Lapua or Alpha brass

[Dave Hoback]

To the other long term Reloaders… which brass would you solely invest in? I haven’t used Alpha but come across some others swearing by it… like the cases are made from UNOBTANIUM or something, LOL! Any users of it here? Or is everyone still smitten with Lapua?

[celltech]

Never tried Alpha...but I am a Lapua believer. I use their .223, .308 Palma, and 6.5 Creed SRP. Stuff is tough as hell.

For my AR-10s I pick up Hornady 6.5 and Federal .308 range brass and just use it once...always a lot of it lying around.

[Wildcat]

I think it depends upon the cartridge for which you are reloading. If its available I prefer Lapua because it has lasted the longest for me. I use Lapua for 6BR Norma, 6.5x47, and 6.5x284 Norma. I use Peterson from Tubb for 6XC and have used Alpha for 6BRA. I have also fire-formed Lapua 6BR into 6BRA. All have worked great for me. If you have your choice between the two in a cartridge, I default to the one with the most internal case capacity. Alpha comes in plastic ammo cases in individual slots with a foam top liner which is a nice touch. Lapua comes bulk packed in the blue box.

[Dave Hoback]

Just 260 Rem for me. I know either works well. And of course the Alpha has the choice of LRP or SRP. Though, I’m not concerned with using Small primers. (I have a bunch of large anyway, so no point.) I also haven’t seen evidence that SRP’s do any extra. May just come down to price really.

[Txhillbilly]

Dave, I've tried Alpha as well as Peterson brass in my 22 CM and 6.5 CM custom's. While both brands make great brass, I was never able to get close to the velocity and accuracy that I get using Lapua or Starline brass. I would get high pressure's close to a full grain of powder sooner, and the velocities and accuracy wasn't near the same.

FYI, Most of the time it's cheaper to buy 243 Winchester brass and just neck it up. All of my 260 brass is head stamped 243!

[Dave Hoback]

Oh I have a TON of range brass. I don’t like using 243 though. I go the other way. Have a bunch of LC 7.62 brass that I size. This is my plinking brass. For my dedicated precision loads, I’ll get 260.

Your results are interesting. I’ve come across FAR MORE instances online of people having poorer results with Starline & Peterson over Alpha. From everything I know & have researched, statically Lapua, Norma & Alpha are the top three choices. I know Lapua & Norma. I like Norma, but given the choice will take Lapua. Alpha I only know through research.(which obviously I’m still gathering, LOL!) So I am curious to try it myself. However, I do tend to favor statistics for something like this. Regardless, I always appreciate your standing on these topics Tx, as I do the other knowledgeable members here. Thank you. :redface-new:

[Robinhood]

My choice is Lapua the Alpha is second. I have 44 6.5 CM rounds in alpha brass loaded and ready to test in a new Shilen barrel(target action). I am going to use just alpha brass in this combo so I should no more in when I get it right. I don't expect to shoot all of them as I am certain I will see pressure signs before I get to the highest load weight. So this will be Alpha's chance to prove me wrong.

Powder is H4350, primer is FGMM, Bullet is 139 Scenar. May move to the 142 (pointed) SMK's if the lapua's don't work out.

You didn't mention what chambering you are looking to fill.

Good luck Dave.

[tomme boy]

Alpha is having problems on several boards with case heads having ejector swipes and over pressure signs extremely early in load developments. I like Lapua

[Fuj']

Alpha is having problems on several boards with case heads having ejector swipes and over pressure signs extremely early in load developments. I like Lapua

Alpha brass is too soft. My initial lot was giving me hard bolt lift way to early. It was
screwing up my velocity tests. I may go over to Peterson down the road, but Norma
is my main brass. Have a look at ADG I know LR guys are using it, and it makes all
the Sherman brass.

[Dave Hoback]

Oh yeah.. forgot about ADG. Haven’t use them either. You’re a Norma fan also, eh Fuj’?

[tomme boy]

Ed Harris, if you know who that is told me he is still using Norma 7.62x54r brass he bought back in the early 70's. He said he can not tell how many times he has reloaded them. He neck sizes till they have to be fl sized. But that he only pushes the shoulder back far enough that they will close again with just a tad of resistance. Then anneals them when needed. But he said at least 100 times or more. He mainly shoots cast bullets but this still tells how good that brass is.

[Txhillbilly]

Oh I have a TON of range brass. I don’t like using 243 though. I go the other way. Have a bunch of LC 7.62 brass that I size. This is my plinking brass. For my dedicated precision loads, I’ll get 260.

Your results are interesting. I’ve come across FAR MORE instances online of people having poorer results with Starline & Peterson over Alpha. From everything I know & have researched, statically Lapua, Norma & Alpha are the top three choices. I know Lapua & Norma. I like Norma, but given the choice will take Lapua. Alpha I only know through research.(which obviously I’m still gathering, LOL!) So I am curious to try it myself. However, I do tend to favor statistics for something like this. Regardless, I always appreciate your standing on these topics Tx, as I do the other knowledgeable members here. Thank you. :redface-new:

I've had really good results with Starline brass. I use it with my Savage 12 FLVSS 223 precision loads, I neck down their SRP 6mm CM brass for my 22 CM, have a bunch of 7mm-08 brass that I load pretty stout, as well as SRP 6.8 SPC brass, and always used it when I had my 458 SOCOM AR. I've used their pistol brass for decades for my 45 Colt's & 44 magnum loads.

[Txhillbilly]

Oh I have a TON of range brass. I don’t like using 243 though. I go the other way. Have a bunch of LC 7.62 brass that I size. This is my plinking brass. For my dedicated precision loads, I’ll get 260.

Your results are interesting. I’ve come across FAR MORE instances online of people having poorer results with Starline & Peterson over Alpha. From everything I know & have researched, statically Lapua, Norma & Alpha are the top three choices. I know Lapua & Norma. I like Norma, but given the choice will take Lapua. Alpha I only know through research.(which obviously I’m still gathering, LOL!) So I am curious to try it myself. However, I do tend to favor statistics for something like this. Regardless, I always appreciate your standing on these topics Tx, as I do the other knowledgeable members here. Thank you. :redface-new:

I've had really good results with Starline brass. I use it with my Savage 12 FLVSS 223 precision loads, I neck down their SRP 6mm CM brass for my 22 CM, have a bunch of 7mm-08 brass that I load pretty stout, as well as SRP 6.8 SPC brass, and always used it when I had my 458 SOCOM AR. I've used their pistol brass for decades for my 45 Colt's & 44 magnum loads.

[charlie b]

Haven't used much except Lapua in the .223 and .308. Started using it in the .223 just to have the longer brass life. When other brands would expand the primer pockets after 4 or 5 reloads the Lapua brass has gone over 20 reloads so far.

The .308 I use the Lapua for all my jacketed bullet loads. I don't shoot a ton of them but this batch of cases has 25 reloads. I use Hornady for the cast bullet loads and they have 30 reloads now. Previous batch went 40 before I had a couple of necks split (I don't anneal cases at all). And, yes, cast bullet folks know Ed Harris :)

Since I am not a competitor I am happy staying with Lapua, especially since the local Sportsmans usually has them in stock.

[otnot]

I have always been happy with Lapua brass until this last batch of 6.5 CM. I ordered 200 pieces and 51 cases of it wouldn't fit into a RCBS shell holder. I contacted Lapua and their reply was to use a Redding shell holder since their tolerances are so exact. LOL If their tolerances were so exact ALL of the cases either would have fit or NOT. There was no offer to replace the bad cases or a reply that they were even tight in a Redding shell holder.

[wbm]

Good point!