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List Brass manufacturer favorites hierarchy
Alan Rushing
Member Posts: 8,805 ✭✭✭
What is your personal hierarchy regarding best to worst reloading brass per manufacturer? And yes, any and all manufacturers that you are familiar.
I realize free is difficult to beat. And ease of sorting and prepping may even beat free.
So regardless of price, etc. who manufactures your first choice brass and so on down? Why is it or is it NOT your best choice?
In searching the subject here, I've found some folks that seem to have a similar personal evaluation as yours truly. Figured it'd be great to see how the makers stack with everyone.
Thanks!
I realize free is difficult to beat. And ease of sorting and prepping may even beat free.
So regardless of price, etc. who manufactures your first choice brass and so on down? Why is it or is it NOT your best choice?
In searching the subject here, I've found some folks that seem to have a similar personal evaluation as yours truly. Figured it'd be great to see how the makers stack with everyone.
Thanks!
Comments
7mmRMag, Norma, my Carl Gustaf likes it better.
6.5 Jap, Norma, they were the only around when I needed them.
All the others I like the Win Western/SuperSpeeed the best. Except when they put a channelure in the case.
Have had good luck with starline in the 44's.
edit thanks for the tip Jonk. The rifle was a bring back of my uncle's. Not in the best shape and no mum, but shot ok. I scored 2 boxes of factory Norma at a gun show for $20. I shot a few to check then gun. Later on e-bay I got a great deal on the 310 lyman die set and 50 rds of new Norma brass. I have yet to load for it but have some nice Az Bullet Co 140gr. and the loverin lyman mold.
12ga Win AA
#2 Norma
#3 PMC/Rem/Fed.
Norma if it can be found
Winchester
Military Match
Federal
PMC
Remington
Seller and Beliot
So with that exception:
Norma or Lapua
Old Remington/UMC
Hornady
Winchester
Federal
New Remington
PRVI
INDEP
Sellier and Bellot
PMC
Military (though USGI would be above S&B)
Grafs (seems to crack a lot)
A-merc
Wolf Gold seems pretty decent oddly enough.
W.D.
2. Hornady (love it for my 6.5 Grendel)
3. Norma (once you get past the soft case heads, very consistent)
4. Nosler
5. Winchester
6. Mil match brass (sorting, sorting, sorting....still sorting...)
7. Federal
8. Prvi
9. Rem/PMC
10. RWS** (I've used it but very little, some 16 rounds I picked up off our range. Due to it's expense, it ought to be great stuff.)
Edit: Forgot Wolf Gold. I would squeeze it in between Winchester and Mil. When I say Winchester I should say Old Winchester Box. Bulk was always a notch down in quality control and more smashed necks. New Winchester, I've had to toss brass for a seam not getting completed on the case. Otherwise, Winchester would be higher.
Federal
Starline (pistol only)
LC Match
PMC
Remington
Norma tied with Nosler custom
Federal (soft primer pockets)
Never shot nor loaded up Lapua, so got some recently, though I've not loaded it up yet.
Have been very happy with Norma, [^]
Generally, no problems with Winchester, (Frontier), Hornady, or PMC (no problems with their ammo, none, never, ever!) Have had the Federal, FC be very forgiving and reliable, and willingly reloaded many times without body cracks or separations, etc.! [:)]
Nosler no problems with the brass ... but the "hit" or the charge for them is bizarre and way over the top, for my needs or desires! Never performance nor quality problems, but the brass is not near worth what Nosler is attempting to shake-out of everyone for them. ( If they used silver for them I'd not be happy. If actually made of platinum it'd be reasonable pricing? ) [xx(]
I have had many problems reloading the Remington brass that have attempted to use. Will attempt again, but not my favorite.
Now you folks tell me of several others that I'd never had experience. [:(]
I do not believe that I have ever used: Sellier and Bellot, nor the Graf ever with or for anything. Regarding the Graf, do they make it or have it produced for them? Where is it manufactured?
Prvi - I had shot a lot of it, but became completely disgusted and dis-illusion attempting to reload it. Do not know what the problem was, but have given away or discarded every piece of it that I had in stock. It seemed extremely brittle and friable. For me it was impossible as in completely self destructing! [:(!]
If anyone has had any luck with it, they are luckier, or more knowledgeable, or more skilled than yours truly ... ( maybe all three )!
Have shot the Sellier and Bellot, but have not loaded any up that I recall.
Thanks for all the info and feedback. If you have more pointers or notions, I'd like to hear of them. Thank you!
I'll agree Nosler is pretty expensive. But when I can't find Norma or Lapua, it's pretty good stuff. Generally speaking I find it more expensive than lapua and usually as expensive as Norma. When I see a sale on Norma or Nosler, I weigh whether or not I know someone who will trade me. Again, though, problem is with Norma is soft heads that Lapua doesn't have. It takes a pretty hot load to loosen up primer pockets in Lapua's. Unfortunately, some reloaders interpret that as they need to go higher.
I agree on the Remington, but note that PMC is Remington, also.
Prvi makes Graf's brand of brass. I like the stuff okay, but I only load it in 6.5x55 and 7.5x55. Prvi also makes Wolf Gold. Since the latter two are contract, Prvi may step up to the plate and produce some good brass instead of the stuff I have used from them that (to me) is near the bottom of choices. Much as you describe.
Anyhow, get that lapua brass loaded a couple times and tell us how you like it.