I know this brass has a reputation for uniformity but it sure is expensive. I've been shooting FGMM and I'm getting what I think are great results. I'll soon have enough brass that it is time to start reloading. My question is should I start buying factory ammo with Lapua brass at 50% more a box? Will the Lapua brass give me 50% more reloads? Do the cases require less processing? What are the upsides and why?
Why Lapua Brass?
- Thread starter Quarter Horse
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Re: Why Lapua Brass?
Why wait until you have "enough" brass before you start reloading?
Lapua brass will yield many more reloads than Federal. Hard to put a number on it, depending on which bullet, load, etc you decide to shoot. But, regardless, it will be more than Fed. It is also generally considered to be more uniform as well. The amount of brass prep will depend on your level of OCD.
So, yes, Lapua is worth it. And it's really not that expensive thru Bruno's http://www.brunoshooters.com/Merchant2/m...ct_Code=4PH7217
Why wait until you have "enough" brass before you start reloading?
Lapua brass will yield many more reloads than Federal. Hard to put a number on it, depending on which bullet, load, etc you decide to shoot. But, regardless, it will be more than Fed. It is also generally considered to be more uniform as well. The amount of brass prep will depend on your level of OCD.
So, yes, Lapua is worth it. And it's really not that expensive thru Bruno's http://www.brunoshooters.com/Merchant2/m...ct_Code=4PH7217
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
Lapua = less prep time, more consistency lot to lot, annealed neck, flash holes drilled instead of punched, etc, etc. etc.....
Yes it is more initial cost but well worth it.
Lapua = less prep time, more consistency lot to lot, annealed neck, flash holes drilled instead of punched, etc, etc. etc.....
Yes it is more initial cost but well worth it.
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
Three reasons for "enough" brass. It will give me enough time with the rifle to become comfortable. I'll have enough brass to do load development with once fired. I can process in batches which has always been the most efficient for me.
I have read that Lapua is pre-annealed. Is the process such that you don't have to anneal every two to four firings?
Three reasons for "enough" brass. It will give me enough time with the rifle to become comfortable. I'll have enough brass to do load development with once fired. I can process in batches which has always been the most efficient for me.
I have read that Lapua is pre-annealed. Is the process such that you don't have to anneal every two to four firings?
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shoot4fun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lapua = less prep time, more consistency lot to lot, annealed neck, flash holes drilled instead of punched, etc, etc. etc.....
Yes it is more initial cost but well worth it.
</div></div>
All necks are annealed, Lapua just doesn't tumble the color off their necks.
Lapua primer pockets aren't drilled, they're formed around a mandrel, instead of being punched in, leaving a burr on the inside, like most brass makers do.
Lapua's QC has taken a hit over the past few years, with many cases coming dinged up, but it's still the Rolls Royce of brass.
Chris
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shoot4fun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lapua = less prep time, more consistency lot to lot, annealed neck, flash holes drilled instead of punched, etc, etc. etc.....
Yes it is more initial cost but well worth it.
</div></div>
All necks are annealed, Lapua just doesn't tumble the color off their necks.
Lapua primer pockets aren't drilled, they're formed around a mandrel, instead of being punched in, leaving a burr on the inside, like most brass makers do.
Lapua's QC has taken a hit over the past few years, with many cases coming dinged up, but it's still the Rolls Royce of brass.
Chris
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
Lapua brass is better in every regard.
Less prep needed, nice thick walls, uniform weight, more reloads and for this reason probably safer to shoot than fed brass thats been loaded too many times.
Not to say that properly cared for brass shouldnt last longer than what most consider normal, but if your going to the effort of proper care (annealing, purchasing equipment to set up dies properly, US/Stainless cleaning etc) then why not go to the effort of just buying the better brass from the begining.
If i had a whole stack of fed brass what I would do is, learn how to get every last drop of life from that Federal brass, get your equipment setup on it, learn how to anneal on them etc etc, and once they start to get cruddy and have loose primer pockets or split necks get rid of them and move on to Lapua brass. You will probably need to work up a new load by tweaking your current load +/- but it will be worth it.
Lapua brass is better in every regard.
Less prep needed, nice thick walls, uniform weight, more reloads and for this reason probably safer to shoot than fed brass thats been loaded too many times.
Not to say that properly cared for brass shouldnt last longer than what most consider normal, but if your going to the effort of proper care (annealing, purchasing equipment to set up dies properly, US/Stainless cleaning etc) then why not go to the effort of just buying the better brass from the begining.
If i had a whole stack of fed brass what I would do is, learn how to get every last drop of life from that Federal brass, get your equipment setup on it, learn how to anneal on them etc etc, and once they start to get cruddy and have loose primer pockets or split necks get rid of them and move on to Lapua brass. You will probably need to work up a new load by tweaking your current load +/- but it will be worth it.
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lapua brass is better in every regard.
Less prep needed, nice thick walls, uniform weight, more reloads and for this reason probably safer to shoot than fed brass thats been loaded too many times.
If i had a whole stack of fed brass what I would do is, .................... </div></div>
If I had a whole stack of fed brass what I would do is..........................
Sell it in the classifieds somewhere, and use the funds to buy Lapua. I've literally chamfered necks and loaded. Go-time straight from the box.......
The Kaiser
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lapua brass is better in every regard.
Less prep needed, nice thick walls, uniform weight, more reloads and for this reason probably safer to shoot than fed brass thats been loaded too many times.
If i had a whole stack of fed brass what I would do is, .................... </div></div>
If I had a whole stack of fed brass what I would do is..........................
Sell it in the classifieds somewhere, and use the funds to buy Lapua. I've literally chamfered necks and loaded. Go-time straight from the box.......
The Kaiser
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
Yeh i have done that as well.
But from the sounds of things the OP has started reloading yet.
So its probably wise to at least keep a few Fed cases to practice on, especially with annealing and chopping up a few cases with a dremel to see what happens.
Yeh i have done that as well.
But from the sounds of things the OP has started reloading yet.
So its probably wise to at least keep a few Fed cases to practice on, especially with annealing and chopping up a few cases with a dremel to see what happens.
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
I never find burrs in Lapua flash holes. I finally quit even trying to deburr them.
Did not know they used a mandrel. I was always told they were drilled.
I have used Nosler brass in other calibers with success, but you don't save much over Lapua doing it. I do like the way they weight sort, chamfer and deburr but wish you could buy more than 50 in a box. It is sometimes difficult to get two or so boxes with the same lot number.
I never find burrs in Lapua flash holes. I finally quit even trying to deburr them.
Did not know they used a mandrel. I was always told they were drilled.
I have used Nosler brass in other calibers with success, but you don't save much over Lapua doing it. I do like the way they weight sort, chamfer and deburr but wish you could buy more than 50 in a box. It is sometimes difficult to get two or so boxes with the same lot number.
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: The Kaiser</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lapua brass is better in every regard.
Less prep needed, nice thick walls, uniform weight, more reloads and for this reason probably safer to shoot than fed brass thats been loaded too many times.
If i had a whole stack of fed brass what I would do is, .................... </div></div>
If I had a whole stack of fed brass what I would do is..........................
Sell it in the classifieds somewhere, and use the funds to buy Lapua. I've literally chamfered necks and loaded. Go-time straight from the box.......
The Kaiser </div></div>
I've thrown bunches of once fired federal brass in the trash. It's soft as butter.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: The Kaiser</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lapua brass is better in every regard.
Less prep needed, nice thick walls, uniform weight, more reloads and for this reason probably safer to shoot than fed brass thats been loaded too many times.
If i had a whole stack of fed brass what I would do is, .................... </div></div>
If I had a whole stack of fed brass what I would do is..........................
Sell it in the classifieds somewhere, and use the funds to buy Lapua. I've literally chamfered necks and loaded. Go-time straight from the box.......
The Kaiser </div></div>
I've thrown bunches of once fired federal brass in the trash. It's soft as butter.
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
Come on Dude dont ya know, You cannot be a sniper without Krylon spray paint and Lapua brass. Sorry just had to do that.
Seriously I have to agree with others here. You will get much longer life from the Lapua brass than your Fed. Use up your Fed. brass then when you need some new stuff spring for the Lapua it is good stuff. If your not sizing it to much or running hot loads you will get many reloads out of it.
Come on Dude dont ya know, You cannot be a sniper without Krylon spray paint and Lapua brass. Sorry just had to do that.
Seriously I have to agree with others here. You will get much longer life from the Lapua brass than your Fed. Use up your Fed. brass then when you need some new stuff spring for the Lapua it is good stuff. If your not sizing it to much or running hot loads you will get many reloads out of it.
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
I'm relatively new to reloading for my 308 rifle.
That being said, I've only used Lapua brass for it. I don't do as much as some in the way of brass prep. I don't turn necks, or mess with flash holes. I simply clean, re-size, and load. I got some cases with 11 reloads on them. I shot my best group ever last weekend with some 10x fired brass. I wonder sometimes how long it will go.
I'm not saying its the best but It gives me no reason to switch to something else.
B
I'm relatively new to reloading for my 308 rifle.
That being said, I've only used Lapua brass for it. I don't do as much as some in the way of brass prep. I don't turn necks, or mess with flash holes. I simply clean, re-size, and load. I got some cases with 11 reloads on them. I shot my best group ever last weekend with some 10x fired brass. I wonder sometimes how long it will go.
I'm not saying its the best but It gives me no reason to switch to something else.
B
Re: Why Lapua Brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shoot4fun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I never find burrs in Lapua flash holes. I finally quit even trying to deburr them.
Did not know they used a mandrel. I was always told they were drilled.
I have used Nosler brass in other calibers with success, but you don't save much over Lapua doing it. I do like the way they weight sort, chamfer and deburr but wish you could buy more than 50 in a box. It is sometimes difficult to get two or so boxes with the same lot number.</div></div>
I'm sitting here looking at some burrs in the flash holes of my 6.5 grendel brass right now. I'm getting about .0015 case neck thickness variations as well, but I turn all my necks down anyway so it doesn't matter.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shoot4fun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I never find burrs in Lapua flash holes. I finally quit even trying to deburr them.
Did not know they used a mandrel. I was always told they were drilled.
I have used Nosler brass in other calibers with success, but you don't save much over Lapua doing it. I do like the way they weight sort, chamfer and deburr but wish you could buy more than 50 in a box. It is sometimes difficult to get two or so boxes with the same lot number.</div></div>
I'm sitting here looking at some burrs in the flash holes of my 6.5 grendel brass right now. I'm getting about .0015 case neck thickness variations as well, but I turn all my necks down anyway so it doesn't matter.
