JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
Messages
542
Reactions
268
I meet a lot of people who just love "Federal" Brass. Why? Here is a picture of what happens to it in my new 30-06 after just six reloads. I use a RCBS neck sizer die after the brass is fire formed to my chamber the first load. These two were out of a batch of 50 rounds using a 150 grain FMJ and a medium charge pushing the projectile at 2,750 fps.
1423187200870.jpg
 
Do you ever anneal? I know one feller who only gets one load from his Nosler brass.

I personally have no problem with federal brass. Sure I'd like to get 10 loads on a casing but I'd be okay with six as easy as it is to get.
I recently bought some Nosler and Lapua. The Nosler is by far the best brass I have ever worked with! Nosler is as close to "Perfection" as a person can get. The Lapua has not lived up to it's reputation.
Just last week I reloaded a fifty round batch of Nosler 308 for the seventh time, no annealing yet. It's hard to believe but the trim length is still 2.005 (OK - had to trim .001 on a few), and the primer pockets are totally consistent - like new! the neck tension is awesomely uniform and still elastic!

Just yesterday I did Anneal a hundred rounds of Remington Brass after the seventh reload - no problems! Remington IMHO is the best "budget brass/Free" out there. I will easily get another seven reloads out of this batch. The necks do stretch and have to be trimmed before each reload, and the primer pockets, while friendly, are not totally consistent.
 
Last Edited:
What's a fair expectation for the amount of reloads you can get from brass?
For the last seven years I have reloaded thousands of rounds of various head stamps. In the "budget" category, I have settled on Federal and Remington. Remington being the best. After six reloads I can feel the neck has been work hardened when I press in a new projectile, so I anneal.

PMC will spit out primer's like clock work. Winchester will split on the third reload. I'm not fond of LC because of the crimps.
 
I have high hopes for Nosler brass. I just bought a bunch of virgin stuff for the wifes 280 AI.
Cool! Stick with Nosler! They are loadable right out of the box! I measured every one of them and the all measured EXACTLY 2.005 (for my .308)! The necks were concentric and did not even need neck sizing. They are holding up better than I ever expected! I hope to get 25 - 30 reloads out of them, annealing as needed.

The Lapua, They varied in length from 2.004 to 2.008. This is not good. Also - Even Lapua said they needed to be sized before loading. The necks looked worse than some sorry range brass, they were all bent out of shape! And then - about eight out of a hundred had a LOT of difficulty sliding into the shell holder. I'm not impressed! I did get them all prepped and primed. I hope they hold up a long time. I haven't shot them yet. But I will tell ya that I just got back from Cabellas with another new box of Nosler.
 
Federal brass usually isn't all that great, I find it's much thicker and harder than most other brass out there. if you give it a neck/body anneal it handles much better. In all my favorite brass is PRVI, I actually buy quite a bit of their ammo just to shoot it and use the brass for reloads.

I have a lot of prvi .223 brass I use for accuracy testing of bullets, it's going on reload #12 but it's neck sized only and annealed every 3rd time.
 
I think Nosler being ~20% more than the cost of Lapua keeps many away. On inspection outside and inside, excluding measurements, Lapua and Nosler are tied in quality of manufacturing, IMO.

I haven't dipped into any of my Lapua 308 brass yet, but I sure love it in 338LM.
 
Federal brass usually isn't all that great, I find it's much thicker and harder than most other brass out there. if you give it a neck/body anneal it handles much better. In all my favorite brass is PRVI, I actually buy quite a bit of their ammo just to shoot it and use the brass for reloads.

I have a lot of prvi .223 brass I use for accuracy testing of bullets, it's going on reload #12 but it's neck sized only and annealed every 3rd time.
Good input - thank's. I have shot PRVI projectiles and have no complaints. I have never reloaded their brass.
 
Last Edited:
338LM - Yum! Got any pictures?
Sure do. However, sold it to a buddy and I'm slowly working on a custom build based on Mauser action. Sticking with the 338LM rather than something like the Edge because I have ~400 pieces of brass, 200 Lapua, 200 Hornady and a few strays.
It was a Savage 110BA and suffered badly from the stuck case syndrome. Is still reload for him, though and we found sweet spots w/ Retumbo and H870. Best of both worlds - I have fun reloading, don't have to own the gun, and still get to shoot it.
After owning it, I'd rather have a 12# shouldered rifle/scope/brake than a 20# model that needs a bench or prone. The 110 is definitely a gun well worth the money spent on it, but if I had another one, I'd send it out to have its chamber reamed again. It gets really tiring to have to hammer out your brass, which I had to do regularly if I was loading at 95+ grains.
 
Sure do. However, sold it to a buddy and I'm slowly working on a custom build based on Mauser action. Sticking with the 338LM rather than something like the Edge because I have ~400 pieces of brass, 200 Lapua, 200 Hornady and a few strays.
It was a Savage 110BA and suffered badly from the stuck case syndrome. Is still reload for him, though and we found sweet spots w/ Retumbo and H870. Best of both worlds - I have fun reloading, don't have to own the gun, and still get to shoot it.
After owning it, I'd rather have a 12# shouldered rifle/scope/brake than a 20# model that needs a bench or prone. The 110 is definitely a gun well worth the money spent on it, but if I had another one, I'd send it out to have its chamber reamed again. It gets really tiring to have to hammer out your brass, which I had to do regularly if I was loading at 95+ grains.

Have him get the chamber polished. Simple and cheap fix. Has the barrel ever been scoped? Savage turned out a few bad ones, But I reckon you'd know that by how it shot.

I get a kick out of these brass threads. Some folk say R-P or Privi or.... brass isn't worthy of being in the same house as them others say its great budget brass. I also see this in the premium side... "Lapua brass primer pockets loosen up after one load", "It's junk" or "That damn Nosler brass is so far out of spec"- F'N garbage etc.

I am still pretty green in the reloading department so I am a brass whore who tries to learn by experience and I have seen a few more FC failures than others but I only have a couple loads on my brass.
 
Rifle necked cases

first load is for the range
second load is for hunting
third load is back up for hunting
4th load is for the M1 Garand with suitable pressures and mostly just shot up at the range or plinking
5th load is for the stock pile.
6th load is after the Apocalypse and I most likely won't be picking it up again.
 
Sure do. However, sold it to a buddy and I'm slowly working on a custom build based on Mauser action. Sticking with the 338LM rather than something like the Edge because I have ~400 pieces of brass, 200 Lapua, 200 Hornady and a few strays.
It was a Savage 110BA and suffered badly from the stuck case syndrome. Is still reload for him, though and we found sweet spots w/ Retumbo and H870. Best of both worlds - I have fun reloading, don't have to own the gun, and still get to shoot it.
After owning it, I'd rather have a 12# shouldered rifle/scope/brake than a 20# model that needs a bench or prone. The 110 is definitely a gun well worth the money spent on it, but if I had another one, I'd send it out to have its chamber reamed again. It gets really tiring to have to hammer out your brass, which I had to do regularly if I was loading at 95+ grains.
95 grains! Talk about your shoulder getting hammered!
 
Have him get the chamber polished. Simple and cheap fix. Has the barrel ever been scoped? Savage turned out a few bad ones, But I reckon you'd know that by how it shot.

I get a kick out of these brass threads. Some folk say R-P or Privi or.... brass isn't worthy of being in the same house as them others say its great budget brass. I also see this in the premium side... "Lapua brass primer pockets loosen up after one load", "It's junk" or "That damn Nosler brass is so far out of spec"- F'N garbage etc.

I am still pretty green in the reloading department so I am a brass whore who tries to learn by experience and I have seen a few more FC failures than others but I only have a couple loads on my brass.
Trigger time is more important than brass. As long as the brass is not involved in a catastrophic failure.
 

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top