Best Brass
02-16-2016, 04:04 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 44
Best Brass
Hi guys, long time reloader here with a quick question. I shoot Winchester brass in my hunting rifles. If I were to switch to a better brand of brass, say Lupa and maybe shoot match primers would I get any better accuracy? Not that I am complaining about Winchester brass but I am starting to practice at 200-300 yards instead of 100yds. Or would it be better to save my money and practice more?
Thx for any help.
Thx for any help.
02-17-2016, 03:17 AM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Colorado
Posts: 797
Honestly I believe in two theorys.
1. Good brass lasts longer but there is brass like Winchester that can last just as long.
2. Expensive brass is for long range shooters and benchrest. Do I believe Nosler brass or Lapua to be more accurate? In some calibers and rifle setups yes I do think it's a tad more accurate. Is it worth the cost? Maybe depending on the usage. If you are going to load 100's and 1000's of stock piled rounds. No Way
Lapua is great
Nosler is great
Winchester is great for the cost
Hornady is brittle
Remington stretches like a mofo
That's just my own personal conclusion on some standard made brass.
Unless your trying to take out a gnat at 1000 yards don't bother.
1. Good brass lasts longer but there is brass like Winchester that can last just as long.
2. Expensive brass is for long range shooters and benchrest. Do I believe Nosler brass or Lapua to be more accurate? In some calibers and rifle setups yes I do think it's a tad more accurate. Is it worth the cost? Maybe depending on the usage. If you are going to load 100's and 1000's of stock piled rounds. No Way
Lapua is great
Nosler is great
Winchester is great for the cost
Hornady is brittle
Remington stretches like a mofo
That's just my own personal conclusion on some standard made brass.
Unless your trying to take out a gnat at 1000 yards don't bother.
02-17-2016, 05:43 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
Posts: 2,664
I personally think there are more important factors than the brass.
I separate my brass by manufacturer and even by the number of reloads. Just because I'm a little anal (extremely or overly neat, careful, or precise).
IMO a good scale and good consistency control is a major factor. Seating depth of the bullet and even case length. How clean is your primer pocket etc.
Consistency is the key. And there are a whole lot of variables.
I search for the load (size and powder) and bullet my rifle likes. Maybe tweak the muzzle velocity a little up and down, just as a control.
You have the shooter, good days and bad days. You have atmospherics, temp. humidity etc.
Knowing your rifle is important. It makes a difference in how hot or warm your barrel is.
Brass IMO is a lesser factor, there are others that affect consistency more.
Know your ballistics. Some people get ate up with the X ring, the reality is the how tight is your group. You can always move the group.
In the end most rifles are more accurate than the shooter is anyway.
I separate my brass by manufacturer and even by the number of reloads. Just because I'm a little anal (extremely or overly neat, careful, or precise).
IMO a good scale and good consistency control is a major factor. Seating depth of the bullet and even case length. How clean is your primer pocket etc.
Consistency is the key. And there are a whole lot of variables.
I search for the load (size and powder) and bullet my rifle likes. Maybe tweak the muzzle velocity a little up and down, just as a control.
You have the shooter, good days and bad days. You have atmospherics, temp. humidity etc.
Knowing your rifle is important. It makes a difference in how hot or warm your barrel is.
Brass IMO is a lesser factor, there are others that affect consistency more.
Know your ballistics. Some people get ate up with the X ring, the reality is the how tight is your group. You can always move the group.
In the end most rifles are more accurate than the shooter is anyway.
02-17-2016, 06:17 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,902
In general, the gain by going to high end brass in a factory chambered rifle barrel will be minimal. It never hurts, but it may not give you any benefit, but WILL cost a lot more.
Win brass does very well for its cost. Weight sort the brass, load, shoot, and be merry.
Win brass does very well for its cost. Weight sort the brass, load, shoot, and be merry.
02-17-2016, 08:22 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alberta Canada
Posts: 1,081
In the smaller cases, I found that weighing makes a difference. In the heavy magnums, it didn't matter a bit. Winchester brass will serve you well. As stated play with your powder choice, bullet selection, seating depth and possibly bedding.
03-20-2016, 05:40 AM
#7
Spike
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Aiken, South Carolina
Posts: 55
As a general rule I haven't bought anything I could not make cases for by modifying 308/7.62, 30.06 or 223 for in maybe the last 20 years.
When I started shooting highpower in 1973 the only brass I could get was left by the military teams at Oak Ridge, Tenn matches. The only 30.06 was commercial and until the DCM issued about a million rounds of M72 Match at Camp Perry.
Very few wanted it as they had converted to 7.62 years before and I was able to trade some guys out of some. I knew that was the last ship in and then I got introduced to tight chambers and now I know I can keep my rifles fed with the same cases for years.
When I started shooting highpower in 1973 the only brass I could get was left by the military teams at Oak Ridge, Tenn matches. The only 30.06 was commercial and until the DCM issued about a million rounds of M72 Match at Camp Perry.
Very few wanted it as they had converted to 7.62 years before and I was able to trade some guys out of some. I knew that was the last ship in and then I got introduced to tight chambers and now I know I can keep my rifles fed with the same cases for years.
03-20-2016, 07:16 AM
#8
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,745
Hummer I have about 1000 of that LC72 brass too that I acquired a long time ago (maybe in the early 70s also). I also have some other lots of military brass.
As for commercial brass I like Winchester for my rifles and Starline for my revolver and .45-70.
As for commercial brass I like Winchester for my rifles and Starline for my revolver and .45-70.
03-20-2016, 11:31 PM
#10
Spike
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Aiken, South Carolina
Posts: 55
Bronko22000, when I worked for the Army Small Cal Lab at Picatinny Arsenal I lived in Pike County, PA and was a member of Matamoras Rod and Gun Club. Are you close to Pike County. I still have a good friend there who I sent some LC Match cases to for his Ruger Precision Rifle he just obtained.
Spartan 1, I know lots of guys that use Lapua 7.62 cases with great success.
I had two bad experiences with it. 30.06 and 7MM Mauser. The case heads were so soft that primers were loose on first firing and could not be reloaded. I bought a box of 30.06 and loaded half of them up and shot them in the Palma Trophy Match at Camp Perry. I won the match but had primers falling out when I opened the bolt. The following year I loaded the remaining 50 cases and won the Palma Trophy again, primers fell out again.
Loaded same load in Winchester, Remington, Lake City with no problems. Load was only 53 gr. 4350 under a 190 Winchester with Federal LR Primers and that is not hot in anyone's manual. Found same problem with 7MM Mauser. No one I ever heard of had similar problems with 7.62 which I suspect was formed to meet NATO case requirements as there is a hardness gradient requirement on NATO cases which should hold up for many reloadings.
Spartan 1, I know lots of guys that use Lapua 7.62 cases with great success.
I had two bad experiences with it. 30.06 and 7MM Mauser. The case heads were so soft that primers were loose on first firing and could not be reloaded. I bought a box of 30.06 and loaded half of them up and shot them in the Palma Trophy Match at Camp Perry. I won the match but had primers falling out when I opened the bolt. The following year I loaded the remaining 50 cases and won the Palma Trophy again, primers fell out again.
Loaded same load in Winchester, Remington, Lake City with no problems. Load was only 53 gr. 4350 under a 190 Winchester with Federal LR Primers and that is not hot in anyone's manual. Found same problem with 7MM Mauser. No one I ever heard of had similar problems with 7.62 which I suspect was formed to meet NATO case requirements as there is a hardness gradient requirement on NATO cases which should hold up for many reloadings.
