New Lapua brass dented in shipping!!

[gatormagoo]

Hi all this was my first time buying lapua 308 brass, it was recommended to me by a friend and to say I was kinda disappointed when I opened my box and found dented cases just wasn't really ready for that at a dollar something a round. Anyways is this a common problem? I can fix them just shouldn't have to when you pay this much.

What are some thoughts on Peterson or norma brass?

 

[1shot]

That is not the norm for Lapua, but if you don't want them, I'll gladly take it off your hands! LOL
Seriously, one trip through the expander ball or mandrel and everything will be fine. I can't speak about Norma, but Peterson and Alpha brass are harder than Superman's elbow. I shot both in the SRP version and they hold up extremely well.
I hope this helps,

Lloyd

 

[Ned Ludd]

In my experience, that is the norm for Lapua brass, likely due to the fact that they are packaged loose in the box and can move around during shipment. There have been at least a few cases with flat-spotted necks in almost every box of Lapua brass I've ever opened, which is a pretty sizeable number, and often the flat spots are much worse than your images show.

Running a mandrel into the neck that is .0015" to .002" under bullet diameter will get rid of most of the flat spot, certainly enough so you can then load them without any issues. Ideally, a mandrel larger than bullet diameter and/or a pass through a bushing die may be required to completely remove the flat spot, but will leave the necks too large to hold a bullet. Using a mandrel that is .0015" to .002" under bullet diameter on all the virgin necks is a good idea anyhow, as it helps to generate more uniform neck tension/interference fit than you might get straight out of the box. The flat spots may be annoying in expensive brass, but the brass is not permanently damaged in any way and it requires minimal effort with a mandrel to correct the problem.

I have not noticed this issue with Alpha Munitions .308 Win (SRP) brass. Again, this is probably due to the packaging; Alpha cases are loaded into individual slots in an ammo box and thus are prevented from banging into one another during shipment.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Trust your friend’s advice. You have bought the best brass, no need to look elsewhere.

 

[Tangent]

I've had some Lapua brass like this. They told me they think it happens when the dealers send out smaller lots i.e. not on pallets and it gets rattled around. They sent me a new lot which were also dented but after I had run a mandrel through them they were fine. Not ideal but just cosmetic really. Apparently they are working on new packaging. I'd just put some foam in the box to take up the space to prevent movement.

 

[Gary in MD]

It’s fairly common even with Lapua in my experience.

 

[C.E.Smith043]

I've never bought brass from any manufacturer that I didn't run thru my sizing die before loading. So I don't understand the problem.

 

[6.5 forever]

I've never bought brass from any manufacturer that I didn't run thru my sizing die before loading. So I don't understand the problem.

This exactly. I don't even look for problems. I use 200 new cases per rifle barrel. One more brass prep really isn't a lot more effort. The cases need chamfered and deburred also. I get brass build up on my bushing and mandrel if I don't.

 

[KMart]

Lapua does that to encourage you to use a mandrel on your necks before loading. Running the mandrel through gives you a more consistent neck tension when loading.
I recently bought some Lapua 6.5x47L cases at Mumme's in Hondo. When I opened the box, I thought somebody had repackaged Winchester cases. I had to check the headstamp. If you looked at the case mouths on them, they were pinched on both sides and looked like a figure 8. At least 10 cases.
After running a mandrel through them, they are working just fine in my 6.5x47L and shooting small groups.

 

[forsyth793]

Did You say they are shipping? There is a bright side here....

 

[Tangent]

Did You say they are shipping? There is a bright side here....

It will be nice when they start back on the less popular brass. .308 Palma brass has been missing for a long time now.

 

[gatormagoo]

Thanks for your replies, I know it's all fixable I'm plenty used to it with range brass and the cheap stuff in a bag. This is just the first brass I have bought at this price point and was frankly surprised by this. My friend sold me on this brass with the key points of the brass mostly case life, he has lapua in 6br and 300 wsm and is somewhere on his 7th or 8th loading, I'm hoping for the same just didn't know if the dents were a common problem.

 

[gatormagoo]

It will be nice when they start back on the less popular brass. .308 Palma brass has been missing for a long time now.

I would like to get some 6.5 grendel from them or maybe try one of the other big names as well, but like you said nonexistent.

 

[dgeesaman]

Hi all this was my first time buying lapua 308 brass, it was recommended to me by a friend and to say I was kinda disappointed when I opened my box and found dented cases just wasn't really ready for that at a dollar something a round. Anyways is this a common problem? I can fix them just shouldn't have to when you pay this much.

What are some thoughts on Peterson or norma brass?

I find I need to expand the necks on virgin brass to get reasonable neck tension. If I was running a tight chamber I’d need to full length size also. So to me this is a non-issue.

Peterson comes in the nice boxes and that is a plus but I still find Lapua is consistently top notch.

 

[Rat Rifle]

I take care of dented case mouths with a TAPERED PUNCH. Much easier and faster than any other method. This is the 6mmBR/Accurate Shooter Site. Many here are interested in maximum accuracy. An un fired, un fireformed case, TO ME, does not contribute to maximum accuracy. Fire forming, TO ME, is a continuation of the manufacturing process. Serious load development can begin after that process is complete. With new cases, I remove the dents, and run them through the chamber. I only resize cases that won’t chamber, which almost never happens. Proceed with fire forming loads and bullets, then things can get serious. This is hopefully to achieve BENCH REST ACCURACY.

I am OCD in a lot of areas where I can be, and do some things some reloaders consider a waist of time. But I don’t resize virgin cases if I don’t have to.
JMM…Just My Method

 

[gatormagoo]

I take care of dented case mouths with a TAPERED PUNCH. Much easier and faster than any other method. This is the 6mmBR/Accurate Shooter Site. Many here are interested in maximum accuracy. An un fired, un fireformed case, TO ME, does not contribute to maximum accuracy. Fire forming, TO ME, is a continuation of the manufacturing process. Serious load development can begin after that process is complete. With new cases, I remove the dents, and run them through the chamber. I only resize cases that won’t chamber, which almost never happens. Proceed with fire forming loads and bullets, then things can get serious. This is hopefully to achieve BENCH REST ACCURACY.

I am OCD in a lot of areas where I can be, and do some things some reloaders consider a waist of time. But I don’t resize virgin cases if I don’t have to.
JMM…Just My Method

Kinda what I was thinking fire form first it's just a extra step now in the initial load for fire forming the brass no biggie

 

[FNSafari]

Its been packaged loose in boxes for a long long time. THe old gold boxes were a bit smaller so may have helped keep the cases from moving around much. The new blue plastic boxes do give the cases more room to run so to speak. Some cheap packing material put on top of the cases would help. What won't help is the way the transportation systems seem to toss everything around like a hot potato.

 

[ebb]

The fine folks at Lapua have been trained since birth to take pride in their work and what they produce, and they make a quality product. But they have no idea of the treatment that this product will receive at the hands of Americans that will handle their product in the delivery process. I think your anger is misplaced and should be directed towards the UPS, FEDEX or the USPS or all of the above.

 

[SSchnd]

Did not Lapua come out with an update to their packaging going forward? I too run new Lapua over a mandrel, Those necks are tight.
But I do recall reading Lapua will be going away from the ammo box type container, too bad, and moving to a smaller paper package to be more earth friendly. Correct me if I am wrong. That may solve the loose cases bouncing around inside that sweet blue box.

 

[Rat Rifle]

I wonder if case mouth dents may occur when the case falls out of the Annealing process, during manufacture ???