.338 lapua brass

W

woodland-ghost

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 14, 2012
166
1
36
Tennessee
#1
Where are y'all getting the best deals at? I'm looking to pick up a 100 and would prefer some once fired to save some money but the only once fired I could find was only $50 cheaper than brand new brass.

Don't know if that's the normal price just thought the once fired would be a lil cheaper.
 
#2
Re: .338 lapua brass

Just bought 100 pcs of Laupa from Powder Valley for $252.05. I figured that was a better deal than paying $2/piece for "once fired", which you would have to fully resize to fit your rifle...and then hope it truly was once fired.
 
#3
Re: .338 lapua brass

Even if I buy new I'll resize anyways. I'm getting ready to load up the brass from my S&B ammo, I know it's not lapua quality but better than nothing and gets me started and back shooting.
 
#4
Re: .338 lapua brass

I would not buy once-fired brass, ever, for anything. Brass has memory, the molecular structure of it is permanently modified each time it's fired. Resizing it does not put the molecules back the way they were, if it did you wouldn't see the case length grow with each sizing. I would recommend purchasing new brass from Bruno's or Powder Valley. I have had success running the 338 brass out to 10 firings (and still going) so you get quite a bit of use out of it.
 
#5
Re: .338 lapua brass

You have to be a little wary buying once fired brass, I bought 200 pieces of 338 that had been fired from a military 'sloppy' chamber. The base just above the head stamp had expanded badly to such a degree that I could not size it with my standard dies effectively. Trying to size this every time meant the shoulder had to be pushed back too far and therefore i got thinning of the case wall forward of the web. I've improvised a die to take care of the bulge issue now but it's something to look out for.
 
#6
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jagged77</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You have to be a little wary buying once fired brass, I bought 200 pieces of 338 that had been fired from a military 'sloppy' chamber. The base just above the head stamp had expanded badly to such a degree that I could not size it with my standard dies effectively. Trying to size this every time meant the shoulder had to be pushed back too far and therefore i got thinning of the case wall forward of the web. I've improvised a die to take care of the bulge issue now but it's something to look out for. </div></div>

I'd be curious as to what firearm would have a 'sloppy chamber' in 338LM, it's not like they're running it through a M249. Regardless, this is an excellent reason as to just buy new brass and not fuck with the issues that can crop up with once-fired.
 
#7
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 71firebird400</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would not buy once-fired brass, ever, for anything. Brass has memory, the molecular structure of it is permanently modified each time it's fired. Resizing it does not put the molecules back the way they were, if it did you wouldn't see the case length grow with each sizing. </div></div>

It may just be the Tribologist in me but this may be one of the single <span style="text-decoration: underline">stupidest</span> posts I've seen in quite a while. Now in laymen terms: The "molecular structure" refers to the composition of the brass and no matter how many times you fire it it's still going to be brass (B7 specifically). You could melt it, burn it, and even take a hammer to it and it's still going to have the exact same "molecular structure" it had when it came brand new from the factory.

Now, I know you don't know but what you were trying to refer to was its crystalline structure. Which will change a little with every shot and re-size and over X-number of cycles the brass (in this case) flows and "work hardens" (strain hardening) and becomes more brittle which in turn leads to cracks and failures. So in the most laymen of terms: The process of annealing corrects that "work hardening" returning the brass to a state where it is more 'flexible' i.e. mailable. Now annealing isn't a cure, it's only a band-aide so eventually you'll have to replace all of your brass. All of that being said, once fired brass is just fine. If what Firebird said was true, what point would there be to reloading anything....
 
#8
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 71firebird400</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would not buy once-fired brass, ever, for anything. Brass has memory, the molecular structure of it is permanently modified each time it's fired. Resizing it does not put the molecules back the way they were, if it did you wouldn't see the case length grow with each sizing. </div></div>

It may just be the Tribologist in me but this may be one of the single <span style="text-decoration: underline">stupidest</span> posts I've seen in quite a while.

<span style="color: #3366FF">Yeah...no shit. Too much tin foil on his head, no?</span>

Now in laymen terms: The "molecular structure" refers to the composition of the brass and no matter how many times you fire it it's still going to be brass (B7 specifically). You could melt it, burn it, and even take a hammer to it and it's still going to have the exact same "molecular structure" it had when it came brand new from the factory.

Now, I know you don't know but what you were trying to refer to was its crystalline structure. Which will change a little with every shot and re-size and over X-number of cycles the brass (in this case) flows and "work hardens" (strain hardening) and becomes more brittle which in turn leads to cracks and failures. So in the most laymen of terms: The process of annealing corrects that "work hardening" returning the brass to a state where it is more 'flexible' i.e. mailable. Now annealing isn't a cure, it's only a band-aide so eventually you'll have to replace all of your brass. All of that being said, once fired brass is just fine. If what Firebird said was true, what point would there be to reloading anything.... </div></div>

Chris
 
#9
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 71firebird400</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would not buy once-fired brass, ever, for anything. Brass has memory, the molecular structure of it is permanently modified each time it's fired. Resizing it does not put the molecules back the way they were, if it did you wouldn't see the case length grow with each sizing. </div></div>

It may just be the Tribologist in me but this may be one of the single <span style="text-decoration: underline">stupidest</span> posts I've seen in quite a while. Now in laymen terms: The "molecular structure" refers to the composition of the brass and no matter how many times you fire it it's still going to be brass (B7 specifically). You could melt it, burn it, and even take a hammer to it and it's still going to have the exact same "molecular structure" it had when it came brand new from the factory.

Now, I know you don't know but what you were trying to refer to was its crystalline structure. Which will change a little with every shot and re-size and over X-number of cycles the brass (in this case) flows and "work hardens" (strain hardening) and becomes more brittle which in turn leads to cracks and failures. So in the most laymen of terms: The process of annealing corrects that "work hardening" returning the brass to a state where it is more 'flexible' i.e. mailable. Now annealing isn't a cure, it's only a band-aide so eventually you'll have to replace all of your brass. All of that being said, once fired brass is just fine. If what Firebird said was true, what point would there be to reloading anything.... </div></div>

Then explain to me why people experience issues with brass that has been fired in other guns. If what you're saying is true, then we'd be able to take any piece of brass, run it through a FL die, and it would be exactly as that brass was from the factory. In my experience, that simply isn't true. Brass has a memory, brass has casehead expansion; these are things that a resizing die cannot put back to normal. I had a run of 338 brass that would continue to show pressure signs (difficult extraction), even on the beginning charges. After sending the brass and dies back to Redding (and again to Forster) the explanation I was given by Redding was that if you have a loose chamber the brass is permanently "stretched" and will retain that memory for all consecutive firings.

I'm not looking to start an argument here, but I posted my above scenario back when it happened and I got a bunch of blank stares. Redding provided me what I thought was an accurate response, but if that isn't so then please educate me.
 
#10
Re: .338 lapua brass

71firebird400,

The comment about sizing in a Full Length die is part of the problem here; they <span style="text-decoration: underline">do</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline">not</span> resize cases to original, unfired factory dimensions. Small Base dies come closer, but standard FL sizing dies will often leave brass fired in one rifle unable to be chambered in a different rifle of the same caliber.

To get fired brass back down to what amounts to truly unfired dimensions will require an undersized die, far tighter than what any of the makers offer in their standard line up.
 
#11
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 71firebird400</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Then explain to me why people experience issues with brass that has been fired in other guns. If what you're saying is true, then we'd be able to take any piece of brass, run it through a FL die, and it would be exactly as that brass was from the factory. In my experience, that simply isn't true. Brass has a memory, brass has casehead expansion; these are things that a resizing die cannot put back to normal. I had a run of 338 brass that would continue to show pressure signs (difficult extraction), even on the beginning charges. After sending the brass and dies back to Redding (and again to Forster) the explanation I was given by Redding was that if you have a loose chamber the brass is permanently "stretched" and will retain that memory for all consecutive firings.

I'm not looking to start an argument here, but I posted my above scenario back when it happened and I got a bunch of blank stares. Redding provided me what I thought was an accurate response, but if that isn't so then please educate me. </div></div>

I don't think you understood my first post. You're talking about two completely different thing now. Your first post was about metallurgy and I responded with a post about metallurgy. Now you're talking about gunsmithing issues and really basic reloading principles and trying to equate it back to metallurgy, they're completely different things in the context of your second post.

Look, in a nut-shell, brass like everything else has a degree of "memory" and will spring back a little after re-sizing in this case but were talking about an amount that is relative to the size of the brass and then relative again to many other factors such as the brass' thickness and hardness/etc.. The take away point for the layman re-loader is that spring does exist but its so small that the only place where it's really even going to be seen by the average re-loader is in neck tensions.

The other things you mentioned about brass fitting in a chamber and all that are attributed to the relationship of dies to chamber specs and are <span style="text-decoration: underline">extremely basic reloading</span> stuff and really for your purposes are completely unrelated, so I left those out because I would hope that the above would give you the basis for understanding the fundamentals of reloading questions you have.
 
#12
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 71firebird400</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Then explain to me why people experience issues with brass that has been fired in other guns. If what you're saying is true, then we'd be able to take any piece of brass, run it through a FL die, and it would be exactly as that brass was from the factory. In my experience, that simply isn't true. Brass has a memory, brass has casehead expansion; these are things that a resizing die cannot put back to normal. I had a run of 338 brass that would continue to show pressure signs (difficult extraction), even on the beginning charges. After sending the brass and dies back to Redding (and again to Forster) the explanation I was given by Redding was that if you have a loose chamber the brass is permanently "stretched" and will retain that memory for all consecutive firings.

I'm not looking to start an argument here, but I posted my above scenario back when it happened and I got a bunch of blank stares. Redding provided me what I thought was an accurate response, but if that isn't so then please educate me. </div></div>

I don't think you understood my first post. You're talking about two completely different thing now. Your first post was about metallurgy and I responded with a post about metallurgy. Now you're talking about gunsmithing issues and really basic reloading principles and trying to equate it back to metallurgy, they're completely different things in the context of your second post.

Look, in a nut-shell, brass like everything else has a degree of "memory" and will spring back a little after re-sizing in this case but were talking about an amount that is relative to the size of the brass and then relative again to many other factors such as the brass' thickness and hardness/etc.. The take away point for the layman re-loader is that spring does exist but its so small that the only place where it's really even going to be seen by the average re-loader is in neck tensions.

The other things you mentioned about brass fitting in a chamber and all that are attributed to the relationship of dies to chamber specs and are <span style="text-decoration: underline">extremely basic reloading</span> stuff and really for your purposes are completely unrelated, so I left those out because I would hope that the above would give you the basis for understanding the fundamentals of reloading questions you have. </div></div>

I think I may have confused you with my choice of words. However, it appears that Kevin agrees that once-fired brass is not always capable of being resized and fired in another gun.
 
#13
Re: .338 lapua brass

Just for clarification, I agree that standard Full Length dies will often not be capable of resizing brass to fit another rifle's chamber. By the same token, many times they <span style="text-decoration: underline">will</span>. But they <span style="text-decoration: underline">do</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline">not</span> resize fired brass back to original, unfired dimensions.
 
#15
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hopeless. </div></div>

I'm not sure why you're so quick to lose patience? My point with my original post, was that with once-fired brass you are not guaranteed a workable situation with a different gun...despite full length sizing. You seem to be caught up by my poor choice of words in that post, but I am still trying to understand what you're trying to say. I've been told that once a piece of brass has been fired in a chamber it may not be possible to resize the brass adequately to fit a different chamber with a full length die. I used the word "molecular" incorrectly, but I still believe that once-fired brass is a gamble.
 
#16
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 71firebird400</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hopeless. </div></div>

I'm not sure why you're so quick to lose patience? My point with my original post, was that with once-fired brass you are not guaranteed a workable situation with a different gun...despite full length sizing. You seem to be caught up by my poor choice of words in that post, but I am still trying to understand what you're trying to say. I've been told that once a piece of brass has been fired in a chamber it may not be possible to resize the brass adequately to fit a different chamber with a full length die. I used the word "molecular" incorrectly, but I still believe that once-fired brass is a gamble. </div></div>

OK, first off forget about the chemistry part of it that was way too technical for this conversation. We're now talking about the second part of my post which was about the brass and it's ability to hold a shape. This is what I said:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Look, in a nut-shell, brass like everything else has a degree of "memory" and will spring back a little after re-sizing in this case but were talking about an amount that is relative to the size of the brass and then relative again to many other factors such as the brass' thickness and hardness/etc.. The take away point for the layman re-loader is that spring does exist but its so small that the only place where it's really even going to be seen by the average re-loader is in neck tensions.

The other things you mentioned about brass fitting in a chamber and all that are attributed to the relationship of dies to chamber specs and are <span style="text-decoration: underline">extremely basic reloading</span> stuff and really for your purposes are completely unrelated... </div></div>

The take away point for the lay-man (you) here is that dies can resize brass well enough for them to work in 99.999% of similar chambers. This is why off the shelf dies and chambers all fall into standards like SAAMI specs. The only time you would run into real problem like you're getting at is if the die or chamber were completely mismatched and in that case you'd go back to you reloading fundamentals and figure out where the problem is (wrong die/bad chamber/etc.).

In the end, once fired brass is just fine and even if it was shot in a very loose chamber it can be resized to fit in any chamber provided the die matches the chamber. Of course there are extreme cases where this isn't true but it would be EXTREMELY rare.
 
#17
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 71firebird400</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hopeless. </div></div>

I'm not sure why you're so quick to lose patience? My point with my original post, was that with once-fired brass you are not guaranteed a workable situation with a different gun...despite full length sizing. You seem to be caught up by my poor choice of words in that post, but I am still trying to understand what you're trying to say. I've been told that once a piece of brass has been fired in a chamber it may not be possible to resize the brass adequately to fit a different chamber with a full length die. I used the word "molecular" incorrectly, but I still believe that once-fired brass is a gamble. </div></div>

OK, first off forget about the chemistry part of it that was way too technical for this conversation. We're now talking about the second part of my post which was about the brass and it's ability to hold a shape. This is what I said:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Look, in a nut-shell, brass like everything else has a degree of "memory" and will spring back a little after re-sizing in this case but were talking about an amount that is relative to the size of the brass and then relative again to many other factors such as the brass' thickness and hardness/etc.. The take away point for the layman re-loader is that spring does exist but its so small that the only place where it's really even going to be seen by the average re-loader is in neck tensions.

The other things you mentioned about brass fitting in a chamber and all that are attributed to the relationship of dies to chamber specs and are <span style="text-decoration: underline">extremely basic reloading</span> stuff and really for your purposes are completely unrelated... </div></div>

The take away point for the lay-man (you) here is that dies can resize brass well enough for them to work in 99.999% of similar chambers. This is why off the shelf dies and chambers all fall into standards like SAAMI specs. The only time you would run into real problem like you're getting at is if the die or chamber were completely mismatched and in that case you'd go back to you reloading fundamentals and figure out where the problem is (wrong die/bad chamber/etc.).

In the end, once fired brass is just fine and even if it was shot in a very loose chamber it can be resized to fit in any chamber provided the die matches the chamber. Of course there are extreme cases where this isn't true but it would be EXTREMELY rare. </div></div>


This makes sense, but I think that saying they'll work in 99.999% of chambers is an exaggeration (or at least it has been in my experience). If that were true, then the likelihood of someone commenting in this thread and having issues with this problem would be practically zero; yet Jagged77 posted that he had an issue and I have had this problem as well. Also, Kevin Thomas said; "I agree that standard Full Length dies will often not be capable of resizing brass to fit another rifle's chamber". To quote Kevin, "often" and .001% of the time as you are saying are two very different things to me.
 
#18
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 71firebird400</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 71firebird400</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hopeless. </div></div>

I'm not sure why you're so quick to lose patience? My point with my original post, was that with once-fired brass you are not guaranteed a workable situation with a different gun...despite full length sizing. You seem to be caught up by my poor choice of words in that post, but I am still trying to understand what you're trying to say. I've been told that once a piece of brass has been fired in a chamber it may not be possible to resize the brass adequately to fit a different chamber with a full length die. I used the word "molecular" incorrectly, but I still believe that once-fired brass is a gamble. </div></div>

OK, first off forget about the chemistry part of it that was way too technical for this conversation. We're now talking about the second part of my post which was about the brass and it's ability to hold a shape. This is what I said:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Look, in a nut-shell, brass like everything else has a degree of "memory" and will spring back a little after re-sizing in this case but were talking about an amount that is relative to the size of the brass and then relative again to many other factors such as the brass' thickness and hardness/etc.. The take away point for the layman re-loader is that spring does exist but its so small that the only place where it's really even going to be seen by the average re-loader is in neck tensions.

The other things you mentioned about brass fitting in a chamber and all that are attributed to the relationship of dies to chamber specs and are <span style="text-decoration: underline">extremely basic reloading</span> stuff and really for your purposes are completely unrelated... </div></div>

The take away point for the lay-man (you) here is that dies can resize brass well enough for them to work in 99.999% of similar chambers. This is why off the shelf dies and chambers all fall into standards like SAAMI specs. The only time you would run into real problem like you're getting at is if the die or chamber were completely mismatched and in that case you'd go back to you reloading fundamentals and figure out where the problem is (wrong die/bad chamber/etc.).

In the end, once fired brass is just fine and even if it was shot in a very loose chamber it can be resized to fit in any chamber provided the die matches the chamber. Of course there are extreme cases where this isn't true but it would be EXTREMELY rare. </div></div>


This makes sense, but I think that saying they'll work in 99.999% of chambers is an exaggeration (or at least it has been in my experience). If that were true, then the likelihood of someone commenting in this thread and having issues with this problem would be practically zero; yet Jagged77 posted that he had an issue and I have had this problem as well. Also, Kevin Thomas said; "I agree that standard Full Length dies will often not be capable of resizing brass to fit another rifle's chamber". To quote Kevin, "often" and .001% of the time as you are saying are two very different things to me. </div></div>

We can argue semantics all day but I think you get the point so we won't go down that road.
 
#19
Re: .338 lapua brass

71firebird400,

All I can say is I understand your trepidations. I've gotten once fired brass too, that could not be re-formed well enough to fit in my chamber. Reloading is still a huge part of what I enjoy about shooting though. And, to do it, I have to have someplace where I'm not consuming so much money. Sometimes, it just helps to ask the seller for some measurements.

What High-binder is saying is the brass doesn't change in molecular formula. When brass is new and soft (because it age hardens as well) the molecules have a certain range they can move in relationship to each other. This is called maleability. How much the metal can 'bend, be worked..etc.,' without breaking. The 'work hardening' process is a by-product of firing. You are saying that once it's fired from one chamber it will always hold that memory. To a very small extent true, but not so true as you can't take once fired brass and make it useful in another firearm. As far as the 'sloppy chamber' I'm betting that might well be a brand new reamer that was made full size to allow some range for sharpenings. Then again, it could have been a boffed up job, but I don't know that situation.

I'll just say, from a semi-auto or new chamber sometimes it's difficult to get brass to size down. Often times if you understand how to take the measurements you can have a body die made at a local machine shop for a reasonable cost to reduce or eliminate these issues. I've loaded over fifty different cartridges, and some of them have been a real pain in the ass. And for some of those, I've had to spend money. Using oversized once fired Lapua .338 brass is a surmountable obstacle.

<span style="font-style: italic">That said, for fifty extra bucks in this case it might be worth getting the new brass. Make the seller eat his price if he won't make the effort to reload.</span>
 
#20
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
We can argue semantics all day but I think you get the point so we won't go down that road. </div></div>

It's not semantics when 4 out of the 8 people who've posted in this thread have witnessed this problem; there's a hell of a lot of difference between 50% and .001%. The purpose of my original post was to point out that this has seemed to be an issue in both my and others experience. I realize I got the technical explanation of it wrong, which you felt the need to belittle with an insult. It sure sounds like you're beginning to agree with the single stupidest post you've ever ready on Sniper's Hide!

ETA- Make that 5 out of 9 (Lt. Arclight). Semantics, semantics...
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sandwarrior</div><div class="ubbcode-body">71firebird400,

All I can say is I understand your trepidations. I've gotten once fired brass too, that could not be re-formed well enough to fit in my chamber. Reloading is still a huge part of what I enjoy about shooting though. And, to do it, I have to have someplace where I'm not consuming so much money. Sometimes, it just helps to ask the seller for some measurements.

What High-binder is saying is the brass doesn't change in molecular formula. When brass is new and soft (because it age hardens as well) the molecules have a certain range they can move in relationship to each other. This is called maleability. How much the metal can 'bend, be worked..etc.,' without breaking. The 'work hardening' process is a by-product of firing. You are saying that once it's fired from one chamber it will always hold that memory. To a very small extent true, but not so true as you can't take once fired brass and make it useful in another firearm. As far as the 'sloppy chamber' I'm betting that might well be a brand new reamer that was made full size to allow some range for sharpenings. Then again, it could have been a boffed up job, but I don't know that situation.

I'll just say, from a semi-auto or new chamber sometimes it's difficult to get brass to size down. Often times if you understand how to take the measurements you can have a body die made at a local machine shop for a reasonable cost to reduce or eliminate these issues. I've loaded over fifty different cartridges, and some of them have been a real pain in the ass. And for some of those, I've had to spend money. Using oversized once fired Lapua .338 brass is a surmountable obstacle.

<span style="font-style: italic">That said, for fifty extra bucks in this case it might be worth getting the new brass. Make the seller eat his price if he won't make the effort to reload.</span> </div></div>

Sandwarrior; thank you for the thoughtful response and explanation. It's amazing what can be conveyed when one isn't worried about throwing a condescending undertone into every sentence. It sounds like I was wrong about being led to believe that brass develops a memory with each consecutive firing, however when you start talking about building custom body dies I think that scenario is simply out of the realm of possibilities for the vast majority on this site. I still am holding to my belief that once-fired brass is a gamble, and honestly it's one that I don't see worth taking unless the savings are significant (>50%).
 
#21
Re: .338 lapua brass

If you get a barrel chambered by Moon @ GAP. You will have one accurate chamber that will just chamber a Go gauge. I just installed a new Bartlein on my AIAW 338LM. I have body dies from all the manufactures. It is a major pain in the ass to get brass fired from any other chamber other than a GAP match 338LM to work.

After, now having loaded just about 7000 rounds for 4 different systems, I have a shitload of fine Lapua brass that I have cleaned and stored for the future. it'll fit a Standard factory AI chamber. NO JOY on the new one.

I took 150 rounds of new cases out of my stash (bought in 2005-for much less than $250+/100 and all is good in 338LM land.

It may be possible to size SOME cases-but unless you are REALLY frugal or poor. It just isn't worth the aggravation.BUY NEW BRASS. Do your self a favor.
 
#22
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 71firebird400</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
We can argue semantics all day but I think you get the point so we won't go down that road. </div></div>

It sure sounds like you're beginning to agree with the single stupidest post you've ever ready on Sniper's Hide!

</div></div>

The part I agree with is not the part you's saying I'm agreeing with but thanks for trying to put words in my mouth.
 
#23
Re: .338 lapua brass

71firebird400,

I'll agree that sometimes it's a gamble. Without taking any measurements or asking any questions, it's about a 90/10 of working as opposed to not working. It goes to about 99% if you ask questions. Sometimes you ask questions from people who say they are in the know...and they aren't in the know. And sometimes that costs you money in what you buy to reload.

However, even while, IMO, $200 is a bit spendy for once fired .338 Lapua brass, it's still a savings if you can make it work. This is one cartridge you will need to save up for to shoot. That is unless you are independently wealthy. I'm not. So, I'd attempt to cut corners where I could. I'd start by asking some questions about measurements. If the seller couldn't help me, then we'd probably be going down a dead end road. Now, if you were to get them @ $150, I'd be a lot more likely to pursue it after that.

I do tend to agree, it's the rarer cases that really drive you nuts. One of the worst situations is I got a whole bunch of Federal .223. Guess what? They crimp everything now instead of taking the time to sort 5.56 and .223. So, all that 'cheap, surplus LE contract .223 that wasn't supposed to be crimped?...gave me hand cramps for about two weeks cutting crimps out. Tough to turn down 2000 free pieces of .223/5.56 though.

I'm just saying it happens. If you get a good deal on some .338 brass, I'd certainly investigate it. Any decent brass deal is worth investigating. And if you don't find good deals on once fired? Get the best new stuff you can afford for the situation. Don't spend the big bucks on Lapua or Norma if you're going to have to leave it behind in a comp.

Also, due to different headspacing, I do recommend that you don't {if you can avoid it} shoot brass that has been loaded multiple times in another chamber. Once/twice okay...more than that is asking for incipient case head separation. I know, I've had it happen to me more than once.
 
#24
Re: .338 lapua brass

I've had customers run into the same problem that we've put .338LM barrels on guns for using our reamer. Even though the reamer is pretty much standard case dimensions it has a shorter throat. Some of the factory chambers are loose. There are reamers that are called production reamers vs. min. spec. reamers as well that the factories will use. We redid just recently two Sako .338LM TRG's. Put new barrels on with our reamer. Guys complained that they're brass wouldn't fit the chambers. They're brass has also been fired like 6x or so.

Same chamber I put on my barrel. I used Redding type S FL match dies with the interchangeable neck bushing. I had no problem resizing once fire Lapua cases from another gun to work in mine.

One tip is to use Imperial sizing die wax. This might help. You have a lot of surface area on that case to size. Using regular case lube I've seen cases get stuck in the dies. Even happen to me. I used the Imperial wax and they go in and out like butter.

I've also purchased a sizing die with inserts from Al Warner at Warner Tool Co. Send him one or two once fired rounds (not resize) and they will cut a sizing insert for his die that matches your fired cases from the chamber of your rifle. I did a write up on the Hide several months back I think it's in the beyond 1000 yard forum. Getting a sizing die to match your chamber and if you would use brass from another rifle this would probably help.

Also take note that the .338LM brass seems to vary quite a bit as far as how soft or hard the brass is. This can cause some reloading issues as well.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels
 
#26
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Frank Green</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've had customers run into the same problem that we've put .338LM barrels on guns for using our reamer. Even though the reamer is pretty much standard case dimensions it has a shorter throat. Some of the factory chambers are loose. There are reamers that are called production reamers vs. min. spec. reamers as well that the factories will use. We redid just recently two Sako .338LM TRG's. Put new barrels on with our reamer. Guys complained that they're brass wouldn't fit the chambers. They're brass has also been fired like 6x or so.

Same chamber I put on my barrel. I used Redding type S FL match dies with the interchangeable neck bushing. I had no problem resizing once fire Lapua cases from another gun to work in mine.

One tip is to use Imperial sizing die wax. This might help. You have a lot of surface area on that case to size. Using regular case lube I've seen cases get stuck in the dies. Even happen to me. I used the Imperial wax and they go in and out like butter.

I've also purchased a sizing die with inserts from Al Warner at Warner Tool Co. Send him one or two once fired rounds (not resize) and they will cut a sizing insert for his die that matches your fired cases from the chamber of your rifle. I did a write up on the Hide several months back I think it's in the beyond 1000 yard forum. Getting a sizing die to match your chamber and if you would use brass from another rifle this would probably help.

Also take note that the .338LM brass seems to vary quite a bit as far as how soft or hard the brass is. This can cause some reloading issues as well.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels</div></div>

Good post Frank.

I think it's safe to say that if you go the .338 Lapua (or other close variant) You are going to have to spend some cash. I honestly think the better way to spend it is brass prep tools. That way when you wear this set of brass out, you can use them on the next set. Somewhere in that set you might wear out a barrel. Hopefully, you've got brass prep tools that can be adjusted down or up as needed to work with what you've got. Instead of having to go out and get new brass when you get a new barrel.

I only say this on these bigger rounds as brass gets expensive. It's not like me where I can pick up WSM and .300 WM cases for free and work with them. This stuff is sometimes almost five times the cost of standard cases. Any savings you can generate down the road is a big plus.
 
#27
Re: .338 lapua brass

I'm on the same 80 Lapua cases and 20 Norma cases (minus one of each) that I started with back in early '06. One neck split and I got another stuck in my kinetic puller and had to wrench it out.

I mostly neck size, as I find that my headspace will actually grow a few thousandths when I FL size, for some odd reason.

I've got 12+ cycles on most of the Lapua stuff and close to 10 on the Norma.

I've annealed them twice, but I had a funky Hornady generic .338 neck sizing die that etched a picket fence around the necks, so I haven't been that careful, at least not in the beginning.

Deburr the flash holes, uniform the primer pockets and have some fun.

This generally isn't rocket science.

Chris
 
#28
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChrisGarrett</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I mostly neck size, as I find that my headspace will actually grow a few thousandths when I FL size, for some odd reason.


This generally isn't rocket science.
</div></div>

Sounds like your die isn't touching the shoulders when you FL.

+1 on it not being rocket science.
 
#29
Re: .338 lapua brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChrisGarrett</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I mostly neck size, as I find that my headspace will actually grow a few thousandths when I FL size, for some odd reason.


This generally isn't rocket science.
</div></div>

Sounds like your die isn't touching the shoulders when you FL.

+1 on it not being rocket science. </div></div>

You might think that, but I've had the RCBS, the Hornady, the Forster, the Redding Body Die and the Redding FL bushing sizer, so I kind of know what I know based on a large sample size, even if it's kind of nutty.

Not every time, but at about 3-4 cycles onwards, I'd be able to measure the before/after numbers with my Hornady/SP headspace gage and see that they were actually shorter coming out of the chamber than they were coming out of any of those sizing dies, so I just neck size and things are spiffy.

Anyhow...

Chris
 
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