223 AI brass recommendation

[montana_native]

As this gun nears completion I would like to know what brass manufacturer would be best. I have a lot of Winchester brass. Would it be worth it to try Lapua brass?

Thanks.

[outlawkyote]

All of the Lapua brass I purchased wasnt all that special in my opinion. It wasnt anymore concentric than WW brass as I set down to turn necks. Flasholes are suposed to be better but, they still need de-bured like all the others. Weighing was a lil closer but not spectacular

I recently purchased some Lake City brass from Sinman and it looks perty nice so far but I havent fireformed any of it yet so, I'll pass the word when I do. Weights were fairly close to each other and the necks seem a lil more concentric.

Dont waste your money on Lapua brass, WW brass works just as well in my experience.

[laportecharlie]

When I started my 223AI project I bought 1000 pieces of new Winchester brass from the same lot. I didn't lose any during fireforming and it's working very well. I see no reason to use anything else considering the cost of Lapua and Nosler brass.
Charlie

[Eric in NC]

One thing I would say is to use new brass - even once fired brass can crack or not form correctly (not a big deal, but some may turn out to be rejects).

I like LC brass but I wonder how well it will form to an AI config (tougher, has been fired in a big chamber once, etc.) Let us know Outlaw.

[Blue Avenger]

I had to hit LC brass twice to get sharp shoulders formed in it. also was quick to show high pressure signs.

[savageboy]

I use Win for the .223AI and LC for the AR's in .223 rem. Have had great success with the Win in the AI. Once formed, it either never seems to grow, or grow in length very slowly.

[sinman]

Thad's Lake city brass is brand new brass not once fired.

[outlawkyote]

Thad's Lake city brass is brand new brass not once fired.


Thanks for the info, It seems to be nice looking brass with dark annealing in the shoulder area. I hope it works well :)

[Eric in NC]

Thad's Lake city brass is brand new brass not once fired.


Where do you get that?

[sinman]

grafs had it in stock.

[outlawkyote]

grafs had it in stock.


Can you get me another 5 bags?

[outlawkyote]

I had to hit LC brass twice to get sharp shoulders formed in it. also was quick to show high pressure signs.


Were you using bullets to FF or cream of wheat?

[sinman]

sure can Thad

[tiny68]

Here is the other view - if Lapua is available, buy it. It is typically the best brass made (everyone has a bad lot on occasion). I have Lapua 308 brass that I have fired 15 times. I have Lapua 6BR and 30BR that has more that 30 firings and still going strong. I have never got more that 8-10 firings on my Winnie brass in the 308 before I lost it. I anneal the necks at least every 6-8 firings. I used to buy bulk 308 Winnie brass. I would weight sort into 0.5 g bins before starting any prep. I would end up with +12 bins with around 15% each in the middle 4 bins. I now only have a 2 bins with the Lapua and one for the rare high or low to use as fowler (less than 2%). Put a mic on them and measure the brass thickness on the neck. Then you can see the difference you get for the money. I do the same prep for all brass, premo or cheapo. However, I hate it and I will pay the extra bucks for brass I am confident that will last longer.

I will state that I push brass hard. I find the upper limit with every powder and then start working down. I wouldn't publish most of my reloads on the web because they may not be safe in someone else's gun. Ask someone that has won a benchrest match what brass they shoot. 95% plus is Lapua and at the major matches it is higher. Granted if you want a 220 Russian as a parent for your 6PPC, I don't think you will find a winnie opinion. Those BR guys push their rifles to the limit. Pressures that scare me. You feel it by the sharp crack a 6PPC has when it goes off next to you on the line.

I have proven to myself that Lapua brass out performed Winnie in my 308. I had the statistical data to prove it in repeated round-robin test. My $$$ will be spent on Lapua any time it is available.

Also, the annealed necks on the Lapua should make it slightly softer for fireforming. I use the COW method to fireform and I rarely loss a brass of any brand.

Luck in your choice, tiny

[outlawkyote]

Here is the other view - if Lapua is available, buy it. It is typically the best brass made (everyone has a bad lot on occasion). I have Lapua 308 brass that I have fired 15 times. I have Lapua 6BR and 30BR that has more that 30 firings and still going strong. I have never got more that 8-10 firings on my Winnie brass in the 308 before I lost it. I anneal the necks at least every 6-8 firings. I used to buy bulk 308 Winnie brass. I would weight sort into 0.5 g bins before starting any prep. I would end up with +12 bins with around 15% each in the middle 4 bins. I now only have a 2 bins with the Lapua and one for the rare high or low to use as fowler (less than 2%). Put a mic on them and measure the brass thickness on the neck. Then you can see the difference you get for the money. I do the same prep for all brass, premo or cheapo. However, I hate it and I will pay the extra bucks for brass I am confident that will last longer.

I will state that I push brass hard. I find the upper limit with every powder and then start working down. I wouldn't publish most of my reloads on the web because they may not be safe in someone else's gun. Ask someone that has won a benchrest match what brass they shoot. 95% plus is Lapua and at the major matches it is higher. Granted if you want a 220 Russian as a parent for your 6PPC, I don't think you will find a winnie opinion. Those BR guys push their rifles to the limit. Pressures that scare me. You feel it by the sharp crack a 6PPC has when it goes off next to you on the line.

I have proven to myself that Lapua brass out performed Winnie in my 308. I had the statistical data to prove it in repeated round-robin test. My $$$ will be spent on Lapua any time it is available.

Also, the annealed necks on the Lapua should make it slightly softer for fireforming. I use the COW method to fireform and I rarely loss a brass of any brand.

Luck in your choice, tiny


Thats a bummer, All my Lapua brass gets split necks after only 5 firings and I turn my necks for consistancy. My WW brass just keeps going and going and Ive got 308, 243, and 223 brass from lapua to compare with. You must be blessed



sure can Thad


Please please please
I'll send you my phone # again

[Blue Avenger]

I had to hit LC brass twice to get sharp shoulders formed in it. also was quick to show high pressure signs.


Were you using bullets to FF or cream of wheat?
in the LC i was using 25gr of 4064 and 55gr bulk rem bullets

[dcloco]

Interesting....

I prefer NEW RP brass, Win, and then once fired RP, Win, RORG (Royal Ordinance Radway Green), and BHA (Black Hills - which is Winchester brass).

I just purchased 100 Lapua to give them a go....

Usually fireform when punching paper or use them on prairie dogs - the accuracy is very good.

[Der Verge]

I have used R-P, Hornady, and Nosler Custom. All need at least 25.4gr of benchmark if pushing a 53 gr HP to form properly. The R-P was the most resistant to forming. As for formed brass, the Nosler gives the best groups, followed very closely by the Hornady (nearly identacle). The groups from the R-P have the same exact shape as the groups fired from the other brass, but the group size is 50-75% larger. This is not by straight load transfering, but working up different loads for each brass type. My favorite of the three would be the Hornady for two reasons. It is cheaper than the Nosler, and the Nosler brass tends to come short from the factory (1.735-1.740 range), and it does not get any longer when you form it. To add to it, though this is normally a good thing, the Nosler resists growth the most of the three by far, but this is bad for me as the brass is already short. Lastly, the Nosler tends to have primer pockets that just are not very tight from the start. Or that just could be me....Thought I have not fed it through the AI yet, I would suspect FC cases to be better than R-P, as I have better luck with them in the standard chamber. I am really not trying to knock R-P cases, as I think they are kind of the standard to measure others by, but if you are the standard some will be better and some will be worse.

1. Hornady
2. Nosler Custom
3. R-P

[dcloco]

DerVerge - interesting. The FC brass is the worst in my AI. I can see the beginning of case seperations occuring above the head of the brass and halfway up the body....on a few...after the second firing.

I have not tried any Hornady brass since the BAAAAAD experiences with 204 Hornady brass. To put it mildly..it sucked. Maybe better now?

[Der Verge]

I have not actually tried the FC in the AI, just thoughts on what might be based on experience with both cases in factory .223 chambers.
As for the Hornady brass, it has been fantastic. To be honest, I took a gamble with half of it. Half was on it's 5th or 6th firing before it was formed. It has been fired about that many times again after being formed. I guess the brass from Hornady has gotten better, or it could have just been a bad batch of .204?
Either way, loads (in my experience with MY gun. Yours probably differs.) are interchangable between the Hornady and Nosler cases. Seeing that the Hornady are properly sized and of proper legnth, along with I have many less than the Nosler, the Hornadys are used for the load development. Noslers are used out in the trenches. The R-P sit in the cabinet.