Brass Options: Lapua, Peterson, Alpha, ADG, other premium... compare, comment

358Rooster

358Rooster

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
37   0   0
Location
Central Saskatchewan
Since there are now more options available out there, I'm looking for shooters' experiences with some of the recent newcomers such as Peterson, Alpha, ADG - and I'm sure there are others - compared to the known quality of Lapua and Norma. It's coming time for me to replace some brass and possibly welcome a fresh one to my herd.

Thanks in advance for sharing your detailed knowledge of the other premium brands.

Rooster
 
One thing I wish to Lapua would do is package their product better. For the kind of money you have to pay I don’t think you should be getting beat up necks. I have been using Peterson 6.5 Creedmoor brass so far so good. Lapua no longer has a stranglehold on the PRS game either.
 
I find Alpha to be more consistent than Lapua and better packaged. They come in a hard package with foam, individually separated that can be used to keep loaded rounds in after.
Starline is maybe comparable to Lapua but also poorly packaged, just in a bag.
 
Last edited:
scourge18a said:
I find Alpha to be more consistent than Lapua and better packaged. They come in a hard package with foam, individually separated that can be used to keep loaded rounds in after.
Starline is maybe comparable to Lapua but also poorly packaged, just in a bag.
Click to expand...
There is issues with Alpha brass in some caliber to the point a special reamer was made available to the Alpha users. Who want a rifle chambered for a specific brand of brass? Not me.
If you find Alpha better than Lapua..well it show you go for the package blink instead of the real quality based on consistency and proven specs. Lapua is the gold standard..not Alpha in regards of rifle casing.
 
Had no issues with Peterson so far, had it for about 4-5yrs now. I turned necks on 20 pcs, they were surpringly good on the high/low spots compared to some Rem, Horn and Herter's I spun up for the heck of it, all 6.5 CM except Rem, it is 7-08. It turned out to be an illuminating experiment. Just got one box of Lapua, wanting to ty some ADG too. At the price of brass these days, may as well buy the good stuff, not a huge difference in pricing on it between the top 4 brands as they are known. I think RWS is a worthy mention too, didn't turn any necks on those, but I have some of that at 10 shots not annealed now, 30R Blaser.
 
Not 100% sure how to measure the differences yet.
I have been using starline and i am getting great reaults in 308, 6.5 cdm, 243, 223, and most recently, 300 blk.

My creedmoor brass is 7x now and no sign of fatigue that I can see.
 
I purchased some 223 Remington Lapua brass, this last weekend, got home and opened the factory sealed box, only to discover there are only 99 cases, 1 friggin case short. Seriously annoying. I should have just stuck with starline brass.
 
Janeau said:
There is issues with Alpha brass in some caliber to the point a special reamer was made available to the Alpha users. Who want a rifle chambered for a specific brand of brass? Not me.
If you find Alpha better than Lapua..well it show you go for the package blink instead of the real quality based on consistency and proven specs. Lapua is the gold standard..not Alpha in regards of rifle casing.
Click to expand...

I use both Alpha and Lapua. Not enough experience with Alpha to make a useful comment other than saying they seem quite consistent. However, consider the following article:

Alpha Munitions was by far the favorite rifle brass among pro shooters, with 67% choosing to run Alpha brass. That included 6 shooters in the top 10.
Click to expand...

What brass the Pros use
 
I don’t care about a dented neck because proper preparation of new brass will include steps that will resolve the dent. Uniform size and weight as well as concentric neck thickness is more of a concern to me!. I have no complaints with Lapua brass and have used it in 223,22-250,6BR,6creed,6.5creed,308palma . Recently purchased a bunch of Peterson 6 BR which I’ve necked down to 22BR and it seems well made but not enough experience with it yet for judgement!
 
Killbillc68 said:
One thing I wish to Lapua would do is package their product better. For the kind of money you have to pay I don’t think you should be getting beat up necks. I have been using Peterson 6.5 Creedmoor brass so far so good. Lapua no longer has a stranglehold on the PRS game either.
Click to expand...

Well fast forward to 2025 and Lapua is packaged individually in boxes
 
A lot depends on how much shooting the reloader does, and the accuracy expectations from the end result, in a specific firearm.

I will admit, I've never used Alpha cases, but I've got and have used all of the others mentioned here, as well as others.

Some were purchased during "drought" conditions, and I had to use whatever was available.

I like most brands of brass, and I don't mind paying less because I have to "prep" the cases by sizing them in a die, uniforming the primer pockets/flash holes, and trimming the cases after running them through the sizing die.

Some folks have a hate on for Federal, or Remington, Hornady, and now it seems even Norma and Lapua are on the list

One brand not mentioned here is also very good, "Nosler."

I don't run high pressures in the older rifles I have chambered for 30-06, 8x57, 7x57, etc. I do run them at "modern pressures" in rifles rated/tested to contain higher pressures. I have several Mausers and other types of rifles with actions built to handle CUP/CIP pressures lower than the 98 Mauser action. I load those accordingly, no matter who manufactures the case.
 
Last edited:
jethunter said:
Lapua is still the standard you measure everything else against. The Peterson brass i tried was as good as Lapua, but not a big sample size.
Click to expand...
No not as good. Capacity is reduced in an attempt to make head stronger and brass is definitely softer. A load fine in a Lapua case will deform - re ejector mark - marking flattened in a Petersen. No not the same. Alpha is in the same boat with extra issues.
 
Peterson and Lapua brass for me. I was a Nosler brass fan for a few years, then compared it to Peterson and Lapua and found it to be a soft brass. I have now weaned myself off-of Nosler. I wish that good brass can be made for the 6mm Remington.
 
Peterson is good brass and it has been available for years. I was getting mine from Western Metal a few years ago.
There's one issue though: brand new, the primer pockets are rather tight. I broke a Lee hand-primer on my first box.
Nowadays I am using small primer Lapua brass in 308 'cause you know, large primers are scarce.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom