Lapua 6.5x55 Swead in Gold box value
- Thread starter dhbill
- Start date
ogre1911
Silver $$ Contributor
I've been shooting and reloading for this round since 1983. Tens of thousands of rounds fired (it's my favorite cartridge) through target and hunting rifles. Lapua brass was mostly used.
When blue box came out I tested it against my older stuff and found zero difference. I got the same amount of reloads with indiscernible differences in accuracy.
My 2 pennies
When blue box came out I tested it against my older stuff and found zero difference. I got the same amount of reloads with indiscernible differences in accuracy.
My 2 pennies
hoz53
Gold $$ Contributor
is the base dimension the same?
jmm03
Gold $$ Contributor
Ogre, I am also a fan of the Swede, both in original military configuration and as a precision rifle based on a model 700. Not to derail this post but how many reloads do you get out of your cases, and do you anneal? (I am on the same cases for quite awhile now, no annealing or split necks, but I segregate between rifles and only neck size) Thanks, Jim
I'm not sure about other cartridges, but to my understanding gold box 6br brass compared to blue box 6br brass has some slight difference in neck wall thickness.
also at one point in time I saw a test that showed the 223 blue box had a slightly higher internal volume compared to the gold box 223.
also at one point in time I saw a test that showed the 223 blue box had a slightly higher internal volume compared to the gold box 223.
Lapua thinned 6BR necks around the time that they moved to the blue box as the older version was such that it risked exceeding CIP 6mm BR Norma loaded ammunition neck O/D if the tolerances ran on the large side. This upset a fair few 6BR precision shooters as the normal 'no-turn' chamber reamer was designed to give pretty well ideal clearance with the older brass. So, for a short while, people were advertising in wanted classifieds for the older version and others were advertising it for sale at a premium. Of course, as soon as the reamer makers updated their dimensions to suit the new thinner-neck - which they did very quickly - the demand for 'gold box' lots fell away.
Lapua 223 capacity has changed over the years, and also slightly from lot to lot whether in gold or blue packaging. You're are likely confusing the Lapua 223 brass of ca. 15, maybe even 20, years ago with more recent versions, and it has nothing to do with the boxes they came in. The big change was the move to 'Lapua 223 Rem Match' which was nearly 10gn lighter than its predecessor (which ran pretty well the same as contemporary headstamped 5.56X45mm lots intended for military orders). The original 'Match' version wasn't headstamped as such initially, it only being printed on the 'gold' box lid, but is actually the highest capacity case 223 case the company produced with a 'water overflow capacity' of 30.9/31.0gn when fired in a minimum SAAMI chamber. At some point Lapua went a bit heavier and also inserted the word 'Match' into the case-headstamp. Whether that was before or coincident with the move to the blue box, I don't know. In any event, Blue Box 223 weighs a few grains more than the earlier 'Match' lots and holds around 30.5-30.7gn water when fireformed in a minimum SAAMI chamber.
As per other contributors, I've loaded 6.5X55mm with Lapua brass over a long period covering three different packaging versions, and haven't seen any particular differences. With 6.5X55 being the standard 'default choice' for several generations of Scandinavian field shooters and match competitors, this product is a bread and butter list item for both Lapua and Norma whether loaded ammunition or components, in the way that 308 Win and before that 30-06 are for US manufacturers. Quality does vary a bit from lot to lot, but recent years stuff has been very good and also very consistent IME, and seemingly has overcome the huge hiccup that the Ukraine war has caused for many European producers in terms of availability and consistency after a brief period of shortages in late 2022.
I've wondered if we'll ever see Lapua 284 again. While it has been suspended, the customers seem to have migrated en masse to the 7/6.5 PRC. IMO, a great shame as the 284 is a wonderful match cartridge as long as you don't cane the brass trying to get that final 100 fps with a 180. But that's obviously what people want these days and are moving to the PRC's stronger case.
I first came across mentions of modernised 284s years before L-R target competitors picked it up in a Rifle magazine (I think) article under the name '284 LT'. LT for 'Long Throat'. The feature noted discerning long-distance deer hunters had gone back to the old standard length (now 'long') actions with 284 chambers throated way long for 3.1-3.2-inch COALs and heavy bullets in custom rifle builds. I don't suppose today's equivalent sport hunters do that any more given the short magnums, RCMs, PRCs etc since introduced.
LAPUA production ETA is Q4 OF 2026 FOR 284 AND 6.5X284 BRASS.
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