284 Brass

[Fordnutter]

Well common consensus for the straight 284 is 6.5-284 Lapua brass - I see some people are having success with Winchester brass, anybody tried Norma to see how it stacks up. Any real reason why someone would say prefer Winchester brass over Lapua?

 

[bfr 4570]

I usually dont like it. But Im having great luck with Win brass. The only Cal I have luck with it.

 

[Terry]

Cheaper.

 

[Nomad47]

Buy 150 of the Winchester and shoot the best 100. Or that ratio in bigger or smaller numbers.

 

[Aussie Denis]

I'll be loading for .284 soon. I'm interested to know what unturned Lapua brass neck thickness is once expanded and also how uniform are the necks in terms of thickness?

Also what neck bushing sizes are you guys using with the Lapua brass? Redding or Wilson bushings?

Thanks,
Denis.

 

[furmaster]

I originally shot necked-up Lapua and liked it, then got ahold of about 300 win brass at a good price. The win brass was from the same lot and weighed very close, I think I only culled out 50 or so, leaving me with two groups within 1gr. I shoot the heavier cases with my 180s and the lighters with my 168s just to keep them separated. I havent noticed any difference with the brass and am not so sure the wins dont shoot better. I anneal every 3 reloads, and turn with a km turner with reamer to catch a donut if they show up. I have been told but havent verified myself that the wins have a slighly larger case capacity after fire form. I think to each their own. Lapua brass is awesome, but when I have to do the same case prep (because I do turn) I dont see the benefit of lapua at its price if wins shoot as good and lasts as long.

I dont think I would shoot norma over lapua or winchester.

 

[DesertMarine]

I am building a 284 Win and going with Winchester brass. Started doing case prep and wondering if should have gone with Lapua even though almost twice the cost. Started uniforming primer pockets and uniformer only touches the outside of bottom of the primer pocket. Hopefully it will straighten out after firing. Flash holes are oblong where punch hit at an angle, moved and punched thru. A few flash holes are off-centered. These are my first Winchester cases as I normally get Lapua brass but did not want to go thru necking-up the cases. My question is this normal for Winchester 284 brass?

 

[expiper]

Here are some dims. that help answer your ??'s
W-W .284 2.165-2.180 .180 .4945/.4965 .316 .474 -225/.260

Lapua 6.5x.284--2.150-2.170 .188 .4975/.4995 .317 .474 -215/.250

as you can see the WW brass is .003 smaller at the .200 line....so if your reamer (or your gunsmiths) is not sized for WW the chamber is too big at the back and you will hav primer pocket expansion....its not the fault of the WW brass .....if the chamber was over sized for the Lapua it wuld do the same thing.....make shur if your gona use WW brass to use a reamer that works in concert with it!!!....Roger

 

[habu]

FWIW, bought 1500 WW 284 brass before the cost went up to current [over 2 yrs ago]. attempted to get 1/2 gr batches. in order to get close to 500 rd batch, had to settle on .6 gr batch to get a little over 450 rds. in the largest batch.

yes, you MUST in & out chamfer & UNIFORM the primer pocket!!

had to turn the necks as i have a .315 chamber.

had a 500 rd batch of NORMA 6.5x284 that i opened to 7mm. had to 'fire form' them as i could not get them on nk turn mandrel without a hammer. well now i have 'doughnuts'.

so, was it worth it win/norma ??? guess if you can afford lapua/norma - OK, but if you have some time and you want a bunch in a small grain batch - winny.

years ago i made the decission to go with large batches of small gr. wt. - i MADE the time to work WIN. - manly because of costs and when i travel to distance matches, i may have to carry 3-500 rounds.

habu

 

[XTR]

I gotta ask, do you guys weigh and sort before or after you prep? If you're taking off that much metal you might find that after you prep them they are a lot closer together.

 

[PALarson]

I have a 6-284, purchased 6.5 284 Norma brass, best scores were in low 190's, began to research the problem, weighed the Norma brass, 7 grains from top to bottom, sorted the brass, 1/2 grain batches, shot 198's to 200's then. That's how it goes.
Paul Larson
Mid range and Long range HM

 

[DennisH]

began to research the problem, weighed the Norma brass, 7 grains from top to bottom, sorted the brass, 1/2 grain batches, shot 198's to 200's then. That's how it goes.

Interesting!