Norma 223 Brass Cases Compared to Lapua, PPU and Lake City

[BillC79]

I couldn’t find any data on Norma brass cases recently entering the USA market as primed cases. So I evaluated the cases compared to Lapua, PPU and Lake City brass that I had on hand. Several of the data graphs from the study are posted below.

The full study draft is posted at:

Norma 223 Remington Brass Compared to Lapua, PPU and Lake City

Methods (draft) used in the study are available at:

Methods

Cartridge load and rifle: 77gr Sierra MatchKing, 23.0gr AR-Comp, GM205M primer, 2.35" COAL. The bolt-action rifle had a 28 inch Krieger 1:7.7 twist barrel with a 223 Wylde chamber.

My preliminary conclusions are: Norma brass was the heaviest case of those tested and had the smallest powder volume capacity. The Norma case also had the narrowest neck thickness. Primed Norma 223 brass appears to use a magnum small rifle primer.

Comments and suggestions for improvement are appreciated.












Thanks in advance for comments and suggestions for improvement.

Note added August 10, 2023: Information from the supplier (Powder Valley, Inc), indicates that this brass is made in Hungary and the primers are made in Germany.

 

[KMW 1954]

I mentioned previously that a few years ago I also did an unscientific test just for my own use in my rifle were I processed and loaded 20 ea. of Norma, LC, FC, GFL and PMC brass. All once fired, all processed, all reloaded at the same time on the same tools with the same components. Only difference being that the LC had the primer crimps reamed. The intent of the test was to try and determine if brass headstamp brand had any observable effect on target. Test shooting consisted of 20, five rows of four. Each load was shot one at a time, round robin fashion to accumulate a five shot group on each target.

Of the four 5 shot targets for each load the Norma produced the smallest and most consistent groups of the five tested. That was followed by the PMC brass which produced almost identical groups. Wish I had some Lapua brass to have run with this at that time. Now I also wish I had enough Hornady and Nosler brass to also compare.

 

[ShtrRdy]

A couple months ago I bought 200 pieces of Norma 223 Rem unprimed brass from Raven Rocks Precision. Seems to be working good in my bolt gun.

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[Homerange]

Hardly surprising the case with the smallest internal capacity (heaviest) delivered highest velocity than others with a single weight load.

How it shot and lasted against the others might be of more importance to many.

 

[BillC79]

How it shot and lasted against the others might be of more importance to many.

I agree with your ranking of the importance of accuracy results and numbers of reloads possible per case.

When I purchased the Norma brass, it was because I couldn’t find enough Lapua brass for the bolt action rifle I was working up to shoot in 600 yard matches. While I had hoped Norma brass would be closely comparable to Lapua brass, there were a few surprising results. The uniformity of Norma brass is impressive, and I now have enough data to plug into QuickLoad to work up loads for 80 to 85.5gr bullets to evaluate at 600 yards with my rifle. The thinness of the neck wall of Norma brass is of concern. Based on my reload experience with the other three cases (i.e., Lapua brass withstands the greatest number of reloads until neck failure and Lake City brass the fewest), I am anticipating that Norma brass will not withstand many reloads until necks split. Experience will tell.

If the price differential between Norma and Lapua brass persists, Norma brass will still be very attractive to those interested in brass uniformity.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Thank you Bill for your study.

 

[Hoser]

How do the primer pockets hold up? That is my main gripe with Norma brass.

 

[762willdo]

How do the primer pockets hold up? That is my main gripe with Norma brass.

I would expect the Norma 5.56 primer pockets would hold up better than the standard Norma 223 brass…

 

[Albany Mountain]

On the 500 lot I bought last year, I had a mulititude of Norma blanked primers that I resolved with Remington 7 1/2.

 

[Intell]

I picked up 200 of the primed cases for a new barrel, couldn’t find any Lapua in stock.
Like said above 4-5 dud primers in the 200. Good groups at 100 but bad SDs 60 fps spikes.

I annealed them all resized and cleaned. With the same load of Varget and a Wolf mag primer it dropped the SDs to 3, crono check three different times and shot way better at distance.
For $40 per 100 I’m happy.

 

[BillC79]

More information was provided to me by Powder Valley, Inc. which supplied the primed brass to me (SKU: NOR121201893). In response to my email to them, they responded: "After reaching out, it looks like the brass is from Norma in Hungary and the primers are from Norma in Germany. Unfortunately, we were unable to get a lot number due to them coming from two different locations. We hope this helps."

I've seen posts on Norma 223 brass from Sweden which shows a date in the head stamp (e.g., 21). So it may be that all Norma 223 brass is not the same. The facility where the brass from Hungary was primed with the primers from Germany is currently unknown by me (and apparerently also by the considerate people at Powder Valley).

 

[BillC79]

......Nonetheless, it's worth pointing out that these brass preps seem to have some major differences, at least in terms of case weight/volume. So be cautious when purchasing and/or reloading Norma brass...it may not be the same as what you used previously.

It will be helpful to know if there is any commercial packaging with the bulk brass you ordered indicating the country of manufacture.

 

[Ned Ludd]

It will be helpful to know if there is any commercial packaging with the bulk brass you ordered indicating the country of manufacture.

There was not with either the unprimed "bulk" Norma brass from MidSouth or the pre-primed Norma brass from Powder Valley. The first batch I received from MidSouth had a little sticker with a Lot#, the second did not. But there was no info regarding the place of origin. The fellow I spoke with about the "bulk" unprimed brass I have on order, which apparently has '21 and/or '22 dates stamped on the case head, indicated they received the brass in large allotments and then re-packaged it in various size parcels for sale. I suspect that is what happened with both of the other forms I have purchased and is probably why no other info was inside the packaging. I will check to see whether there is any in the batch that is coming. If not, I will contact the vendor again as I think he may have mentioned where it came from during our conversation, I just don't recall exactly what he said. I'll report whatever I find here.

 

[BillC79]

Norma 223 Rem. High Performance cases made in Sweden are different than the primed Norma 223 Rem cases made in Hungary.
I purchased a 50-count package of 223 Rem. Norma Precision High Performance Cases made in Sweden (lot number 100032820) from MidwayUSA, and the data on virgin cases are below.
Swedish Norma HP cases have significantly greater powder capacity, thicker neck walls, and lower case weight than those for Norma cases from Hungary. Swedish Norma HP cases currently sold in the USA do not have date stamps according to my small sample.
Norma HP cases from Sweden in small numbers cost twice as much as primed Norma cases from Hungary.

 

[BillC79]

... One other thing, you mentioned that the Swedish brass does not have date stamps, but I'm not seeing a date stamp on the Hungarian casehead either. Can you tell me where the date stamp would be in relation to the Norma logo and .223 Rem?

Another US dealer (Raven Rocks Precision) lists bulk Norma 223 Rem brass for sale that is made in Sweden and has a “22” date stamp. They state the date stamp was required by a government contract. I don’t know whether Norma still date stamps their commercial brass.
I found the attached photo of Norma 223 Rem. brass with a year headstamp online in a thread on defective ammunition using Norma brass.

 

[Cfshooter]

Norma 223 Rem. cases made in Sweden are different than the primed Norma 223 Rem cases made in Hungary.
I purchased a 50-count package of 223 Rem. Norma Precision High Performance Cases made in Sweden (lot number 100032820) from MidwayUSA, and the data on virgin cases out of the commercial package are below.
Swedish Norma cases have significantly greater powder capacity, thicker neck walls, and lower case weight than those for Norma cases from Hungary. Swedish Norma cases currently sold in the USA do not have date stamps according to my small sample.
Norma cases from Sweden in small numbers cost twice as much as primed Norma cases from Hungary.

View attachment 1467027


View attachment 1467020

View attachment 1467021

View attachment 1467022

So this looks like Hungarian headstamp, but weighs in about 100 gr. Capacity about 30.3 also. It was the primed from ravens rock.

 

[Cfshooter]

Thank you, Bill. That is where I ordered the brass that's on the way. I believe the person I spoke with might have stated it was from Sweden, but I wasn't sure. I'll see how it stacks up in terms of weight/volume tomorrow. It hope it all shoots as well as the light weight/large capacity Norma "bulk" brass I have been using, but it will get used one way or another, regardless.

Did you order primed 223 or the bulk 555? Not primed 223?

 

[Cfshooter]

Bulk Norma .223 Rem, not primed. The person I spoke with mentioned where it originated, but I wasn't really listening carefully for that piece of information, so I wasn't certain whether he said, "Sweden", or something else. He did mention that it will be date stamped '21 or '22.

It seems mine looks like the Hungarian but then all the numbers add up to be the Sweden version. I guess no real telling. Just as long as it is decent, all good!

 

[6Creed73]

Bulk Norma .223 Rem, not primed. The person I spoke with mentioned where it originated, but I wasn't really listening carefully for that piece of information, so I wasn't certain whether he said, "Sweden", or something else. He did mention that it will be date stamped '21 or '22.

If it's date stamped, I believe it's from Sweden. I ordered some 223 brass from them that is stamped 22 and it's from Sweden.

 

[Outdoorsman0]

Any information or range results on the primed 5.56 Norma?