22 BR Brass - Peterson, Alpha, or Lapua?

[Lefty2506]

I've been saving up for my first custom bolt gun for about 3 years now, and I'm about 3/4 of the way there. It looks like 6BR brass is in stock once again, so I'm thinking about going ahead and getting some along with the dies I'll need. It seems like Lapua has always been the go-to source for brass, especially BR brass, but in recent years I've heard some claim that Peterson brass is just as good if not better. I've yet to hear anyone say that Alpha Brass is anything but the very best. So I'm wondering which one I should go with. I plan on picking up 300-400 pcs and I plan on that qty being a life time supply, so price really isn't a huge concern. I'd rather buy the best quality now so there are no issues later.

What say the internet gods of all things firearms?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[dstoenner]

I have found Lapua and Peterson as almost interchangable. Their case capacities are almost identical. Loads work out to be the same. Peterson actually holds the case weight variance a little tighter than Lapua. Peterson is closer to 1.0 gn with maybe 1 or 2 cases outside, while Lapua is maybe 5 outside of 1 gn.

I bought 250 22BR Alpha and I am not as impressed. While I weight sorted the 250 cases and got 85 that were within .2gn of each other they haven't had the low runout that I get with Lapua or Peterson. To be far they had been fired twice and only sized once. I sized them but they still seemed off. I am getting ready to load them again. They are heavier and thicker than L or P so mabe they might take 3 or 4 firings to get settled in while L and P are almost there in 1 firing.

HTH

David

 

[steve210]

Peterson or lapua are both very good. I've never used alpha so i can't say on it.

 

[padom]

Peterson or lapua are both very good. I've never used alpha so i can't say on it.

FWIW my Peterson 6BR brass has less case capacity than my Lapua 6BR brass. I have to drop my charge down with Peterson..

Ive been shooting 6BR and longgg time. I have some cases with 35-40 reloads on them. If you can get Lapua your not making the wrong decision that's for sure

 

[Lefty2506]

Trying to decide how much brass I should purchase. My plans for this rifle are plinking at the range, and shooting PDs past 300 yds. My trips out west are normally limited to about 3 days of hunting/shooting, and I'd still be running a bolt action 223 or an AR with a 20P upper which would handle the bulk of the shooting. It seems like 300 pcs should be enough.

 

[Evan]

It lasts forever if you have a good match between dies and chamber without too much excessive sizing. I have an original set of 100 still in rotation with 35 reloads on it. No annealing done to it.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Say it with me.

Laaaapppuuuuaaa

 

[ricco1949]

Trying to decide how much brass I should purchase. My plans for this rifle are plinking at the range, and shooting PDs past 300 yds. My trips out west are normally limited to about 3 days of hunting/shooting, and I'd still be running a bolt action 223 or an AR with a 20P upper which would handle the bulk of the shooting. It seems like 300 pcs should be enough.

Three days of shooting can easily exceed 1000 rounds if pups are abundant.

 

[wedgy]

I am processing 2,000 Lapua cases and have uniformed the flash holes on 1,000 cases with the K&M and there is barely a speck of brass on my mat so I would say they are pretty uniform. And I have 11 extra cases after putting them in reloading block so they thru in some freebies !

 

[urbanrifleman]

I am processing 2,000 Lapua cases and have uniformed the flash holes on 1,000 cases with the K&M and there is barely a speck of brass on my mat so I would say the are pretty uniform. And I have 11 extra cases after putting them in reloading block so they thru in some freebies !

Lapua.

 

[G6br]

I have both a 6br and 22br, have only ever used lapua.
Strait forward necking the 6 down to 22 and my case life has been exceptional

 

[Lefty2506]

Three days of shooting can easily exceed 1000 rounds if pups are abundant.

Where I go, 150-200 rnds per day is about as good as it gets. We go there simply to cut 8-12 hrs off of our drive time, and we still have a good time. The 22BR would not be the only rifle on a trip like that. Anything under 250 yds would be handled with a 223 or 20 Practical. 22 BR would be used with a 62gr ELD-VT to shoot flatter at 300 and beyond.

 

[ELR LVR]

Lapua for 22 BR is great
I favor Peterson though, I like the feel of its neck tension better

 

[Lefty2506]

When necking down to 22BR, is that one step or two?

 

[Evan]

When necking down to 22BR, is that one step or two?

I do it all in one pass through the die.

 

[padom]

When necking down to 22BR, is that one step or two?

Lots of guys do it in one... I do it in 2. Bushing halfway between 6mm and 224 and then final bushing 0.247... ive never lost a case. Im not home, Ill have to check which my halfway bushing is.

 

[Evan]

Lots of guys do it in one... I do it in 2. Bushing halfway between 6mm and 224 and then final bushing 0.247... ive never lost a case. Im not home, Ill have to check which my halfway bushing is.

I did a .262 at first but quickly abandoned it and did it all in one go down to 0.249