Brass Snobbery

Dorsettaff

Well-Known Member
Following on from the .270 into .25-06 thread (and not wishing to hijack it!) are we all a bit guilty of "brass snobbery"?

I know we are all "told" that Scandinavian brass is head and shoulders (oooof..bad pun!) above the rest but is it really "that" much better?

I hold my hands up here and admit I have spent fortunes on Lapua/Norma cases for .22-250, .243, 6.5 x55 , .30-06 and .300WM but have had excellent results with PPU in 6.5 x 55 and when chronying a .243 load , found the lowest SD was with good ol' cheap Federal cases.

On the flip side I've had a few issues with near case head separation (over sizing cases!!:oops:) and the worst culprit....Yep....Lapua!!

So do we get a little bit too snobbish about what brass we use?

Just some musings....

DT
 
When I first started loading for the 6mm06AI I was splitting just about every neck on the Remmington brass I was using. Wasted lots of time going back to gunsmith, wobbling about head space issues, wasted lots of bullets and lots of powder trying to work up loads that didn't split necks.

After a few months I was advised to change to different brass, so I went Norma (lots of mates shooting 130 grain Norma ammo in 270 so no cost to try it). Never had a single problem after that.

I now stick with Norma, Lapua (6.5* 47 Lapua) and Nosler Custom (280AI). Will never buy cheap brass again. Waste of time and money.
 
Yep, a lot of snobbery involved with brass.

Saying that I mainly shoot Lapua, Norma or RWS brass but I also have some Winchester, PPU and some ex-mil Radway Green. Pretty satisfied with the results I obtain from all the different makes. As for longevity of brass the worst results I have ever had as regards number of reloads has actually been from one particular lot of Lapua .222 cases.

Generally for consistency though I will admit that Lapua, Norma and RWS are almost certainly the best though I wouldn't be too upset if I had to resort to any of the other brands that I have mentioned for the type of shooting that I do.
 
Whilst the make of brass is important, surely it is how shiny it is when you reload it that is critical? Dull, common brass should know it's place and remain 'below stairs', what?
 
I use FC brass at the moment, it's onto its 10th reloading. Starting to get the odd split neck. Time for "new" brass, RWS this time. I get given it. No snobbery here.
 
Last year I got myself into quite a 'kerfuffle' (I'm being polite) in trying to develop loads for my .260. I made a determined attempt to blow myself up by using H414 and remain grateful to our members Laurie and Sinistral for advice and practical assistance in keeping 8 fingers and 2 thumbs intact.:eek:

I tried too many variables including trying to make .260 cases from .243. I learned that there is definitely a difference between Lapua, Norma, RWS on one hand and the American brands on the other. Quite what that difference is I do not know. Lapua, Norma and RWS would not reform from .243 to .260 and fit my rifle, whilst all the American brands would. Despite lots of testing by Sinistral, we still do not fully understand why.

In my rifle, the brand of brass used, whether reformed from .243 or original Lapua .260 factory cases, made little difference to the velocities and grouping. I tried several different brands over the chronograph. I concluded that for use on deer at normal ranges, the brass was not at all critical.

Having said all that, I am currently using Lapua factory .260 cases, 45 grains of N160 and 120 grain Sierra Prohunter for 2,750 fps. Shoots well with 2x 160 yard Muntjac from a high seat last Saturday and another this morning.

Like Ranger 22 I have had eight or nine loadings from Federal .243 brass, the end game of which is usually a split neck. Currently reloading Norma cases for the .243. I use Winchester cases for the .22Hornet, so quite diverse.
 
I use Remington brass & have lost count of the number of times it's been reloaded...I'd have to count through my loading book to be certain. The cases get annealed every four reloadings and I only ever F/L size to fired case dimension.

Of course my Remmy brass is titanium & Gold plated, so of course I'm snobby about it :coat:
 
Uncle Norm interesting that you should mention that the "lesser" brands are often better for reforming as a friend of mine has found exactly the same when forming .17 fireball cases from .223rem and 5.56mm. Some of the easiest that he has found for this purpose was one particular lot of RG while another lot with a different date stamp was quite different. The Lapua and Norma cases that he tried didn't work out too well.
 
I've been using Norma and FC brass for the 6.5, no issues yet. I have 100 Lapua unopened for back up though but can't see me breaking the seal on that box for a while yet!
 
Following on from the .270 into .25-06 thread (and not wishing to hijack it!) are we all a bit guilty of "brass snobbery"?

So do we get a little bit too snobbish about what brass we use?

Just some musings....

DT

My thoughts are that if you spend multiple thousands on your rifle and scope, you should be happy to spend a few tens of pounds on brass that you know will be good quality and help achieve the accuracy levels you desire. If you can get a source of free brass then you may as well give it whirl, but if your paying you may as well get the best as its not much in the scheme of things.
 
The only rifle brass I've had problems with are .308Win Federal and S&B, Federal for loose primer pockets and S&B for split necks.

My brass of choice in .308 is RWS/Cineshot, excellent quality. For the .260Rem I reformed some RWS .308 before I could get some Remington 260 Brass, I'm still using the re-formed RWS with excellent results.

For the 6.5 Creedmoor, again I reformed RWS 308, this time I also neck turned them, not had a chance to shoot them yet but I recently brought back 400 Hornady Creedmoor cases so I have 2 batches loaded to compare.
 
Following on from the .270 into .25-06 thread (and not wishing to hijack it!) are we all a bit guilty of "brass snobbery"?

I know we are all "told" that Scandinavian brass is head and shoulders (oooof..bad pun!) above the rest but is it really "that" much better?

I hold my hands up here and admit I have spent fortunes on Lapua/Norma cases for .22-250, .243, 6.5 x55 , .30-06 and .300WM but have had excellent results with PPU in 6.5 x 55 and when chronying a .243 load , found the lowest SD was with good ol' cheap Federal cases.

On the flip side I've had a few issues with near case head separation (over sizing cases!!:oops:) and the worst culprit....Yep....Lapua!!

So do we get a little bit too snobbish about what brass we use?

Just some musings....

DT

It is not just on brass for reloading the snobbery exists on rifles, optics, and cars. Those marketing folks are good at their job.
 
Have never bought brass manage to get enough from clients and friends who don't reload, used to sort it by brand when I first started don't bother any more, for stalking it makes no difference , just prep them and load hem as they come now.
 
I reload PPU brass for .303 and .308 when target shooting. I have had no problems with it at all, all I have been told is PPU will reload roughly 5 times before you need to change it but don't quote me on that
 
nosler custom for me as that's all I can find for the 280 ack lap for the 6.5x47 as that's all I can get aswell
 
Conure,

Are you trying to say my federal brass is not suitable for my Blaser and Zeiss?????

:doh:

Actually Fed brass used to be THE preferred brass for reloading in my pistola days of shooting. Winchester Nickled cases for 38 Spl but Fed in 9mm and .357.
 
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