I know I could Google this and find all kinds of information, but I'm interested in what you guys have to say. Not a bunch of bench rest shooters. I get so tired of talking to those types. It's always, barrel burner, barrel burner, barrel burner, blah, blah freakin' blah. Oh, dang that was harsh. Don't get me wrong, I have great respect for what they do, and I'm sure there are some on this forum. But, a lot of their concerns don't really pertain to long range hunting. If you are a BR shooter please don't take offence. I value your opinion as well. Let's assume Lapua makes the best brass. How does Nosler stack up to them?
Opinions on Nosler brass?
- Thread starter dwhunts
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J E Custom
Well-Known Member
As a general rule ,I like Nosler products but there brass is over priced Federal brass that has
been weight sorted.
The main problem with this is that it is not weighted to a specific weight, Just the same per box.
If you buy some a year later it is not the same as the first you bought so you need to start all
over with load develoupment in most cases.
With normal loads it will be all right but with hot loads it doesent last very long.
As for a comparison to Lapua brass, There is none.
In order of quality and durability I would rate brass as follows.
Lapua
DWM
Norma
Remington
Hornady
Federal / Nosler
Winchester.
Some will disagree but this is "My" rating.
J E CUSTOM
Grumulkin
Well-Known Member
It's quite good but also quite expensive. The only time I buy it is when they have seconds at a reasonable price.
Thank you for your input guys. I just checked some prices at Midway.
Nosler $113.98 per 100
Lapua $103.99 per 100 (on sale) normally $115.99
Hornady $101.98 per 100
Norma $99.99 per 100
I have heard people say Lapua is expensive, but as you can see, it looks like good value to me. Particularly since it seems to be the general consonance, that it holds up better as well. I'm new to buying brass. Usually I just use spent cases from factory loads, and I'll be honest, I always preferred Winchester. I just had a 6.5x.284 built tho', and want to give it it's best chance to amaze me. I have reloaded my 300 Wby, and always thought the brass that Weatherby uses is good. I've been told it's Norma. If that's the case (no pun intended) I certainly wouldn't mind using them either.
Nosler $113.98 per 100
Lapua $103.99 per 100 (on sale) normally $115.99
Hornady $101.98 per 100
Norma $99.99 per 100
I have heard people say Lapua is expensive, but as you can see, it looks like good value to me. Particularly since it seems to be the general consonance, that it holds up better as well. I'm new to buying brass. Usually I just use spent cases from factory loads, and I'll be honest, I always preferred Winchester. I just had a 6.5x.284 built tho', and want to give it it's best chance to amaze me. I have reloaded my 300 Wby, and always thought the brass that Weatherby uses is good. I've been told it's Norma. If that's the case (no pun intended) I certainly wouldn't mind using them either.
comfisherman
Well-Known Member
The long and short version. Its good, and is usually as close to loadable as advertised, but I haven't been able to warrant the price. Had my hopes up when they realesd 7 ultra brass that it would be close to their 300 ultra brass but with the right headstamp. Sadly it was x2 the price of rem, and while I dislike rem brass, not x2 worth of dislike. Its claim to fame I believe is why its so expensive, whenever something is "more complete" added cost for labor factors in.
In common calibers of the magnum variety it can rival the cost of already loaded ammo. If you have the money and lack the time for brass prep I guess it would be a good sell. The ones that i've loaded 223, 300, 300 wsm got the same prep as all my other brass so the rtl was lost on me. As far as comparison, I was told that a fair bit was norma made. However it did not appear to be equal to norma quality. If you have a barrel burner I.e. 6-284. one bag of a 100 of hot loaded lapua brass could very well last the barrel. And in this mans humble opinion be leagues ahead of nosler, its not bad, but it isnt "best". Now if we could just get some RUM and wsm Lapua brass....
In common calibers of the magnum variety it can rival the cost of already loaded ammo. If you have the money and lack the time for brass prep I guess it would be a good sell. The ones that i've loaded 223, 300, 300 wsm got the same prep as all my other brass so the rtl was lost on me. As far as comparison, I was told that a fair bit was norma made. However it did not appear to be equal to norma quality. If you have a barrel burner I.e. 6-284. one bag of a 100 of hot loaded lapua brass could very well last the barrel. And in this mans humble opinion be leagues ahead of nosler, its not bad, but it isnt "best". Now if we could just get some RUM and wsm Lapua brass....
Outlaw6.0
Well-Known Member
Really? I was under the asumption that Norma was making Nosler brass... I wonder how I got that one mixed up....
To the OP, I use Nosler brass in a 22-243, so far it's ok, worth the cost?.... I'm not sure...
If you are looking for 6.5-284 brass, (unless you like to tinker) pick up the Lapua & you will have no worries! I had some really questionable performance from Norma 6.5-284 I was using for my 6mm-284, now that I've switched to Lapua, my problem (thus far) has seemed to go away.
brentc
Well-Known Member
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You're spot on with Nosler brass. Ity looks great in the package, but...
One benefit is that Nosler offers 280 AI for those who don't want to fireform.
I think alot of this depends on caliber. I have different preferences For different chamberings. For instance in .223 I prefer Lake City, for WSMs I prefer Norma 1st, Winchester 2nd, and Federal 3rd. I have had excellent luck with Hornady in the 375 Ruger. For all others, Winchester is my choice for budget brass.
"The long and short version. Its good, and is usually as close to loadable as advertised, but I haven't been able to warrant the price."
I am so very "pro consumer" on most things out on the markets that it is difficult to hold back...I will try to keep this short....
I bought and still use 50 some Nosler Custom 338 Win Mag brass. The box was even short 1, so I wrote Nosler and they sent me 4 free replacements, no questions asked. Excellent customer service! I also use Hornady and Winchester and Federal brass as well.
...but, here is my issue. ""For hunting reloading for the best MOA and performance for your rifle ...... ITS RIFLE BRASS folks. True some might be a "tad" better then others, so that a justifiable $.04 - $.06 might be in order, but double the cost???? As long as we keep falling for the "whatever the market will bare" and "supply and demand" extortion routines done by companies, our livelihoods and what used to be a very inexpensive family fun time will be gouged.
The truth is most every rifle has its own personality and will shoot some brass, primer, powder, bullet, reload prep and reload recipe to a very high degree of MOA at 200 yards. Depending on your component care, your firearm care, and the reload recipe, your reload component care and your favorite rifle, most all of these can last a very long time.
If you are a reloader, with some serious research "before purchasing", pateince and the fun desire to want to learn the art and science of reloading for your rifle and a level head as to what you really want out of that rifle, you can acquire, and notice this, --> "super accuracy", excellent consistency and repeatable performance, long lasting components and just as many "kills" with the lesser costing, lesser hyped ("bulls...") products as your neighbor with all the super expensive, super hyped "do you want to risk that once in a lifetime trophy hunt" advertised products.
Yup, its tough to step away from some of the marketing and advertising tactics but fellow reloaders, don't succomb to the hype and inconsistent evidence promoted by a few that have. Instead of giving your hard earned money to the company executives, give it back to you and your family.
P.S. Price of crude oil is going up and that is why gas and fuel prices "have to go up". Of course Exxon\Mobile who just boasted again a record quarterly profit of some 9.25 billion dollars somehow try to justfy the gouging and extortion. It is the same with most other products. The huge jump in retail price never is equivalent to the material price increase to the manufacturer. Extortion and gouging is across the board because we allow it to be so. If you don't beleve that, I just might have a $175,000 house to sell you for that bargain basement 2005 price of $400,000.
Okay, stepping off the pedestal now. good day and good night.
Just my $.03
338WinMag
I am so very "pro consumer" on most things out on the markets that it is difficult to hold back...I will try to keep this short....
I bought and still use 50 some Nosler Custom 338 Win Mag brass. The box was even short 1, so I wrote Nosler and they sent me 4 free replacements, no questions asked. Excellent customer service! I also use Hornady and Winchester and Federal brass as well.
...but, here is my issue. ""For hunting reloading for the best MOA and performance for your rifle ...... ITS RIFLE BRASS folks. True some might be a "tad" better then others, so that a justifiable $.04 - $.06 might be in order, but double the cost???? As long as we keep falling for the "whatever the market will bare" and "supply and demand" extortion routines done by companies, our livelihoods and what used to be a very inexpensive family fun time will be gouged.
The truth is most every rifle has its own personality and will shoot some brass, primer, powder, bullet, reload prep and reload recipe to a very high degree of MOA at 200 yards. Depending on your component care, your firearm care, and the reload recipe, your reload component care and your favorite rifle, most all of these can last a very long time.
If you are a reloader, with some serious research "before purchasing", pateince and the fun desire to want to learn the art and science of reloading for your rifle and a level head as to what you really want out of that rifle, you can acquire, and notice this, --> "super accuracy", excellent consistency and repeatable performance, long lasting components and just as many "kills" with the lesser costing, lesser hyped ("bulls...") products as your neighbor with all the super expensive, super hyped "do you want to risk that once in a lifetime trophy hunt" advertised products.
Yup, its tough to step away from some of the marketing and advertising tactics but fellow reloaders, don't succomb to the hype and inconsistent evidence promoted by a few that have. Instead of giving your hard earned money to the company executives, give it back to you and your family.
P.S. Price of crude oil is going up and that is why gas and fuel prices "have to go up". Of course Exxon\Mobile who just boasted again a record quarterly profit of some 9.25 billion dollars somehow try to justfy the gouging and extortion. It is the same with most other products. The huge jump in retail price never is equivalent to the material price increase to the manufacturer. Extortion and gouging is across the board because we allow it to be so. If you don't beleve that, I just might have a $175,000 house to sell you for that bargain basement 2005 price of $400,000.
Okay, stepping off the pedestal now. good day and good night.
Just my $.03
338WinMag
Last edited:
That's a very good point 338WM. I've got some Nosler and Norma brass already, for my 6.5x.284. I think I'll try and see what I can do with it before I rush out and buy the Lapua. Tho' I'll probably end up getting some anyway, no matter how good the others are. I'll have to see how good the Lapua is as well.
Since you brought it up. Let me tell you something that will really **** you off the next time you fill your tank. I am one of the people who regulate the oil & gas industry in the state of Oklahoma. I had an Oil & Gas Operator tell me the other day, he had over 2100 barrels of oil setting in tanks, that he couldn't sell because the refineries are full. He said he was going to have to shut down his wells, until he could sell some or get some more storage space. Think about that the next time the news says shortage, and you pay $4.00 a gallon.
Since you brought it up. Let me tell you something that will really **** you off the next time you fill your tank. I am one of the people who regulate the oil & gas industry in the state of Oklahoma. I had an Oil & Gas Operator tell me the other day, he had over 2100 barrels of oil setting in tanks, that he couldn't sell because the refineries are full. He said he was going to have to shut down his wells, until he could sell some or get some more storage space. Think about that the next time the news says shortage, and you pay $4.00 a gallon.
woods
Well-Known Member
I got a bad box of 300 win mag brass, sent it back to Nosler and got another bad box
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/nosler-300-win-mag-brass-very-unimpressed-33899/
they've probably fixed the problem by now but with that problem and what they have done with the 280AI brass, I'll just stick with Remington brass and do a lot of prep. At least Remington has always been usable with neck thickness variations somewhere in the .001" to .002" range.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/nosler-300-win-mag-brass-very-unimpressed-33899/
they've probably fixed the problem by now but with that problem and what they have done with the 280AI brass, I'll just stick with Remington brass and do a lot of prep. At least Remington has always been usable with neck thickness variations somewhere in the .001" to .002" range.
comfisherman
Well-Known Member
I'd not noticed all the accuracy claims, mind you I'm a lousy consumer and rarely notice advertising. Still drive my highschool honda civic, don't own a tv and realize that the oil price is whatever the general populace is willing pay. However I'd hazard that oil prices are the new red herring of the day and will stay out of that one.
My blue line from above was to address the advertisement on the bag that I had, "ready to load out of the bag" and as such that is how I addressed it.
I'd like to reiterate that it is good brass, not lapua but good brass. It seems that nosler is trying to cater to a cross section of shooters that is not the average reloader. There are shooters out there that make hourly what most make in a day, and the idea of saving the time that one spends painstakingly prepping brass appeals to them. Its the easy way to load without the work.
I will have to take the time to find the accuracy claims nosler sets fourth with their brass. They are a pretty solid company not prone in past years for outlandish claims. There is so much that goes in to accuracy its hard to believe that companies outside of personal smiths i.e. ssg, aps. It surprises me that accuracy guarantees exist.
My blue line from above was to address the advertisement on the bag that I had, "ready to load out of the bag" and as such that is how I addressed it.
I'd like to reiterate that it is good brass, not lapua but good brass. It seems that nosler is trying to cater to a cross section of shooters that is not the average reloader. There are shooters out there that make hourly what most make in a day, and the idea of saving the time that one spends painstakingly prepping brass appeals to them. Its the easy way to load without the work.
I will have to take the time to find the accuracy claims nosler sets fourth with their brass. They are a pretty solid company not prone in past years for outlandish claims. There is so much that goes in to accuracy its hard to believe that companies outside of personal smiths i.e. ssg, aps. It surprises me that accuracy guarantees exist.
Nomosendero
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info. I had heard that it was sorted Winchester brass. Being from Fed, that is less appealing to me. The Fed brass I have tried has been soft, esp. 270 & 308.
I am about to order some 264WM brass, I was thinking of Nosler, maybe I will just get Win.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
Federal has loaded some very good ammo and probably still does , but I have not had good luck with reloading there brass so if I am somewhere away and need some more ammo I will buy
Federal ammo for some of my rifles If I can't find anything else but I dont save any of the brass.
One of the reasons that I weight sort all of my new brass is to find out how consistant it is.
If I end up with 2 or 3 batches (Each batch is within 1 grain) I am OK with it and if it can be
loaded 3 or 4 times before the necks split I anneal them and start over after the second time
(7 or 8 firings) I discard then. I do not load hard anymore and brass last long enough to keep
me out of trouble. I have not reached this point with the Lapua yet but the first sign of a
pending failure and I will have my limit of firings for the Lapua.
So far the lapua brass has out lasted everything else. A lot of guys on this site said It was the best
and I think They were right. The reason Winchester Is down on my list is when I weight sort
it I end up with 7 or 8 different batches and this concerns me as far as quality control.
In the beginning I though Nosler was making there own brass and I assumed it would be as good
as all of there other products and after using one batch I bough another and found it weighed
differently than the first batch (Which defeated the whole idea of weighted brass) so i gave up
on it.
Other people have reportedly had good results with it but i didn't.
J E CUSTOM
When I started reloading my own stuff, (1970) I used to stop at the gun range every Monday on the way to work and pickup all the rifle brass I could find. The only rifle I had at the time was a .270. It was my plinking, deer, and varmint gun. I would prepare and load all the .270 cases I found without regard to manufacturer. I killed many an animal using those reloads without any problems. Of course things were much simpler in those days. We didn't have as many, 'gadgets' to choose from. Forward to the present and we worry about everything when reloading. I guess that's progress. However, (now I can contradict myself) a lot of the new, 'gadgets' sure make for better shooting. To top it off, I finally bought some Nosler brass and ordered some Lapau brass. Time to see what all the fuss is about. Let's go shooting.
