide to use lapua brass

As I stated earlier...if you have deep pockets....

Here is their front page.

 

[basinman]

I just paid $16 for one on Ebay and it included shipping. I like the hinge that allows me to swing it out of the way.

 

[CaptnC]

View attachment 152857

I just paid $16 for one on Ebay and it included shipping.

I'm interested in a review of it from you once you used it.

The one I posted above has an elastic velcro strap and a rubber gripping material against the forend. It stays in place very well, but because I'm using right hand side charge uppers...it would be nice to have one that would swing out so I can work the bolt.

 

[DLR24]

On my AR-10 that I shoot to a 1,000 I use Lapua brass and keep it just for that rifle, on my others, no.

I have seen more consistency out of quality brass when I have it setup and dedicated to one platform.

I have noticed accuracy is better using Lapua brass over Hornady and Nossler as well.

 

[BrianID]

I have 4 ARs and two will shoot 1/2" MOA, so I will shoot expensive brass in them. I see no advantage shooting lapua brass in the other two. Norma TAC223 55gr ammo shoots well and provides quality brass for an AR that is a 223. For 223 I don't see any advantage to buying lapua brass when you can get quality Norma brass for cheap.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

This I struggle with because when I have had a jam it ruined the brass from factory stuff I've used.

I'll be using Lapua with my load I'm working up with for a 117gr hammer sledge hammer. I'll use the hammer first then my go to the factory 143's