Author Topic: What brand of brass do you use? (Read 1781 times)

bfflobo · « **on:** September 24, 2007, 04:37:01 PM »

The last lot of brass I got for the 22-250 were Remington. Noticed that very few of them have the touch hole centered in the primer pocket. The rest all vary, with some off-set so bad I threw them away. Bought them from Midway. Any comments on what is the best brand for you.

Brithunter · « **Reply #1 on:** September 24, 2007, 11:29:13 PM »

Hmmmm it depends on what I can actually get. Just about to pick up a 100 new Remington cases for the 6mm Rem, choice was Remington ............................ or Remington. And that is ordered, shop phoned yesterday to say that they were in, cost is around $74 US for the 100 cases. In 30-30 I use Winchester as that is what the rifle was built for. Wichester case are undesized on the rim and the bolt face was made to fit them so it's Winchester or nothing.

I do by Rem cases in .303 as I found they are good for re-forming to 6.5x53R as again they are undersized this time in the web area which is handy as the 6.5x53R is smaller in the web than the .303.

Last new cases I brought was a box of 100 for the .222 rem and they were Lapua as that's what he had in stock. It soley depends on what I can get.

Graybeard · « **Reply #2 on:** September 25, 2007, 02:25:19 AM »

I've run into a few cases over the years with problems but for the most part cases from Remington, Winchester, Federal and Hornady which are today the big four in ammo manufacturing all seem to be perfectly fine for my uses. For bottle necked rounds I don't think I've yet seen a problem with Hornady other than in one cartridge (don't recall which but likely either .243 or .30-06) I did notice two distinct weight ranges that were significantly different than each other. I've never so far noticed any off center flash holes or other such problems in Hornady brass I've used to date and have seen it but rarely in the other three of the big four.

Nosler is now providing a limited variety of cases and they seem to be a definite cut above the rest in quality and are match weighted for uniformity. I don't think they are making the cases but can't say for certain who does if not them.

Overall the Norma cases I've worked with have been perhaps the best I've ever seen in all respects and if extreme accuracy was my goal that would be the one I'd want to work with followed by Nosler then either Hornady or Federal and then Remington or Winchester in no particular order.

For straight wall handgun cases in my opinion no one does it better than Star Line.

dave375hh · « **Reply #3 on:** September 25, 2007, 04:32:36 AM »

For rifles I prefer Norma with Remington a distant second. The uniformity of Norma brass is outstanding. I bought 300 rnds of Norma 6.5-.284 brass to turn into 6MM-284. 293 of them were within +/- 1.0gr which is 1/2 of 1%. I culled 4 cases for neck run-out the rest were within .001 so I didn't need to turn them. If I didn't see it myself I wouldn't have thought brass could be that uniform.

For handgun brass I use Starline good brass for decent prices. the people who make Starline also own Sierra bullets.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #4 on:** September 25, 2007, 05:49:12 AM »

As I've said before, when I started reloading, the little shop where I traded stocked Rem brass, Core Lokt bullets and CCI primers. And they worked so I've pretty much stayed with them. For hunting ammo, I suspect every case I've got sez Rem on the head. For target ammo, I think you can prep up Rem to match lapua but you're gonna pay some sweat equity to do it. With neck turning and weight culling and such. Lapua has recently reworked their machines and tightened up their specs, for their .223 brass at least, and it's now "Lapua Match". And it's specs are a lot tighter believe it or not. I don't know anything about their larger brass.
My experiences with Norma have been with .222 and 22-250. And they have been disappointing. If Norma and Remington brass were priced the same, I would buy the Remington.
IMO, if someone is buying brass to load for hunting ammo and is buying something other than Rem/Win/Fed/Horn @$25.00 a hundred, they're doing it to stroke their ego.
For match brass, if it doesn't come in Lapua or be fire formed from Lapua, I plan on spending a lot of time culling and prepping domestic brass.

davem270win · « **Reply #5 on:** September 25, 2007, 09:49:16 AM »

I've favored Winchester brass if I can get it. It used to be that Winchester generally had a slightly higher case capacity, for whatever that's worth. And the handloading articles I read many years ago also usually recommended Winchester.

But I've used a lot of Remington since and I can't say I can see any difference.

bfflobo · « **Reply #6 on:** September 28, 2007, 08:01:38 AM »

Thanks for the input. I do know that Winchester brass is softer than Remington. Needs to be trimmed more, therefore less life. I have found that the same load using the two different brass will shoot about the same size groups but in a different place on the target in my 308.

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #7 on:** October 01, 2007, 01:24:04 PM »

I use Winchester Brass, Bullets and primers where needed. I have always heard that Rem. brass was softer than Win. For wildcats its Lapua or Norma in rifle, and any brass works for my pistols.
Jim

Semisane · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2007, 05:48:53 PM »

Absolutely no question for my 22 Hornet - WINCHESTER. Bought one box of factory load Remingtons and had half a dozen case splits upon firing, and two head separations with the first rather standard reload. Threw the rest away. No problems at all with the first 100 Winchesters I bought. On my third reload with them.

I have used Remingtons with perfectly satisfactory results in my 25-06 and 45-70.

Mnswede · « **Reply #9 on:** October 02, 2007, 05:48:49 AM »

Lapua Match brass for the rifles that matters, and Winchester for the military type rifles for plinking. Use LC Match for the M1 Garand and M1A rifles. I use mostly Starline and Winchester cases for pistols, with some WCC Match cases for 1911 pistols.

The Sodbuster · « **Reply #10 on:** October 07, 2007, 04:31:54 AM »

A while back I bought some Lapua brass in .308 Win. I was impressed with the consistency in length and weight of each case. At least in .308 Win, it's heavier than Rem or Win brass. I think they drill their flash holes rather than punch them; but I'm not 100% sure about that. Never tried Nosler custom brass or Norma brass.

coyotejoe · « **Reply #11 on:** October 13, 2007, 04:28:30 AM »

I have a "mess" of brass for my 6.5X55, left overs from firing factory loads, Winchester, Remington, Federal, S&B, even have a few Norma cases left from a box of 20 rounds I bought for my first Swede so long ago I don't even remember but I know they've been loaded many, many times for three different rifles. Last winter I decided I should "standardize" so bought 200 Remington unprimed cases. Many of them split necks on the first firing with moderate loads in my M-70 Winchester and many more split on the second or third firing. I guess I chose the wrong brand on which to standardize.

shooting.al · « **Reply #12 on:** October 25, 2007, 03:14:21 PM »

I use Winchester brass for my .223.

osix · « **Reply #13 on:** October 26, 2007, 01:30:15 PM »

If available in the caliber can't go wrong with Lapua. Also had good results with RWS.

SuperstitionCoues · « **Reply #14 on:** October 27, 2007, 05:47:27 PM »

Winchester, most consistent, lot to lot.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #15 on:** October 28, 2007, 02:19:08 PM »

Quote from: bfflobo on September 28, 2007, 08:01:38 AM

Thanks for the input. I do know that Winchester brass is softer than Remington. Needs to be trimmed more, therefore less life. I have found that the same load using the two different brass will shoot about the same size groups but in a different place on the target in my 308.

I'm not so sure that Winchester cases are softer. My understanding is that they are thinner. With that comes a bit more case capacity but I'm not convinced it amounts to a hill of beans. As for needing trimming, it's always been my impression that the main cause of case streach was dragging the the case back over the expander nipple, particularly it the inside of the neck wasn't lubed. I see no way simply firing the round will make the case longer. It will move the shoulder forward tho but not the mouth of the case.

Ireload2 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 01, 2007, 06:11:55 PM »

>>>I do by Rem cases in .303 as I found they are good for re-forming to 6.5x53R as again they are undersized this time in the web area which is handy as the 6.5x53R is smaller in the web than the .303.<<<

I thought I was the only one that made the rimmed 6.5 Mannlicher.

Most of my shooting is with moderate loads at the range. I use anything I can get in large quantites or at a reasonable price.
I like Remington, Winchester & Federal just because it is easy to get once fired. I also like Norma brass but do not have a lot of it.

bfflobo · « **Reply #17 on:** November 04, 2007, 06:36:40 PM »

Don Fischer: what you said makes sense. Winchester might be thinner. Seems like they cycle through the die easier. What do you use to lube the inside of the case with before resizing? Mica?

Brithunter · « **Reply #18 on:** November 04, 2007, 08:42:30 PM »

Quote from: Ireload2 on November 01, 2007, 06:11:55 PM

>>>I do by Rem cases in .303 as I found they are good for re-forming to 6.5x53R as again they are undersized this time in the web area which is handy as the 6.5x53R is smaller in the web than the .303.<<<

I thought I was the only one that made the rimmed 6.5 Mannlicher.

Most of my shooting is with moderate loads at the range. I use anything I can get in large quantites or at a reasonable price.
I like Remington, Winchester & Federal just because it is easy to get once fired. I also like Norma brass but do not have a lot of it.

Nope there are a few of us out here that load and use the .256 Mannlicher. In fact I have both rimmmed and rimless versions and when I first gor the Mdl 1892 I have I had to work out how to re-form them myself. Ended up necking dow in stages and pushing the shoulder back using a .308 die. It worked and have yet to loose a reorm case through failure. Although I don't shoot it that often which reminds me I need to load up some for it.

Emmett · « **Reply #19 on:** November 10, 2007, 05:00:19 PM »

Hi Guys... new on here, but been loading quite awhile. I personally like Win. brass. Rem. has caused neck splits and head separations for me in the past...Maybe a little more brittle? Perhaps annealing might help, but some extra effort. I also don't think the "high priced spread" is really worth the money for hunting loads.....

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #20 on:** November 11, 2007, 03:11:37 AM »

Federal - .22-250, 7mm Rem Mag
Winchester - .30-30, .308 Win, .30-06, .300 Win Mag, .375 Win
Winchester +P - .257 Roberts
Starline - .45-70, .44 Mag, .357 Mag
Any - 9mm Luger, .45 ACP

jro45 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 12, 2007, 01:21:01 AM »

I like Federal And or the manufactures brass witch I buy from Midway.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #22 on:** November 12, 2007, 07:15:14 AM »

Quote from: bfflobo on November 04, 2007, 06:36:40 PM

Don Fischer: what you said makes sense. Winchester might be thinner. Seems like they cycle through the die easier. What do you use to lube the inside of the case with before resizing? Mica?

I used to use STP on a Q-tip rolled on a lube pad. Works great but ya need to clean it out before seating the bullet. At least I think you do so I did. Today I put my cases in a loading block and sprat with Hornady One Shot. Sprat down at an angle the turn the block 180 and do it again. Get's spray inside the neck and that I don't worry much about.

corbanzo · « **Reply #23 on:** November 12, 2007, 02:20:49 PM »

I shoot mostly -06 and federal seems to have the best resistance to stretching, and also the most uniformity, of what I use of course. Haven't ponied up to buy any norma brass.... Remington cases almost ALWAYS need flash holes deburred. Winchester definitely takes some trimming, but remington isn't all too far behind.