Nosler brass
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Nosler Brass
Two years ago I bought 100 pieces of Nosler Custom brass in 300 Win Mag.
I bought it from MidwayUSA. The necks varried in thickness by .08". I contacted Nosler directly about the neck problems. They acknowleged the problem but said to contact MidwayUSA about resolving the issue. I contacted MidwayUSA and they offered no resolution. Neither my money back or exchange the brass for another brand.
I called Nosler back and they told me I was "SOL". I also have had variences in bullet OAL length, bearing surface length, and Ogive length with Nosler bullets from batch to batch. I think their QC is very poor.
I have had good luck with Hornady brass. None of the American brass companies compare with Lapua brass in quality.
just my 2 cents worth
Nat Lambeth
Two years ago I bought 100 pieces of Nosler Custom brass in 300 Win Mag.
I bought it from MidwayUSA. The necks varried in thickness by .08". I contacted Nosler directly about the neck problems. They acknowleged the problem but said to contact MidwayUSA about resolving the issue. I contacted MidwayUSA and they offered no resolution. Neither my money back or exchange the brass for another brand.
I called Nosler back and they told me I was "SOL". I also have had variences in bullet OAL length, bearing surface length, and Ogive length with Nosler bullets from batch to batch. I think their QC is very poor.
I have had good luck with Hornady brass. None of the American brass companies compare with Lapua brass in quality.
just my 2 cents worth
Nat Lambeth
R
Roy Allain
Guest
If you want consistency, get Sierra or Berger. Better yet, buy custom bullets, Lapua or Winchester brass.
Nat,
If Norma makes Nosler brass, I am surprised at your experience. I wonder if they have a different set of specifications when they contract out manufacturing? Over the years, I've used Lapua, Norma, RWS, an a bit of Remington brass for competition rifles.
I have found that the most consistent brass, especially for wall thickness, is Norma. The "toughest" brass is RWS. The cheapest is Remington. Lapua doesn't make "first place" in any of these, but runs second in every category, at least, of these four manufacturers. Well, one man's use, so the sample size is small, but does cover a fair number of chamberings and at least two different boxes of 100 purchased in different years.
Interestingly, the worst runout I ever encountered was with Lapua .30/06 brass. Used it for a 6.5/06 AI chambering. Two different boxes of 100; of the 200 pieces, less than 100 pieces had wall variation less than .005.
Joel Pendergraft and I got our 6.5/06 AI rifles at the same time, same reamer used, shot the same bullets, and use the same powder (I used .5 grains less). He used Norma brass. With his Norma cases, runout was less than .002. His cases lasted as long as mine, and Joel is not bashful when it comes to tipping the powder bottle. But he's safe, and these rifles shot best at a couple grains down from the 60,000+ psi often used in competition. I'd guess we were running pressures in the high 50,000s region.
I had some rotten .223 brass headstamped "Lapua" as well. Rumor was they contracted out some chamberings in the old days, and .223 was one of them. More recent rumor is if they headstamp "Lapua" now, they actually make it. Take rumors for what they are.
I would also quibble with the "if you want consistency get Sierra or Berger." First of all, they don't make brass. Secondly, while their bullets are good, as with most high-volume manufactures, consistency varied. National level 1,000 yard benchrest shooters would search for the good lots from these manufacturers. When they had one (and a good barrel), they won. When the didn't, they fell back in the pack. That doesn't fit my definition of consistency.
The "toughness" issue is a difficult one. What people usually mean is that the primer pockets open up before they get what they consider enough reloadings. The most significant variable seems to be chamber pressure. Back before VV N-133 became the go-to powder for the PPC, I used AA 2015 BR (an older version of this powder). It shot best with a milder load --high 50,000s, low 60,000s, which for benchrest, is "mild." I used Norma brass, and a set of cases lasted two years. Might have lasted longer, but the old 2015-BR didn't.
You can also work harden brass by firing 3-4 milder loadings before going to the "over SAAMI pressures" we all seem to run. If you do that, primer pockets will last longer too.
* * *
It's hard, especially with internet postings, to get all the details listed. We just post what we've found, and usually skip the conditions under which we found it. And then there are those guys who just repeat old wives tales -- sometimes they're true, sometimes pure BS.
If Norma makes Nosler brass, I am surprised at your experience. I wonder if they have a different set of specifications when they contract out manufacturing? Over the years, I've used Lapua, Norma, RWS, an a bit of Remington brass for competition rifles.
I have found that the most consistent brass, especially for wall thickness, is Norma. The "toughest" brass is RWS. The cheapest is Remington. Lapua doesn't make "first place" in any of these, but runs second in every category, at least, of these four manufacturers. Well, one man's use, so the sample size is small, but does cover a fair number of chamberings and at least two different boxes of 100 purchased in different years.
Interestingly, the worst runout I ever encountered was with Lapua .30/06 brass. Used it for a 6.5/06 AI chambering. Two different boxes of 100; of the 200 pieces, less than 100 pieces had wall variation less than .005.
Joel Pendergraft and I got our 6.5/06 AI rifles at the same time, same reamer used, shot the same bullets, and use the same powder (I used .5 grains less). He used Norma brass. With his Norma cases, runout was less than .002. His cases lasted as long as mine, and Joel is not bashful when it comes to tipping the powder bottle. But he's safe, and these rifles shot best at a couple grains down from the 60,000+ psi often used in competition. I'd guess we were running pressures in the high 50,000s region.
I had some rotten .223 brass headstamped "Lapua" as well. Rumor was they contracted out some chamberings in the old days, and .223 was one of them. More recent rumor is if they headstamp "Lapua" now, they actually make it. Take rumors for what they are.
I would also quibble with the "if you want consistency get Sierra or Berger." First of all, they don't make brass. Secondly, while their bullets are good, as with most high-volume manufactures, consistency varied. National level 1,000 yard benchrest shooters would search for the good lots from these manufacturers. When they had one (and a good barrel), they won. When the didn't, they fell back in the pack. That doesn't fit my definition of consistency.
The "toughness" issue is a difficult one. What people usually mean is that the primer pockets open up before they get what they consider enough reloadings. The most significant variable seems to be chamber pressure. Back before VV N-133 became the go-to powder for the PPC, I used AA 2015 BR (an older version of this powder). It shot best with a milder load --high 50,000s, low 60,000s, which for benchrest, is "mild." I used Norma brass, and a set of cases lasted two years. Might have lasted longer, but the old 2015-BR didn't.
You can also work harden brass by firing 3-4 milder loadings before going to the "over SAAMI pressures" we all seem to run. If you do that, primer pockets will last longer too.
* * *
It's hard, especially with internet postings, to get all the details listed. We just post what we've found, and usually skip the conditions under which we found it. And then there are those guys who just repeat old wives tales -- sometimes they're true, sometimes pure BS.
Taildrag15X
NRA F-Class High Master
I've noticed the "newer" Lapua .223 Rem. with the headstamp Lapua is of less quality in neck thickness and weight than the "older" Lapua Match marked stuff. The older was within .0005-.0015 neck thinkness and weight was within .03-09 grs. out of a batch of 5000 I have had for years.
According to Nosler they get their brass from multiple companies and rework it before sale. I suspect the brass has a different manufacture by cartridge.
from Noslers forum. http://www.noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8110&hilit=+who+makes+nosler+brass+
from Noslers forum. http://www.noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8110&hilit=+who+makes+nosler+brass+
Even better, take the wife to Europe to show her what a great guy you are, how much you try to please her. While there, stick a bunch of boxes of RWS brass in your trunk. Pure happenstance, of course.