What brass

[Woodlander]

I'm hoping to start re loading,when my variation comes through and was wanting to know which brass to use. Would I be better off buying several boxes of rounds,shooting them and reloading the empties or would unused,bought for reloading brass last any longer or be a better bet?

Cheers

[Imperfection]

Yes,buy factory and have your fun with it.

 

I find Privi brass to be pretty good.What calibre are you planning on homeloading?

[aister]

I would buy factory and reuse the brass, winchester brass has always given me the best results.

[kent]

Depends, is it for hunting or target work? Target grade ammo is dear when wrapped in good brass and brass quality really does matter competitively so I should buy good brass from Lapua etc for that purpose right from the get go rather than gather a load of assorted junk and suffer poor grade factory in the process. Hunting ammo as factory I rate RWS, Federal and Norma factory very highly (I personally think Norma brass is the best around and have used it in my .243 for years), in that case I should stick with a brand that works for you so you are not mixing brass and having to change zero as you change brands etc. Twenty of these and twenty of those is too much hassle, keep brand alike. If your out shooting on the lamp or the like and don't need the very best ammo PPU and the like gets the job done for many and you don't need to be over fussed about loosing an odd case in the mud and undergrowth

[Woodlander]

I was thinking .222 or.223. Leaning towards the latter as possibly a bit more versatile. My RFD sells Privi,at a reasonable price,so I'll probably give them a try. How many times are they generally re usable for and what's a good number to have?

[kent]

I was thinking .222 or.223. Leaning towards the latter as possibly a bit more versatile. My RFD sells Privi,at a reasonable price,so I'll probably give them a try. How many times are they generally re usable for and what's a good number to have?

Again depends on intended use, most buy 100 a go for hunting and they should do ten firings in good brass. I find it a waste of time setting up a batch unless I am doing at least 50

[Albert 888]

Learn to shoot with privi then switch to hornandy v max or tap for better groups,the latter shoot very well in the 223 cz's,privi brass and hornady are very good for reloading the privi seams better than the hornady as the hornandy seam a bit softer brass, im on the 6th firings of both mentinoned. Whats the new rifle going to be used for and what make would you like. That maye help with yhr choices of ammo and heads for reloading. Im a relitive novice but done loads of testing on cases primers heads and powder weights but stayed very safe. Best loads are ppu or hornandy case neck sized or fl sized using cci br primers and 52g amax heads with hodgdon bl-c(2) with 24.5g of powder. This is a medium load and I worked my way upto it and past and found it best. Do loads of research and be safe.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Albert 888

[Amazed]

I have a 222 and have used a few different types of brass ppu, federal, lapula and others I formed from 223.

 

Ppu is ok but needs annealing after 5-6 firings as the necks split, and accuracy starts dropping off.

Lapula is brilliant very consistent and is still going strong after 6 firings but expensive !

Hornady is soft and tight in the primer pockets

Federal is good forming brass and performed very well 5-6 firings watch for tight primer pockets in .223

Sako is exceptional brass slightly softer than lap but forms well and just keeps on going

Norma is very good but not in the same league as lap and sako.

 

If you settle on one stick with it as you don't really want a mixed bag, start with ppu is all you need.

[kent]

I have a 222 and have used a few different types of brass ppu, federal, lapula and others I formed from 223.

 

Ppu is ok but needs annealing after 5-6 firings as the necks split, and accuracy starts dropping off.

Lapula is brilliant very consistent and is still going strong after 6 firings but expensive !

Hornady is soft and tight in the primer pockets

Federal is good forming brass and performed very well 5-6 firings watch for tight primer pockets in .223

Sako is exceptional brass slightly softer than lap but forms well and just keeps on going

Norma is very good but not in the same league as lap and sako.

 

If you settle on one stick with it as you don't really want a mixed bag, start with ppu is all you need.

 

Funny that because you want to look were Sako get their brass from, certainly a while back it was all Norma (not sure today as I am going back a good bit but I should be surprised if its changed and if so I might bet its gone Lapua)It is non the less good factory ammo and well worth saving the brass from. Of course its hard to say 100% proof positive because the manufacturers don't shout about it.

[Woodlander]

Thanks for all the advice fellas. My shooting will be mainly targets til I get my accuracy up,I'm shooting sub 1" groups at 75 yards with my .22 and would like to be doing the same at 150 with a CF before shooting rabbits.

The accuracy for me is very important,as I'm sure it is for most of us,so I'd always be looking for the most accurate brass. Once again,thanks.

[Amazed]

Funny that because you want to look were Sako get their brass from, certainly a while back it was all Norma (not sure today as I am going back a good bit but I should be surprised if its changed and if so I might bet its gone Lapua)It is non the less good factory ammo and well worth saving the brass from. Of course its hard to say 100% proof positive because the manufacturers don't shout about it.

Not sure Kent, it was all .223 I necked down to see the benefits / time etc

The brass is defenantly not the same as Norma as it had a tendency to want to ripple on the shoulder where as sako went through in two passes.

[kent]

Thanks for all the advice fellas. My shooting will be mainly targets til I get my accuracy up,I'm shooting sub 1" groups at 75 yards with my .22 and would like to be doing the same at 150 with a CF before shooting rabbits.

The accuracy for me is very important,as I'm sure it is for most of us,so I'd always be looking for the most accurate brass. Once again,thanks.

 

 

So your looking for a CF in .223 or .222 for rabbits at 150yards? you know that's overkill right? What I mean by that is you will remove the whole head or blow the whole insides up with a chest shot. Get 100 new Lapua in to be on the safe side but for 1" at 150, well you can pretty much get that with anything but trash from these two guns

[kent]

Not sure Kent, it was all .223 I necked down to see the benefits / time etc

The brass is defenantly not the same as Norma as it had a tendency to want to ripple on the shoulder where as sako went through in two passes.

 

You confuse me to what your doing but like I say it was over ten years ago and even batches change

[Amazed]

 

You confuse me to what your doing but like I say it was over ten years ago and even batches change

There is plenty of 223 once fired brass kicking about for next to nothing.

I can form 222 from it with ease and not really much time per case. If it lasts 5 firings then I will have no brass costs.

The brass itself once formed and fireformed is slightly thicker on the neck and keeps tension better (mainly benafits seen on cheaper brass)

It was just an experiment that's progressed

But the forming process shows up the rough brass as it fails to flow as it will when under pressure.

[kent]

There is plenty of 223 once fired brass kicking about for next to nothing.

I can form 222 from it with ease and not really much time per case. If it lasts 5 firings then I will have no brass costs.

The brass itself once formed and fireformed is slightly thicker on the neck and keeps tension better (mainly benafits seen on cheaper brass)

It was just an experiment that's progressed

But the forming process shows up the rough brass as it fails to flow as it will when under pressure.

 

 

Seems economic madness to fire form anything that is available in std form easy enough, cheaper brass ? against the non recovery of materials used to fire form?. Watch those "thicker" necks at all times as they can create very high chamber pressure spikes on bullet release if they get too thick

[Amazed]

 

 

Seems economic madness to fire form anything that is available in std form easy enough, cheaper brass ? against the non recovery of materials used to fire form?. Watch those "thicker" necks at all times as they can create very high chamber pressure spikes on bullet release if they get too thick

I have a kg of n110 and loads of poly fill. Enough to last a lifetime.

As I said it's an experiment for future projects. But as I have found the formed cases out perform and last the std ppu. Which stand me about 24p each.

Lap stands at about 70-90p a case. I can form say sako brass for way less than 24p each and it will run and run. So it does work in the end

The cost isn't my aim it's the experience and knowledge that's priceless

[Amazed]

You need a cheaper dealer Amazed

Innit just

[Amazed]

70-90p a case is not Lapua cost for 222?

No your quite correct it's 69.7 p per case

[nicholiath]

Oh dear 😆

[kent]

I have a kg of n110 and loads of poly fill. Enough to last a lifetime.

As I said it's an experiment for future projects. But as I have found the formed cases out perform and last the std ppu. Which stand me about 24p each.

Lap stands at about 70-90p a case. I can form say sako brass for way less than 24p each and it will run and run. So it does work in the end

The cost isn't my aim it's the experience and knowledge that's priceless

 

Not surprised on the PPU thing to be fair. Remember knowledge is worthless if you blow your head up, check those neck thicknesses.

[Amazed]

 

Not surprised on the PPU thing to be fair. Remember knowledge is worthless if you blow your head up, check those neck thicknesses.

I suppose I would be spreading my knowledge over I wide area then

[nicholiath]

I suppose I would be spreading my knowledge over I wide area then

And you call me mad head ha ha!!

[Amazed]

And you call me mad head ha ha!!

I don't just dive in with them they are worked up just as any load would be when changing a component.

I don't want to damage my new stock it was expensive

[kent]

without sounding condescending you understand the need to check each case for neck thickening? once you have seen one gun blow up you don't ever want to see another

[kent]

Sorry to satisfy all - after forming always check allowing a safe margin. Thick necks can occur when ever you move metal, even sizing down a calibre size its been known let alone on fire forming. If the neck is too thick it will be too tight a fit on the act of firing and will prevent effective bullet release as it jams hard against the chamber, the pressure will hence build to an unpredictable level. I don't care about what happens to every single PW member but there a lot who read and don't comment especially in an objectionable way (for obvious reasons they choose to lurk) some of whom might pick up on some of this info and give it a go uninformed of the risk they might well be running. 20 mins checking v a shortened life, less of eyesight, ruined gun etc. Yes, its worth it! I credit people with enough intellect to realise it don't need subsequent neck wall thickness checks after the first firing for real. The fact that you have done something before and gotten away with it does not mean its a sure thing though, I recon I could pull out onto the road from our track without crashing into someone hundreds of times one day however.................