Anyone using the new Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass???

raptor99

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Minuteman
Oct 18, 2005
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Pierre SD
Are any of you guys using the new Lapua brass in your 6.5 Creedmoors?? If so how is it shooting compared to the Hornady brass?? If you had a pet load how much did you have to change it when using the Lapua brass?? Thanks guys!!!!
 
Thanks!! So I am guessing that it will be at least a half grain.. Could you tell any difference in consistency on your groups?? I am using ELD and getting unexplained fliers and have been lead to believe that it is the bullets rather than the brass. Any thoughts on this???
 
Still getting some inconsistency in groups but SD and ES are improved so I'm chalking it up to shooter pulling the flyers. Additionally the necks are thicker so the bushing changed.
 
Thanks!! So I am guessing that it will be at least a half grain.. Could you tell any difference in consistency on your groups?? I am using ELD and getting unexplained fliers and have been lead to believe that it is the bullets rather than the brass. Any thoughts on this???

I'm getting much better consistency and better groups with the new Lapua brass. I was using Nosler brass prior because I didn't care for the Hornady brass. I'm not loading ELDs but I did have some early unexplained fliers with the Nosler BT I started with. I changed to CCI BR4 primers from CCI 450 primers because a buddy said he'd heard about some bad lots of 450s. The fliers disappeared. I was in load development, though; so, it could have been another change that eliminated the fliers. I've stuck with the BR4s, though. I tried a few 450s from another lot recently and they seemed fine; but I'm still staying with the BR4s for now.

If you're using bushings to set neck tension, did you change bushings when you went to the thicker neck walls of the Lapua?


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I'm getting much better consistency and better groups with the new Lapua brass. I was using Nosler brass prior because I didn't care for the Hornady brass. I'm not loading ELDs but I did have some early unexplained fliers with the Nosler BT I started with. I changed to CCI BR4 primers from CCI 450 primers because a buddy said he'd heard about some bad lots of 450s. The fliers disappeared. I was in load development, though; so, it could have been another change that eliminated the fliers. I've stuck with the BR4s, though. I tried a few 450s from another lot recently and they seemed fine; but I'm still staying with the BR4s for now.

If you're using bushings to set neck tension, did you change bushings when you went to the thicker neck walls of the Lapua?


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I did. Loaded the Hornady with the .288 bushing but for Lapua I use the .290 bushing to get the same neck tension.
 
I am using the lapua brass, when comparing loads and velocity you shoud state barrel length too. I a shooting a 23 " in bartlein, I have upped my loads from the Hornady brass because the small primer pocket is stronger than the larg primer pocket. I went from 42.8 on the horn brass to 43.0 low node and hit a node again at 43.6 with the lapua brass. Attached my load tests below, tested the ELD M and the HPBT Martch from Hornady. The HPBT M was 0.1 Grain less than the ELD m with same groupings. If the triad warnings stop today I will go out and verify and bring my chronograph.

I am using the Lee LCD neck sizing die.
 

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I am using the lapua brass, when comparing loads and velocity you shoud state barrel length too. I a shooting a 23 " in bartlein, I have upped my loads from the Hornady brass because the small primer pocket is stronger than the larg primer pocket. I went from 42.8 on the horn brass to 43.0 low node and hit a node again at 43.6 with the lapua brass. Attached my load tests below, tested the ELD M and the HPBT Martch from Hornady. The HPBT M was 0.1 Grain less than the ELD m with same groupings. If the triad warnings stop today I will go out and verify and bring my chronograph.

I am using the Lee LCD neck sizing die.

What powder are you using?


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As usual Lapua will have thicker case walls then hornady or Nosler resulting in reduced case volume, adding the same amount of powder in both will give higher pressure in the Lapua cases.
Also freebore and bullet seating depth can change pressure and powder capacity some on its own.
So if your running a hot load start a grain lower and work your way up to the node witch very well may have changed.

As for fliers early in load development, if the brass is fresh it usually has erratic neck tension ( bullet grip) it's also very common for Lapua brass to have tight necks, and running a bushing down the outside of the neck just helps to force all the inconsistencies on the inside of the case neck.

The smaller primer pocket might make the case head slightly more robust, but it certainly is' nt the only factor of making a stronger case.
The strongest widely available brass i know of has a rebated rim and a large primer pocket in fact.

I

 
I just loaded up some charges with H4350 from 42.5 to 44grains. Using 139 scenars 20thousandths off lands, going to see where pressure signs start. Will reply back with my findings if i remember
 
So i did (left to right) 42.5, 43.3, 43.6, 44.
Keep in mind im using a large, factory firing pin, which is probably less than ideal for these nuclear loads on these small primers. Dont know if they loosened but i can report that later
 

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A guy on another forum is seeing blown primers at lower velocities with Lapua brass than with Hornady.

Just another data point

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It would be great to know if he is running a factory barrel or custom chamber? With the thicker Lapua necks he may need to neck turn........
 
I am currently using Hornady brass with 140 eld and H4350.


26" bartlien is getting me 2812 FPS with 42.0 grains. My Hornady loads SD is usually 3-10 with the Magneeto speed.


I will be loading my new Lapua brass at 40.8 and up about .2 grains until I find the same speed I am getting now hopefully. My rifle shoots best at around 2800 I have found.


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My chamber is go gauge +.002, using a 139 scenar .020 off lands and 43.4 grains of H4350 on a cci 450 im getting 2900fps and stellar accuracy.
24" bartlein MTU chambered by SAC
The flier was all me
i noticed no pressure on these rounds, primers looked good, not very flat, no hard bolt life or other signs
 
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So i did (left to right) 42.5, 43.3, 43.6, 44.
Keep in mind im using a large, factory firing pin, which is probably less than ideal for these nuclear loads on these small primers. Dont know if they loosened but i can report that later

Looks like your primer cratered worse with 42.5 than 44 grain... Any idea what happened there?
 
Looks like your primer cratered worse with 42.5 than 44 grain... Any idea what happened there?
bad firing pin spring.
weakness was causing misfires and all primers to crater in a strange way, even light factory loads. the sizes and shapes just seemed to be luck of the draw.
got a newer action later on and no problems