6PPC brass, starting from scratch. Any new choices?

[slm9s]

I haven't acquired a 6ppc in 15 years so I'm way out of the loop about any new brass options. I have an Al Weber 6ppc in jail that I'll pick up in a week. For a non-competition range target rifle, is there an 'easy button' these days? Is it still Lapua 220R & fire-forming, or is there something like 6arc or a grendel choice that would be high quality with one pass thru a sizing die (wishful thinking)? How is Norma these days? Is Alpha as good as Lapua?
Thanks in advance.

 

[BoydAllen]

Alpha, turn the necks and you are done. Harder than Lapua, popular with those that have tried it.

 

[Janeau]

If you shoot competitively stay with prepped Lapua Russian.

 

[Shooter13]

If you shoot competitively stay with prepped Lapua Russian.

So you're giving advise opposite to @Speedy Gonzalez and @jackieschmidt ? I don't know your credentials but I do know theirs. Not being a wise guy just gathering info.
Thanks,

 

[Ccrider]

I shot quite a bit of the Norma 6ppc brass. It worked out of the box in my 268 neck ppc. Finished load was around 265. The Norma brass was just as accurate as Lapua but the primer pockets did not hold up as well with higher pressure loads.

I have not shot the Alpha 6ppc brass but those that have all seem to indicate that it is as good as Lapua. I have not read or ran across anyone saying Alpha is better.

I have plenty of Lapua 220 and figure that fireforming may require an extra shot, but that’s not enough to make me dump the Lapua 220 to go buy Alpha 6ppc.

 

[Larry Koch]

As of right now Lapua gold box is almost as good as Alpha in the 6 ppc standard. Will Alpha keep it up? Time will tell. I purchased as much as I could afford of the first lot not wanting to take any chances. The way thing go in the ammo and geo political .

 

[Janeau]

So you're giving advise opposite to @Speedy Gonzalez and @jackieschmidt ? I don't know your credentials but I do know theirs. Not being a wise guy just gathering info.
Thanks,

They give opinions on it but both have not win any major match with it. They like it. On the other hand..their points to hall of fame were won -by both of them -with Lapua brass…as the others hall of fames recipients.

Ask Jack Neary and Lester Bruno what they shoot…

You will see how many trust Alpha brass at the State and National level…

I don’t trust Alpha brass..in some caliber they even had to have a special reamer made for it. It is also widely known it is ticker brass and do not produce the same velocities obtained with the Lapua. Primer pocket on some is so tight you almost crush the primer forcing it into - pocket need to be reamed before use..Some see it as a good thing - primer pocket will resist longer..hey hey. So no..Alpha brass is not better..far from it..they just took the opportunity to fill a gap in the supply chain..at the same price level than the Lapua.

For those who do not want to put the work to convert brass to PPC - BRX - Dasher ect. - this an easy way and it cover that need..that in itself, help a lot of people to shoot those calibers that would not if they had to do the brass conversion. Thats the good thing Alpha did for those shooters. Good brass - yes - better brass..na.

 

[Eric Leonard]

If you keep the Norma brass with 68 gr bullets down around 3300-3350 it will last pretty good, if you crank it up any over 3400 the primer pockets will last 7-8 shots and it’s toast.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Changing is the easy button, that why folks do it. Myself, I have used Lapua for 25 years, no reason to change. I actually don't believe either make you win, or not.

 

[Shooter13]

They give opinions on it but both have not win any major match with it. They like it. On the other hand..their points to hall of fame were won -by both of them -with Lapua brass…as the others hall of fames recipients.

Alpha wasn't even out then, kind of an unfair comparison

Ask Jack Neary and Lester Bruno what they shoot…

Well Jack works for Capstone soooooooooooooo, Lester is like me, we're older and pretty much set in our ways!

You will see how many trust Alpha brass at the State and National level…

Starting to see more and more but Lapua is still dominate

I don’t trust Alpha brass..in some caliber they even had to have a special reamer made for it. It is also widely known it is ticker brass and do not produce the same velocities obtained with the Lapua. Primer pocket on some is so tight you almost crush the primer forcing it into - pocket need to be reamed before use..Some see it as a good thing - primer pocket will resist longer..hey hey. So no..Alpha brass is not better..far from it..they just took the opportunity to fill a gap in the supply chain..at the same price level than the Lapua.

We're not talking about all the other calibers, he specially ask about PPC

For those who do not want to put the work to convert brass to PPC - BRX - Dasher ect. - this an easy way and it cover that need..that in itself, help a lot of people to shoot those calibers that would not if they had to do the brass conversion. Thats the good thing Alpha did for those shooters. Good brass - yes

True for sure

better brass..na

Opinion, like all of us, we have one.

I'm not downing Lapua at all, excellent brass, but if Alpha is = and saves me a step then I'm all in. I'm running both brands latter part of this year and next to test. Like @JEFFPPC I don't think either will make you or keep you from winning.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Another vote for Norma if your chamber is .268 no turn neck. But, like Eric Leonard posted, primer pockets grow real fast with hot loads.

 

[boltfluter]

So you're giving advise opposite to @Speedy Gonzalez and @jackieschmidt ? I don't know your credentials but I do know theirs. Not being a wise guy just gathering info.
Thanks,

This is just their opinions, for their situation, and everyone has one. Nothing is cast in stone, especially in the BR world. Lapua has been legendary for many years, as everyone knows. A relative newcomer to the brass world, being Alpha, is going to have to keep it's quality at Lapuas level for several years, before I would even consider jumping ship. This is just my personal take on it and nothing more. And I have zero credentials. Lol.
Paul

 

[64Rambler]

Bryan Zolnikov has an entire series on Alpha 6PPC brass. https://www.youtube.com/@WitchDoctorPrecision/search?query=6 ppc brass

 

[WyleWD]

For a non-competition range target rifle, is there an 'easy button' these days? Is it still Lapua 220R & fire-forming, or is there something like 6arc or a grendel choice that would be high quality with one pass thru a sizing die (wishful thinking)? How is Norma these days? Is Alpha as good as Lapua?
Thanks in advance.

For what you're asking...... Easy button..... Alpha. One pass through a sizing die...... Alpha. Norma these days.... Erik Leonard is spot on from my experience with his assessment . Made in America.... Alpha. Since you're a non-competing shooter you'll be fine with it.

The only advice I'd give you on the Alpha is leave the primer pockets alone and do not try to uniform them. Use a small brush to clean them once in a while. A phone call to Alpha to have them walk you through the initial case prep and primer pocket care and cleaning recommended procedures is a good idea.

I've put over 15 firings on both 6 ARC and PPC Alpha brass and do not have any loose primer pockets and both are still more than capable of club level acceptable accuracy. As to your last question is it better than Lapua.... IMHO it depends more on the skill of the shooter/reloader. JME. WD

 

[Tim Singleton]

I was a skeptical about the Alpha early on.
After working with it for a while I have bought a bunch of it

 

[JEFFPPC]

If all the time fussing about brass brands was spent on set up, bench manners, and flags reading skills scores might rise, just saying. Time wasted is never regained.