Lapua Brass question

[dakor]

I have a 6mm-284 and right now and I am using Winchester brass. I have been having some trouble with this brass from lot to lot with differences in velocity and pressure. I have been using the same bullets and Powder. Now my question is I see Lapua makes 6.5-284 brass and I should be able to neck that down no problem. How good is Lapua brass and is it harder then Winchester brass? Will it last longer?

 

[jb1000br]

1- very good
2- dont know
3- yes

BTW--check out the disclaimer on a box of lapua brass--they state IN WRITING that the cases will last 10 firings or more

JB

 

[Guest]

If you shoot a lot, then it makes sense to buy in bulk. Winchester is ok if you buy all from the same lot. Lapua or Norma will make you happier, but it's all about what your checking account looks like. You will not be disappointed with Lapua.

 

[ewallace]

If your reamer was for Winchester Brass I don't think you can use Lapua or Norma brass. New Lapua brass mikes .4986 at the web. Lapua brass is good and you would be able to neck it down with no problem and it lasts a long time I have 50 pc 338 Lapua brass that has 18 firings on it with max loads and still going.
Crow Mag

 

[Guest]

Good point Crow Mag! Good Shootin'

 

[TOM H]

I had two tight neck 6x284 done up and use win brass and had no problems. I had purchase 500rds bulk for those rifles. I'm shooting a 6.5x284 tight neck now and have use win284 ,hornady and laupa and tell you the true I perfer the hornady and win over the laupa now as to groups no difference between the 3 brands. I've used laupa in a tight neck 308 same thing couldn't tell any difference. I took one of each for the 6.5x284 and shot a three shot group in the low .2's and thats about as good as that rifle shoots. I don't load to velocity as some do my thing is more for groups. One of the 6x284 was done up with a 1/14 twist for the 68 gr match bullets had velocity over 4100fps with those win case got about 4 firing before primer pockets won't hold I started to back the load down and just when the group started to open up I stayed with that load and velocity was 3820fps and got about 10 firings per case. For me I've never notice and increase in accuracy by using laupa brass except in the 6ppc but I still have some sako 220 russian and I'm still shooting it in one rifle with that old 6ppc chamber. I know there has been some different runs of the laupa 220 russian case so would think the rest of their line would be the same way. It's funny but the other day was thinking about have a 284 done up for the 150 gr bullets think about a max neck dia and was just miking some necks any way the most uniform was the win go figure that. They were so close I wouldn't of even turn those neck to clean them up. And these came from two 50 round bags that I bought at a gun show. Well good luck.

 

[BountyHunter]

If you are saying you have variations from lot to lot on the brass, my question is more importantly are you using the same lot on the powder. This does not sound like a "case" issue, sounds like powder variation.

If not then, odds are that is where your problem is. If you change lots, got to start all over on load development. I have seen as much as a 5 gr difference from one lot to next in '06 size case.

BH

 

[dakor]

I will give you guys a little back ground on what I am having trouble with.

I have the same powder that I used in my old cases from last year and I bought 200 new win 284 cases this year because the old ones are starting to wear from being used. If I take a case from last year and fire it with 52.5 grains of IMR-4831 with a 95 grain Ballistic tip I get 3557 fps and a group in the low .2's Now if I take a new case with the same powder and bullet I can only load up to 52.0 grains I still get a group in the low .2' but I only get 3490 fps. If I load to 52.5 grains with a new case the bolt starts to get sticky. All cases are cut to the same length and sized the same. I do not have a tight neck but I turn them because when you neck a 284 down the necks get thick so they are turned the same. The only thing I can come up with is that the case wall on the new cases is different then the old ones but other than that I am at a loss.

Another thing with the Winchester brass is I can only fire them about 5 to 6 times then they start to wear out and the primer pocket starts to expand and they really start to stretch. I mean I would not change brass for group size because it is a 1/4 inch gun and it will shoot a 1/4 inch group with most bullets so that is not the issue I would just like more consistant brass if possible.

 

[TOM H]

dakor, thanks for your load information kind of helps out. You are at max or over according to some manuals and velocity is better than a 240wby. I weighted some of my fires as to capacity with powder and the hornady and win weighted the same laupa had 1/2 gr more volume. I've always gone for groups and for me if I had a non tight neck rifle shooting in the 2's I would leave it alone.

 

[LB]

Dakor, how many rounds are through this barrel? It seems to me that you are going through a lot of brass, therefore you should be aware of the seating depth, as throat errosion occurs.

What do you mean, the brass starts to "wear out"? Two common reasons, split necks and/or enlarged primer pockets. Both can be reduced by backing off the powder charge a few clicks.

Just generally, your data doesn't seem entirely logical; but maybe that's just me?

Good hunting. LB

 

[dakor]

LB I guess I do not know how to explain my data any better the old brass and the new brass are on the same playing field but not performing the same is about all I can say. As for rounds I have around 1000 through it and I seat all my bullets 30k off the lands except VLD bullets wich are about 10K in the lands. What I mean by wear is they really start to stretch after 6 firings and I have to cut them after everytime I fire them wich gets old. The primer pockets start to loosen up around the 7th or 8th firing. My handloads are not hot the bolt does not stick and there is not any ejector marks so I do not know how they could be?

I talked to my Smith that built the Rifle for me he said that Lapua would be the best bet that is what he shoots and he said the groups might not change that much since I am already shooting 1/4 inch groups but the case life would be about double of what I am getting. So I think after deer season I will be ordering some Lapua brass.

 

[lynn]

Dakor
If the Lapua brass fits the chamber use it.It sounds to me that the newer lot of brass has less internal volume. This is very common when switching lots or brands of brass in a given cartridge.Lapua in my opinion doesn't always measure the best in neck uniformity when compared to Norma but as i neck-turn this doesn't matter as much.It really seems to outlast the Norma which many claim is softer.I don't think the Norma is softer than Lapua just smaller in the web area.What this means is as you fire it the cases will stretch and the pockets will loosen faster as they don't fit the chamber as well.Charles Ellertson of 1000 yard fame brought this up on another forum and some measuring of cases seems to show he is correct.
Lynn

 

[Guest]

crow mag you are right about the statement about the lapua working in the winchester chamber it won't the lapua brass is what I use after to rechambered for lapua love the lapua brass though. You can't go wrong.

 

[dakor]

I have heard of Smith's chambering Ackley's to a certain kinda brass but not anything else. You learn something new everyday

Mine is a standard chamber well some what standard my smith chambers the rifles he builds to his benchrest specs with zero head space there is no slop in the chamber at all it is nice and tight I am glad I did not ask for a tight neck.

[ 08-10-2004: Message edited by: dakor ]