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Lapua rifle brass


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Reloading a cartridge is basically replicating the same thing over and over again so that the end result is constant, therefore if the brass is consistantly the same volume internally and externally then we are starting well.

Then you have to weigh them so they are all the same along with the bullets......(note I said you !)

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why is it so expensive compared to most other makes? what are the advantages of this brass ?

because the quality is better,you can make cheaper brass like winchester as good but you need to do a lot of prep work for example

neck turning

primer pocket cutting

internal flash hole de buring

then you can weigh them

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Lapua was always traditionally considered the best brass but that is not nearly so true as it used to be. Privi brass is very good now and seems as consistant. If you use brass you have accumulated from different sources, even if its all one headstamp it will have been made on different machines at different times and will be liable to variations.

Lapua brass could be bought as virgin cases so buying a hundred gave you the prospect of having cases all from one making and hence total consistancy. The price however is very steep.

Privi or Winchester cases can also be bought as virgin brass but be sure to specify all one batch and check the batch numbers before you pay for it. its usually printed inside or on the box somewhere.

 

The same goes for bullets, always check the batch numbers and reject them if they don't match. powder too, there is always a batch number to check. Primers you tend to buy by the thousand anyway so its not so critical but if you are buying more than one box again check the batch numbers to be totally sure.

 

None of this does away with the other case preps like de,burring or reaming flash holes, case neck turning etc if you want to get top results.

Edited by Vince Green
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On the last lot of Lapua .. open box .. visual check that holes in right place ..

drop into wilson gage then run over a neck mandrel ...

load and shoot.

Better than waiting for a wet wednesday to sort, weigh, polish etc just to find out they're all pretty consistent!

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I've always found the quality of Lapua brass gives me more reloads before having to discard the case because of split necks etc.

But do you get enough extra loads out of them to justify the price compared to say Privi cases? After 5-10 reloads any case no matter the make is going to be weakened by the firing and resizing. You shouldn't really wait till the neck splits before you bin them.

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in the Lapua manual they say the cases are designed to give at least 10 reloads ..

one person I know says 'bin at 10' another says 'when 1 cracks bin the batch' both keep records and are 'careful loaders'.

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in the Lapua manual they say the cases are designed to give at least 10 reloads ..

another says 'when 1 cracks bin the batch' both keep records and are 'careful loaders'.

Thats a bit harsh because the odd case will split simply due to a flaw in the metal. The point is that once a neck has been fired and resized a few times it will become weaker even if it doesn't split. Its more about consistant neck tension than actual case failure. The primer pocket tends to get a bit loose too and you may start to see little soot marks. Many cases separate at the base as well of course.

 

It would be interesting to know how many reloads you can actually get out of a case if you just went on reloading till it split with no thought for any other considerations.

Edited by Vince Green
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There's an chapter in PO Ackleys book where Fred Huntingdon took exception to a article saying that dies wear out cases ....

He took 4 cases, fired and full length sized them without neck lube ..they went - 55, 50, 52, 36 times before the necks split.

Says he then took 3 more cases and ran them thro the sizer / expander with no/some lube .. they went at least 100x before one split .. then he took 1 and lubed/ sized/ fired it 16x....

But how many extra reloads does it take to make the Lapua 'good value' :good:

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I think as an overall product it is better. Quality control is better as is the production.

 

You may well get more reloads out of it but I find Lapua brass takes all the hassle out of initial brass prep as it is consistantly and well made. Plus I havent had to chuck any Lapua virgin brass due to defects/inconsistancy. Remember consistancy is key for accurate reloading!! Thats worth it for me!!!

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I've just checked a once fired Norma case against a once fired Lapua Match case. (Both after cleaning)

 

Lapua = 95.7grn

 

Norma - 92.7grn

 

Lapua... built to last :lol:

 

 

I class the normas as freebies though as already had one shot from them and the last lot were about 80p each loaded compared to Laupa at 55p unloaded

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But do you get enough extra loads out of them to justify the price compared to say Privi cases? After 5-10 reloads any case no matter the make is going to be weakened by the firing and resizing. You shouldn't really wait till the neck splits before you bin them.

 

In my case yes, it is very much worth the extra.

 

Having said that all my rifles are custom/semi custom built so only get the best fodder.

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