Need some advise here, I'm just starting to reload for my .308 and I need to purchase some brass. I have been told brand "X" brass sucks and if I buy it my children will live in poverty for the rest of there lives. Then I ask some one else and they' say the opposite. I understand everyone has an opinion and that's all right, but I need facts, so what should I buy and what should I stay away from.
- Thread starter redrum007
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Re: School me on brass
You're just starting. Buy whatever 1x fired you can get your hands on in sufficient quantity (200+) to assure loading uniformity. Load the brass with regularity, i.e. load 'em all uniformly the same # of times. Keep records of everything.
I still mainly use RP on my 308 because it's readily available and cheap/free, and although it's roomy, I still get damn good groups out of it with 168 Nosler bthp match bullets.
Get your reloading techniques worked out on the cheap stuff.
You're just starting. Buy whatever 1x fired you can get your hands on in sufficient quantity (200+) to assure loading uniformity. Load the brass with regularity, i.e. load 'em all uniformly the same # of times. Keep records of everything.
I still mainly use RP on my 308 because it's readily available and cheap/free, and although it's roomy, I still get damn good groups out of it with 168 Nosler bthp match bullets.
Get your reloading techniques worked out on the cheap stuff.
Re: School me on brass
If your going to buy new brass to load, a great start is Winchester. You can uniform the primer pockets, and deburr the flash hole, and without too much hassle, will shoot great for you. If you have way too much money, buy some Lapua brass. I have some, but I shoot mainly Winchester out of my bolt gun, and I use Lake City for my semi-auto. Good luck, JPG
If your going to buy new brass to load, a great start is Winchester. You can uniform the primer pockets, and deburr the flash hole, and without too much hassle, will shoot great for you. If you have way too much money, buy some Lapua brass. I have some, but I shoot mainly Winchester out of my bolt gun, and I use Lake City for my semi-auto. Good luck, JPG
Re: School me on brass
I'm new to precision handloading also and aren't very well versed in brass but from I've heard is that most brass is shit and good for noobs like us to start with because of cost. The more expensive stuff should be used after you find a load you're going to stick with and you've worn out you're first bunch of brass.
As far as which brands are the good ones and which are the bad ones, I think the Remington and Winchester brass are about the lowest quality you'll want to load but I'm going on very little practical experience and the words of others.
Do a search on ".308 brass" and see what comes up but I'm sure someone with real knowledge will pipe up soon enough and give you some actually useable advice.
I'm new to precision handloading also and aren't very well versed in brass but from I've heard is that most brass is shit and good for noobs like us to start with because of cost. The more expensive stuff should be used after you find a load you're going to stick with and you've worn out you're first bunch of brass.
As far as which brands are the good ones and which are the bad ones, I think the Remington and Winchester brass are about the lowest quality you'll want to load but I'm going on very little practical experience and the words of others.
Do a search on ".308 brass" and see what comes up but I'm sure someone with real knowledge will pipe up soon enough and give you some actually useable advice.
Re: School me on brass
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Silverbullet-2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If your going to buy new brass to load, a great start is Winchester. You can uniform the primer pockets, and deburr the flash hole, and without too much hassle, will shoot great for you. If you have way too much money, buy some Lapua brass. I have some, but I shoot mainly Winchester out of my bolt gun, and I use Lake City for my semi-auto. Good luck, JPG </div></div>
+1 for Winchester. Uniform the primer pockets and deburr the flash hole and you have brass that performs just as well and is just as uniform as Lapua at WAY less cost.
Sort your brass into 2 grain lots after prepping and before priming and you will be GTG.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Silverbullet-2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If your going to buy new brass to load, a great start is Winchester. You can uniform the primer pockets, and deburr the flash hole, and without too much hassle, will shoot great for you. If you have way too much money, buy some Lapua brass. I have some, but I shoot mainly Winchester out of my bolt gun, and I use Lake City for my semi-auto. Good luck, JPG </div></div>
+1 for Winchester. Uniform the primer pockets and deburr the flash hole and you have brass that performs just as well and is just as uniform as Lapua at WAY less cost.
Sort your brass into 2 grain lots after prepping and before priming and you will be GTG.
Re: School me on brass
Re: School me on brass
Buy Lapua if you can and forget about everything else.
Learn how to set up sizing dies the right way, and if you get into annealing eventually theres no reason why a box of 100 lapua cases wont last you more than a year.
I have shot over 1000 rounds using the same 100 lapua cases and they are fine. Webbing has no thinning at all, primer pockets are tight and neck are great.
I didnt have to buy any other primer uniforming tools, or flash hole deburring tools blah blah blah...
If you know how to reload PROPERLY brass ends up being the cheapest component besides primers, even then there are some out there who have more than 30 reloads on their brass...
Buy Lapua if you can and forget about everything else.
Learn how to set up sizing dies the right way, and if you get into annealing eventually theres no reason why a box of 100 lapua cases wont last you more than a year.
I have shot over 1000 rounds using the same 100 lapua cases and they are fine. Webbing has no thinning at all, primer pockets are tight and neck are great.
I didnt have to buy any other primer uniforming tools, or flash hole deburring tools blah blah blah...
If you know how to reload PROPERLY brass ends up being the cheapest component besides primers, even then there are some out there who have more than 30 reloads on their brass...
Re: School me on brass
Buy the Lapua brass and be done with it. Winchester is good stuff but time intensive. I don't do anything to my Lapua brass, other than load it. If it gets to long I will trim it and chamfer. All the other prep is gone.
It all comes done to how much you value your time. I love to reload, but I have a life outside of reloading.
Buy the Lapua brass and be done with it. Winchester is good stuff but time intensive. I don't do anything to my Lapua brass, other than load it. If it gets to long I will trim it and chamfer. All the other prep is gone.
It all comes done to how much you value your time. I love to reload, but I have a life outside of reloading.
Re: School me on brass
Brass from any manufacture gets the same prep in my house, Wimchester flat out gets the job done, Lapua is really good, but I doubt there are that many here on the Hide that can shoot the difference.
Brass from any manufacture gets the same prep in my house, Wimchester flat out gets the job done, Lapua is really good, but I doubt there are that many here on the Hide that can shoot the difference.
Re: School me on brass
I think another factor, for me anyway, is that brass is pretty much the same price across the board in Australia.
I notice in the US that there are significant differences between the different brands... but out here everything is imported.
I would also like to add that IF you already have brass prep tools, then win brass is a good option... just so you guys dont think im totally bias for Lapua
I think another factor, for me anyway, is that brass is pretty much the same price across the board in Australia.
I notice in the US that there are significant differences between the different brands... but out here everything is imported.
I would also like to add that IF you already have brass prep tools, then win brass is a good option... just so you guys dont think im totally bias for Lapua
Re: School me on brass
I think that Lapua is outstanding brass but woefully overpriced. It favors those who prefer not to do brass prep, and charges a heavy tariff for the privilege.
I think that a handloader should assume an obligation to know and perfect the skills that allow virtually any brass to perform on a par with Lapua.
There are differences that may favor Lapua an a longevity basis. It had danged well better for what they charge, and I still think it's not worth the extra moolah. I believe that by doing my own prep, any potential cost/effort/longevity benefits favor the more conventional brass.
I use Winchester brass, and will not flinch at necking up win .243 or necking down Win 7-08 to make my .260 brass. My sole concession to brass prep is to ream the flash holes. If brass stretches to excessive length, I retire it. Because I pay less, it's a bit easier to afford such a strategy.
Honestly, I don't really care if I'm breaking even. I can pick up the Winchester brass at my local dealer's from off the shelf. That's a key convenience for me, more overriding than any the Lapua's quality might offer.
Greg
I think that Lapua is outstanding brass but woefully overpriced. It favors those who prefer not to do brass prep, and charges a heavy tariff for the privilege.
I think that a handloader should assume an obligation to know and perfect the skills that allow virtually any brass to perform on a par with Lapua.
There are differences that may favor Lapua an a longevity basis. It had danged well better for what they charge, and I still think it's not worth the extra moolah. I believe that by doing my own prep, any potential cost/effort/longevity benefits favor the more conventional brass.
I use Winchester brass, and will not flinch at necking up win .243 or necking down Win 7-08 to make my .260 brass. My sole concession to brass prep is to ream the flash holes. If brass stretches to excessive length, I retire it. Because I pay less, it's a bit easier to afford such a strategy.
Honestly, I don't really care if I'm breaking even. I can pick up the Winchester brass at my local dealer's from off the shelf. That's a key convenience for me, more overriding than any the Lapua's quality might offer.
Greg
Re: School me on brass
Thanks for the info, looks like I'll start with Winchester and move up after some experience.
Thanks for the info, looks like I'll start with Winchester and move up after some experience.
Re: School me on brass
Good idea, I've learned a lot from taking lower quality brass and turning them into match brass. I feel lapua brass is worth the money but you cant gain the experience from prep work like you will from the winchester brass. And don't think for some that lapua brass is perfect either. I still have seen people uniform the necks and personally I've found some that the uniforming tools for the primer pockets won't even touch.
Good idea, I've learned a lot from taking lower quality brass and turning them into match brass. I feel lapua brass is worth the money but you cant gain the experience from prep work like you will from the winchester brass. And don't think for some that lapua brass is perfect either. I still have seen people uniform the necks and personally I've found some that the uniforming tools for the primer pockets won't even touch.
Re: School me on brass
If you factor the life of good brass vs. marginal brass and then run out the price difference the better brass ends up being cheaper...
Just food for thought.
If you factor the life of good brass vs. marginal brass and then run out the price difference the better brass ends up being cheaper...
Just food for thought.
Re: School me on brass
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TheGerman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
+1 for Winchester. Uniform the primer pockets and deburr the flash hole and you have brass that performs just as well and is just as uniform as Lapua at WAY less cost.
Sort your brass into 2 grain lots after prepping and before priming and you will be GTG. </div></div>
I took it a step further and also sorted by neck thickness variance, which I think plays a bigger role in accuracy than weight. Neck variance was the first cut, then weight. That said my 'rejects' box of brass with rejects from the extreme ends of both neck and weight variance, just gave me a sub 1/2 MOA group today (at 100 yards)...
Also worth noting, the Winchester brass is thin and has a larger case capacity than most of the others... Palma shooters sometimes use it to squeeze the last little bit of velocity out of the 308.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TheGerman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
+1 for Winchester. Uniform the primer pockets and deburr the flash hole and you have brass that performs just as well and is just as uniform as Lapua at WAY less cost.
Sort your brass into 2 grain lots after prepping and before priming and you will be GTG. </div></div>
I took it a step further and also sorted by neck thickness variance, which I think plays a bigger role in accuracy than weight. Neck variance was the first cut, then weight. That said my 'rejects' box of brass with rejects from the extreme ends of both neck and weight variance, just gave me a sub 1/2 MOA group today (at 100 yards)...
Also worth noting, the Winchester brass is thin and has a larger case capacity than most of the others... Palma shooters sometimes use it to squeeze the last little bit of velocity out of the 308.
Re: School me on brass
I stopped buying Lapua, and went back to Winchester, except for LC in my ARs.
I have way too many tools, and a sweet reloading shed, to justify the Europeans doing my prep work for me.
I stopped buying Lapua, and went back to Winchester, except for LC in my ARs.
I have way too many tools, and a sweet reloading shed, to justify the Europeans doing my prep work for me.
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