"Straight" .284 / Shiraz Norma Brass Project.

[Mudcat]

Been happy with the brass as well. Got some test pcs that have over a dozen firings on them already and still going. I havent shot enough matches with it yet to say I prefer it over my Win brass, but will soon enough. I can say this, I can run stouter charges/velocity with the Win brass without tearing out the pockets, so my Norma loads are about 65fps slower than the Win's. While I was VERY happy with my 2890fps I got out of my Win brass, and the killer accuracy, I was limited on brass, thus the Norma purchase. Back down to about 2825fps with the Norma, which still does really well in the wind, but seem to be getting a little more elevation than with the Win load. Guess we will find out soon enough once LR starts at Perry.

 

[bsumoba]

If it wasn't for the fact that I have about 250+ pieces of 6.5x284 lapua brass in my possession, I would go with this brass so I can get a full clean on my necks. I have a .317 neck on the reamer and have about a 0.014 neck thickness, so I run about a 4.5-5K neck clearance, but this does not clean up the necks 100% on the lapua brass. the norma brass should give me a full cleanup.

 

[savageshooter86]

So seems like the new brass should fit in old reamer print for fireformed Lapua? Or would it be better to send brass and get a reamer made for that brass

 

[ShootDots]

So seems like the new brass should fit in old reamer print for fireformed Lapua? Or would it be better to send brass and get a reamer made for that brass

I just have a "normal" .284 Reamer and it works just fine. I have NO PROBLEMS as far as the brass goes whatsoever.. Just make sure you get the neck and freebore you want>>>then have at it..

 

[savageshooter86]

This brass is about 15.5-16 thous neck thickness correct?

 

[ShootDots]

This brass is about 15.5-16 thous neck thickness correct?

You are exactly right.. I went with a .313 neck. I had to COMPLETELY (plus a little) turn them>>>but that is why I ordered the .313...

 

[KWeigel]

Tag

 

[ShootDots]

Well I shot a 600 yard match in Beaumont (Golden Triangle Gun Club) yesterday (Saturday) of which that was the ONLY firing since fireforming. I have already developed a slight, yet noticeable, doughnut! At least in my brass, it appears that Norma fixed one problem (loose primer pockets) but another has arisen! I also noticed that after annealing today and F/L sizing them, they grew about 5-7K, and had to be trimmed back.. I am not so sure now of the value over the Lapua at this moment..

 

[bsumoba]

Well I shot a 600 yard match in Beaumont (Golden Triangle Gun Club) yesterday (Saturday) of which that was the ONLY firing since fireforming. I have already developed a slight, yet noticeable, doughnut! At least in my brass, it appears that Norma fixed one problem (loose primer pockets) but another has arisen! I also noticed that after annealing today and F/L sizing them, they grew about 5-7K, and had to be trimmed back.. I am not so sure now of the value over the Lapua at this moment..

Just trim them and load above the donut

My biggest issue...or should I say, my biggest hope for the 284 Norma brass is to extend primer pocket life. If this can be achieved, then I am a happy guy. I don't get a 5-7K increase in brass length after annealing and resizing with Lapua brass though. I get more like 1-3K. And, I load above the donut, which is what I would end up doing anyways with the 284 Norma brass. I would have to try 284 Norma myself, which unfortunately, I have not pulled the trigger on due to the amount of lapua brass I still have.

 

[ShootDots]

Well I shot a 600 yard match in Beaumont (Golden Triangle Gun Club) yesterday (Saturday) of which that was the ONLY firing since fireforming. I have already developed a slight, yet noticeable, doughnut! At least in my brass, it appears that Norma fixed one problem (loose primer pockets) but another has arisen! I also noticed that after annealing today and F/L sizing them, they grew about 5-7K, and had to be trimmed back.. I am not so sure now of the value over the Lapua at this moment..

Just trim them and load above the donut

My biggest issue...or should I say, my biggest hope for the 284 Norma brass is to extend primer pocket life. If this can be achieved, then I am a happy guy. I don't get a 5-7K increase in brass length after annealing and resizing with Lapua brass though. I get more like 1-3K. And, I load above the donut, which is what I would end up doing anyways with the 284 Norma brass. I would have to try 284 Norma myself, which unfortunately, I have not pulled the trigger on due to the amount of lapua brass I still have.

Bryan, your having a substantial accumulation of Lapua brass, if loaded so as not to destroy the primer pockets, will be a major labor saver! I am truly hoping that I just got a soft lot of brass and that others on here are not experiencing what I am. I rarely had to trim my Lapua brass and the tiny doughnut formation was about at the end of the useful brass life. But I do load W-E-L-L above the neck / shoulder junction..

 

[lrgoodger]

I just did the third firing on some of my Norma brass and there is no sign of a donut. I turned the necks to 11.5 thou wall to get enough clearance in my .313 necked chamber. I can tell you that the sweet node I found at 53.5 grains H4350 with a velocity of 2850 fps is hell on the primer pockets. Two firings and they are gone. I'm looking for the next lower node that shoots well now.

 

[bsumoba]

I just did the third firing on some of my Norma brass and there is no sign of a donut. I turned the necks to 11.5 thou wall to get enough clearance in my .313 necked chamber. I can tell you that the sweet node I found at 53.5 grains H4350 with a velocity of 2850 fps is hell on the primer pockets. Two firings and they are gone. I'm looking for the next lower node that shoots well now.

Yup...even 53gr of H4350 is a lapua brass killer as well. Very accurate, but very expensive :-\

 

[Joe Maisto]

Gentlemen;

After reading all of the above comments on the straight .284, and the problems some are having with brass and loads, I feel a need to to ask...Have any of you or do any of you use the 6.5 x 55 lapua, or the 6.5 x 55 lapua improved ? Two of the fellas that work at "KELBLY'S have switched over to this cartridge. I know them personally and they tell me it is a better choice.
I shoot the short range "group" game. We are all in the shooting sport to extract all we can for our particular endeavor to accomplish the ultimate goal of same which encompasses all of the above mentioned particulars.
If I were having some of the problems I read about in this thread, I would surely consider the 6.5 x 55 Lapua for myself as well.

Just curious gentlemen...

 

[Erik Cortina]

Gentlemen;

After reading all of the above comments on the straight .284, and the problems some are having with brass and loads, I feel a need to to ask...Have any of you or do any of you use the 6.5 x 55 lapua, or the 6.5 x 55 lapua improved ? Two of the fellas that work at "KELBLY'S have switched over to this cartridge. I know them personally and they tell me it is a better choice.
I shoot the short range "group" game. We are all in the shooting sport to extract all we can for our particular endeavor to accomplish the ultimate goal of same which encompasses all of the above mentioned particulars.
If I were having some of the problems I read about in this thread, I would surely consider the 6.5 x 55 Lapua for myself as well.

Just curious gentlemen...

I shoot a .284 Shehane and have no brass issues what so ever. I use Lapua brass.

 

[bsumoba]

Gentlemen;

After reading all of the above comments on the straight .284, and the problems some are having with brass and loads, I feel a need to to ask...Have any of you or do any of you use the 6.5 x 55 lapua, or the 6.5 x 55 lapua improved ? Two of the fellas that work at "KELBLY'S have switched over to this cartridge. I know them personally and they tell me it is a better choice.
I shoot the short range "group" game. We are all in the shooting sport to extract all we can for our particular endeavor to accomplish the ultimate goal of same which encompasses all of the above mentioned particulars.
If I were having some of the problems I read about in this thread, I would surely consider the 6.5 x 55 Lapua for myself as well.

Just curious gentlemen...

None of us have "issues" with the 284 or 284 Shehane. We just want more out of the brass that we use for the 284. Call it selfish???

The 6.5x55 or AI version would be a nice cartridge and I will be honest, I thought about it also...really I swear I did. But, running the numbers and making an investment of $1K on another barrel setup with brass, dies, etc would be a lot and there is little if any benefit (benefit of less recoil?) of the 6.5x55 to the 284 or 284 Shehane.

 

[Joe Maisto]

Bryan;

I would not call that selfish. You and I are may have the same thing in common... "seemingly" limited income. I shoot against people that are able to buy 10 barrels at a time, have 3-4 competition firearms, topped off with a $2000. state of the art scope.
I use good equipment, do what I can with what I have, take the cartridge case prepping to the max and carefully load.
Others that are well healed ( God bless 'em) take it all further . Many take 40-50 rounds to the bench and change loads according to conditions to keep the tune. I'm not sure if that is adviseable in 1000 yd. shooting.
At any rate, I understand what you say...

Joe

 

[Erik Cortina]

Gentlemen;

After reading all of the above comments on the straight .284, and the problems some are having with brass and loads, I feel a need to to ask...Have any of you or do any of you use the 6.5 x 55 lapua, or the 6.5 x 55 lapua improved ? Two of the fellas that work at "KELBLY'S have switched over to this cartridge. I know them personally and they tell me it is a better choice.
I shoot the short range "group" game. We are all in the shooting sport to extract all we can for our particular endeavor to accomplish the ultimate goal of same which encompasses all of the above mentioned particulars.
If I were having some of the problems I read about in this thread, I would surely consider the 6.5 x 55 Lapua for myself as well.

Just curious gentlemen...

None of us have "issues" with the 284 or 284 Shehane. We just want more out of the brass that we use for the 284. Call it selfish???

Not selfish, but how much more can you get from it? I get 10+ firings on my Lapua brass running Shehane at 2,900+ fps. I can't realistically expect more than that from my brass.

 

[bsumoba]

Gentlemen;

After reading all of the above comments on the straight .284, and the problems some are having with brass and loads, I feel a need to to ask...Have any of you or do any of you use the 6.5 x 55 lapua, or the 6.5 x 55 lapua improved ? Two of the fellas that work at "KELBLY'S have switched over to this cartridge. I know them personally and they tell me it is a better choice.
I shoot the short range "group" game. We are all in the shooting sport to extract all we can for our particular endeavor to accomplish the ultimate goal of same which encompasses all of the above mentioned particulars.
If I were having some of the problems I read about in this thread, I would surely consider the 6.5 x 55 Lapua for myself as well.

Just curious gentlemen...

None of us have "issues" with the 284 or 284 Shehane. We just want more out of the brass that we use for the 284. Call it selfish???

Not selfish, but how much more can you get from it? I get 10+ firings on my Lapua brass running Shehane at 2,900+ fps. I can't realistically expect more than that from my brass.

You're lucky Erik! I don't get that much. Running them around 2890-2920, I was getting more like 6-8 firings. When I went to a 2830fps load, it feels like I will get in upwards of 10+.

I have heard some horror stories of 3-5 firings. Never seen one though They must have been using H4350 and some high pressure. Running 53gr of H4350, which was my accuracy load with that powder, I can see getting 3-5 firings considering after two firings from brass I was testing H4350 with, after the second full load firing, I felt those pockets loosen quite a bit from H44831SC. :-\

 

[Killick]

After 3 firings with Lapua brass in my straight .284 - 56.5gr. 4831sc (yah, it's stout) I'm getting loose primers (some popping out during a match) so I've switched to Norma brass. I'll baby the brass for Mid-Range matches using a 53gr. node load and save the 56.5gr. load for Long Range.

 

[dskogman]

New to the 284 and got some of the Norma 284 brass. Did have to turn the necks down to get enough clearance like others. How many reloads is everyone getting? They seem to have loosened some after just one firing.