CaptainMal
Silver $$ Contributor
Had Eric Bostrom build me a new dasher with the old reamer specs. on a Stolle Kodiak action using a Bartlein ( from Bullets.com) 7.5 twist and his new-style ARS tuner.

Broken in with 21 choreographed shots and Lapua brass, I got 3051 fps with 33.4 gr. of Varget and NO pressure signs. I accented the "NO" for a reason. Also got .4 MOA during some of that shooting.
Yesterday I loaded 20 Norma Dasher pieces, trimmed 1.560" to fit my 1.563" throat and neck-turned to .0125+-". CCI 450's, 105 Berger Hybrids, Varget...
Started at 32.4 gr. and got 2970 fps. That's high compared to Lapua. No pressure signs.
**** My purpose for the test was pressure and velocity - NOT accuracy. My target is out at 240 yards. All 3 shot groups were sub 1/2 moa in spite of the grass, my casual techniques and totally ignoring wind.
32.6 gr. (4 shots now) went to 2990 fps and no pressure signs.
32.8 ( 5 shots) went from 3023 - 3037 fps with one, ironically the lower velocity one, showed the start of a primer blank.
33.0 gr. (5 shots) ran from 3044 - 3057 B U T near blanked a primer. Look...

I should have stopped the test but the other four shots did NOT show a problem.
33.2 gr. and I stopped. 3072 - 3079 fps Stupid fast with just a hint of primer issues. Nothing even remotely close to that one at 33.0 grains. WAY too fast anyhow - I quit.
Ironically the top two test loadings were UNDER 1" in group size at 240 yards. I mean "under" with no try on my end. Actually, apprehension shooting due to pressure and velocity signs.
Back at the loading bench this morning and I measured all heads. I detect no change in size.
Primer pockets, including the horrible near-blank one are all under .1735" That's the size of the depth gauge from K&M. I would have to force it in if I wanted to measure. Their "No Go" primer gauge measures .1750". Conclusion is the primer pockets did not enlarge at all. GOOD!
I now have three shell holders for this brass. The Hornady #2 sizes brass .004 smaller than the one I got from Bullets.com. Another, an RCBS #2 sizes .002" LARGER than the Bullets.com one. CHECK YOUR SHELL HOLDERS IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE! Mine in the same press yield different results.
Draw your own conclusions. I am not a professional loader with machine tool experience. Just a guy named "Joe". I will now load 32.9 gr. and below for my accuracy/tuning tests. Compared to my Lapua cases - these Norma ones give similar velocity around .6 grains or so - LESS. They also seem to handle obscene over pressure with no issues.
More to come.

Broken in with 21 choreographed shots and Lapua brass, I got 3051 fps with 33.4 gr. of Varget and NO pressure signs. I accented the "NO" for a reason. Also got .4 MOA during some of that shooting.
Yesterday I loaded 20 Norma Dasher pieces, trimmed 1.560" to fit my 1.563" throat and neck-turned to .0125+-". CCI 450's, 105 Berger Hybrids, Varget...
Started at 32.4 gr. and got 2970 fps. That's high compared to Lapua. No pressure signs.
**** My purpose for the test was pressure and velocity - NOT accuracy. My target is out at 240 yards. All 3 shot groups were sub 1/2 moa in spite of the grass, my casual techniques and totally ignoring wind.
32.6 gr. (4 shots now) went to 2990 fps and no pressure signs.
32.8 ( 5 shots) went from 3023 - 3037 fps with one, ironically the lower velocity one, showed the start of a primer blank.
33.0 gr. (5 shots) ran from 3044 - 3057 B U T near blanked a primer. Look...

I should have stopped the test but the other four shots did NOT show a problem.
33.2 gr. and I stopped. 3072 - 3079 fps Stupid fast with just a hint of primer issues. Nothing even remotely close to that one at 33.0 grains. WAY too fast anyhow - I quit.
Ironically the top two test loadings were UNDER 1" in group size at 240 yards. I mean "under" with no try on my end. Actually, apprehension shooting due to pressure and velocity signs.
Back at the loading bench this morning and I measured all heads. I detect no change in size.
Primer pockets, including the horrible near-blank one are all under .1735" That's the size of the depth gauge from K&M. I would have to force it in if I wanted to measure. Their "No Go" primer gauge measures .1750". Conclusion is the primer pockets did not enlarge at all. GOOD!
I now have three shell holders for this brass. The Hornady #2 sizes brass .004 smaller than the one I got from Bullets.com. Another, an RCBS #2 sizes .002" LARGER than the Bullets.com one. CHECK YOUR SHELL HOLDERS IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE! Mine in the same press yield different results.
Draw your own conclusions. I am not a professional loader with machine tool experience. Just a guy named "Joe". I will now load 32.9 gr. and below for my accuracy/tuning tests. Compared to my Lapua cases - these Norma ones give similar velocity around .6 grains or so - LESS. They also seem to handle obscene over pressure with no issues.
More to come.