Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

[AquaMan]

Last night, I ran across Lapua .308 Palma brass. It has little primer pockets, cut for small rifle primers. I have not read anything about using them in Palma competition, or how they affect ballistics.

I wonder if these cases would give me an edge with a Savage F-T/R .308 bolt rifle. Has anyone read anything online about these specialized .308 cases, or have any experience with them?

Thanks

 

[turbo54]

Re: Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

The thought is small primers are more consistent.

Gonna take a HELLUVA shooter to shoot the difference.

 

[Force_Multiplier]

Re: Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

some people also think that it'll handle max loads better w/ the smaller hole

 

[MinorDamage]

Re: Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

Some were finding it to give inconsistent ignition. Good brass prep, notes, and consistency in reloading will serve you better. Here is an article from German Salazar. He is not a fan...

Link

Josh

 

[clmayfield]

Re: Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

It might give inconsistent ignition in extreme cold. I also think it handles pressure better. In my experience, the primer pockets are what causes me to throw brass away. These seem to give me an extra few firings.

Supposedly, small primers are more consistent across all manufacturers than large primers. I dunno. I don't think I can shoot the difference. I seemed to hit a node on my first development with the small primers. That might have been pure luck.

 

[AquaMan]

Re: Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

Thanks Guys for the info. MD, thanks for the Salazar link.

 

[bward]

Re: Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

I like the Palma brass. In my rifle I can run higher pressures, thus higher velocities without getting loose primer pockets. I've never had a problem with inconsistent ignition either.

 

[ronas]

Re: Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

I have been using the 308 Palma brass with CCI 450 small rifle primers for about 6 months. I now use only Reloader 15 or Varget. I used to use BLC2. With BLC2 I would notice a split second between pulling the trigger and rifle going bang. This was in very hot weather.

One of the best bench rest shooter in my club compared the large primer Lapua and Palma Lapua using Reloader 15. He said they shoot the same.

I will add that I have been annealing my 308 Lapua Palma brass after every firing. Rounds are loaded with 45 gr. of Reloader 15 or Varget, using CCI 450 small rifle magnum primer, and a 175 SMK. These rounds are loaded for TRG-22 used to shoot 600 and 800 yards.

I have had no case problems. Bullets seat very consistently and easily.

The brass in photo below has been fired seven times so far and are ready to fill with powder and seat bullet.

I use a Bench Source machine.

 

[jrivera1]

Re: Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

Tag

 

[jdmartin]

Re: Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

I am using Palma brass in my 308. Switched because of loose primer pockets in my regular Lapua brass.I had some hangfires with wc846 (like blc2), but I was able to cure that with Rem 7 1/2 primers if I want to shoot that powder.
Oddly my load went from 47.0 Varget with Berger 155 vld's in regular Lapua brass with Fed 210m primers to 45.8 Varget in Palma brass with Rem 7 1/2 primers to keep the velocity at 2940.
I am not sure if that relates to the 7 1/2 primers which are a hot primer,or to the brass or both. Barrels also sometimes speed up a bit when they finish breaking in and that also could be a factor.
At this point ,I have about 5 firings on the Palma brass and the primers seat like new.I can not see any disadvantage to Palma brass and I think primer pocket life will be better .
Some people are concerned about ignition in cold weather. This has not seemed to be a factor,but I live in Texas.I suspect the 7 1/2 primers will do fine in any weather as they are said to be pretty hot.

 

[jrivera1]

Re: Lapua .308 Palma Brass?

I just got some Lapua .308 Palma brass for my first reload... All this info is good.. Thanks guys

Being that I'm new to reloading I was planning on using the Vihtavuori powders. Any thoughts...?