Which brass?

Paatz

Paatz

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Newb question here, just starting out.

OK so you are at your local big box sporting goods store.
They have bags of Winchester, Federal, and Remington brass.

Which do you choose and why?
Ideally I'd buy one of each and test 'em all but I'd like to hear from others' experience.

I also see they have Norma brass @ about twice the price for a box of 30-06.
Is it worth twice as much? In other words, will I get twice the use out it as compared to other brands?

In general, what sort of life can one expect from a casing given that you're loading moderately and not maximum velocities?
 
In my 223 after 2-3 firings Winchester and Remington brass needs to be trimmed. Federal lasts for 4-5 firings for some reason.
 
randas said:
In my 223 after 2-3 firings Winchester and Remington brass needs to be trimmed. Federal lasts for 4-5 firings for some reason.
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An RCBS X-Sizer will help in that.

For a new shooter using a 3006 presumably hunting rifle, just buy a bunch of one kind. Either of the 3 you mention below are good. There would be little value to the Norma brass IMO. Some top level competitors use (though thoroughly pimped) Winchester, or Remington brass.

When I start a lot of brass, I gather 500-1K of the same manufacturer, then shoot it until it needs to go in the recycler. If you are going to rec shoot, ~100 ends a year, but only want to load once, buy 200 brass. If you are going to shoot more, buy more. Or, if you want to load all the time, buy less.
 
I choose none of the above,I order Lapua brass from Hirsch Precision, or Prophet River. They cost more, but the quality is better, and they last longer.
 
Brass quality is normaly (if available in given cartridge):
  • Winchester (very very good)
  • Nosler (better)
  • Norma (even better)
  • Lapua (best)

I've been extremely satisfied with Hornady brass but it's a "non-standard" recommendation.

Alex
 
AlexF said:
Brass quality is normaly (if available in given cartridge):
  • Winchester (very very good)
  • Nosler (better)
  • Norma (even better)
  • Lapua (best)

I've been extremely satisfied with Hornady brass but it's a "non-standard" recommendation.

Alex
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Are you seeing a change in the quality of the winchester in the past two years. I am just getting back into it but my reloading friends are telling me to stay away from the newest batches winchester??
 
3macs1 said:
Are you seeing a change in the quality of the winchester in the past two years. I am just getting back into it but my reloading friends are telling me to stay away from the newest batches winchester??
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That's a tough one to answer but here is my experience:
I shoot something like 1800-2000 rounds every year using 223 Rem, 243 Win, 270 WSM and 308 Win with Winchester brass and can only say that the brass I've bought is of very good quality but that cases need serious case preparation (case trimming, case deburring and flash hole deburring) before they can be reloaded.

There is no doubt that Nosler, Norma and Lapua make better brass cases but many long range shooting competitions are won shooting well prepared Winchester brass.

Alex
 
AlexF said:
That's a tough one to answer but here is my experience:
I shoot something like 1800-2000 rounds every year using 223 Rem, 243 Win, 270 WSM and 308 Win with Winchester brass and can only say that the brass I've bought is of very good quality but that cases need serious case preparation (case trimming, case deburring and flash hole deburring) before they can be reloaded.

There is no doubt that Nosler, Norma and Lapua make better brass cases but many long range shooting competitions are won shooting well prepared Winchester brass.

Alex
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Thanks Alex. I should have been clearer. It is mainly case prep they are complaining about also saying normnally they would not have to trim for 4 reloads now doing it with new brass, kinks on bullet ends and a few per hundred they just scrap from splits etc. Take care
 
Federal, Norma & Nosler brass all tends to be "softer" than the Lapua & Winchester offerings.
I have noted primer pockets loosening up in Federal brass after only 2 or 3 firings, when Winchester brass would not loosen even after 8 firings, using the same loads.
My first experience with Nosler brass was similar.
Norma, while excellent quality brass, seems to vary in toughness a lot from chambering to chambering.
6.5x55 brass seems soft, 308 Norma Mag brass, not so much.
Lapua is consistently great brass, tough, and well annealed at the neck & shoulder.
I use Lapua where it is available, otherwise Winchester gets the nod.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
choices

I use Rem brass in many of my smaller caliber and in my 257AI, works well. I also have a grizzly annealing machine so I will anneal quite a pile of brass some time this winter. There was a thread on accurate reloading where a fellow shot the same piece of Winchester brass 35 times and annealed it after every firing before it failed. So if you have the time and right gear you can make any brass last a very long time. FS
 
Just my 2c, stay away from the "FC" headstamp federal brass. I've not had much luck, with primer pockets stretching and necks cracking on the first reloading (second firing). Light loads (like 44gr BL-C(2) in a .308 win, with a 150gr flat nose).

What are you reloading for? I am slowly converting to military brass where available. Never had a problem with IVI in .308 or .303.
 
I use winchester, lapua and remington. FWIW, my most accurate rifle gets fed once fired remington brass.

In the calibers I have tried I have found remington to have slightly smaller case capacity than winchester.

Lapua is the best quality but its costs a bit more.

If I had to pick a favourite based on my experience, for quality and value, it would likely be Winchester.
 
I bought a batch of Winchester 7X57 brass last fall, and about half of the cartridges had loose primer pockets on the first loading - loose enough that I'll likely only get two loadings out of them.

I replaced it with Prvi (8X57 sized down to 7X57), and it's excellent brass.
 
mwjones said:
Just my 2c, stay away from the "FC" headstamp federal brass. I've not had much luck, with primer pockets stretching and necks cracking on the first reloading (second firing). Light loads (like 44gr BL-C(2) in a .308 win, with a 150gr flat nose).

What are you reloading for? I am slowly converting to military brass where available. Never had a problem with IVI in .308 or .303.
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Odd. I'm running FC stamped Federal brass and having no such issues. 3rd and 4th loadings, .308 Win, with loads coming close to the factory ballistics, using both 150 gr and 180 gr bullets. Have read that the Fed brass is generally softer, though. I've got it, and it's working for me, so I'm not gonna run out and buy new brass for the time being.

I am using IVI brass for .223. Can't comment on other brands. It's working for me.
Losing brass in the long grass has been the leading cause of diminishing stocks of brass.

For the .22 Hornet, there is considerable case volume difference between the makes. Same as any caliber, but it seems to be more pronounced in the smaller capacity cases. Food for thought if you figure the listed max load is a good place to start.

Cheers
Trev
 
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