Alpha 6BRA brass

[Joel Danielson]

Not sure how many of you get updates from Alpha, but this showed up today from them:

6mm BRA SRP (Small Rifle Primer) | Alpha Munitions

– Optimized Case Design with Optimized Case Head Technology -Primer pockets sized for small rifle primers -100 count boxes ship in custom Alpha Munitions plastic cases with perforated bi-layer foam...

alphamunitions.com

I have had great success with their 6CM brass, and think will be a huge "win" being first to market with the BRA brass.
Cheers

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

I'm not sure how much of a "win" this is, considering the ease and accuracy seen when fire forming BRA. Most guys don't even change their load to fireform.

I am interested to see how this "Optimized Case Technology" plays out - I've heard that people weren't happy with some of the dasher and gay tiger brass but I didn't have a problem with 6,5CM LRP brass - other than it having less case capacity.

 

[Joel Danielson]

I'm not sure how much of a "win" this is, considering the ease and accuracy seen when fire forming BRA. Most guys don't even change their load to fireform.

Yeah, I have 400 pieces of new lapua brass that was neck turned over the past couple weeks, so I won't be picking any of this up. If I was just getting started with the caliber, it would be worth a try to buy 100 and see how it compared.

 

[Pvt.Donut]

BRA is easy to fireform but I still think the benefit here is you don't have to fireform. The OCD is what's most interesting to me.

 

[Krob95]

Buying preformed brass saves components but in the other hand, fireform loads tend to be extremely accurate as is and it seems like many will shoot them in club matches. It’s nice to see another AI cartridge have a factory offering though.

 

[Joel Danielson]

I am participating in 300 yard matches this winter that will let me fireform most of the brass before next year's competitions start.

 

[McMillan]

Even new brass made for that chamber still needs fire forming to an extent so to me it makes no difference

 

[Joel Danielson]

You are correct to a point IMO.
I used the "COW" method to do 500 pieces of brass 4 years ago when I first started using this chambering. That method gave me about 85% final form. What I was attempting to do back than was save barrel life for matches (I shoot BR and F-class). What I learned over the course of the three barrels used with that brass, is that the 6BRA is not as hard on throats as Dasher and BRX chamberings are. I got over 3000 rounds out of each barrel before they were no longer competitive. That was running 31.2 - .5 grains of Varget with 105's. Several guys I know that also shoot the bra, turned necks and used a false shoulder to form their cases. They still did not have a fully formed case after the initial firing.

Starting out at 95% final form before your first firing should get you there after the initial firing. It will also allow a full-boat load that will be more competitive if that is your game.

 

[Joel Danielson]

Had to laugh about a group shot this afternoon while fire forming some new brass. 29 grains of Varget, 105 VLD Bergers and Fiocchi primers:

 

[Safety_3rd]

Anyone test this yet?

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

There's a long thread over on accurateshooter - seems like some positive feedback and I didn't see anything negative like with some of the other alpha brass.

 

[Pvt.Donut]

I have a couple hundred with about 3 firings on it. No issues, shoots great. On the first firing I tested the OCD a bit by running as much powder as I could fit in the case. Ended up with something like 32.5 grains of Varget pushing just about 3,000 fps with no pressure signs. For sure this is overpressured but the OCD performed as advertised. I haven't tested longevity yet since I'm only on 3 firings but I assume it would hold up as long as Lapua brass.

 

[22-Dasher]

Any feedback from someone using Alpha 6 BRA brass?

1000 yd BR shooter set three potential new world records using that brass. The brass is good. Nuff said

 

[Zack_va248]

Anyone have a target starting load for varget? Assuming case capacity is less just like the rest of Alpha stuff. Thinking around 29g to start?

 

[Mordamer]

Anyone have a target starting load for varget? Assuming case capacity is less just like the rest of Alpha stuff. Thinking around 29g to start?

If you are using a 105 to 110 grain bullet you can probably start and end somewhere around 30 grains.

 

[Zack_va248]

If you are using a 105 to 110 grain bullet you can probably start and end somewhere around 30 grains.

Yeah I should have mentioned the projectile. Shooting 105 hybrids but did just pick up 400 108eld's too. Either way both fall into that category.