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LAPUA BRASS

Re: LAPUA BRASS

My buddy has gotten 15 reloads with them, pretty much uses the same 100 cases a shooting season. Then again he anneals them every 3rd fireing. Don't know how hot he's pushing them though.
I have gotten 5 so far with mine and still look good.
Iam useing 46.5 grn of Varget with the Sierra 155's
 
Re: LAPUA BRASS

I had one set on a tight chambered that I loaded 43 times, then sold it with the rifle.
Brass fails for many reasons. Over pressure and over working on sizing are two of the most common. Semi and full autos are tough on brass as well.
If you just bump the shoulder back a thousandth, have a close fitting neck so you can just push it down a couple thousands, and hand seat your primers, check for partial head seperations and keep your pressure within reason, brass can last a loooooog time.
 
Re: LAPUA BRASS

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rth1800</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I had one set on a tight chambered that I loaded 43 times, then sold it with the rifle.
Brass fails for many reasons. Over pressure and over working on sizing are two of the most common. Semi and full autos are tough on brass as well.
If you just bump the shoulder back a thousandth, have a close fitting neck so you can just push it down a couple thousands, and hand seat your primers, check for partial head seperations and keep your pressure within reason, brass can last a loooooog time. </div></div>

How often did you anneal and what was your preferred process?

Josh
 
Re: LAPUA BRASS

With a tight throat, chamber, Neck Only sizing most of the time, and shooting loads well within the 58K PSI pressure limits, one can get 50+ reload cycles on Win brass. One would expect Lapua or Norma would have a few more reload cycles.

I happen to have a lot (100 pieces) that are at reload cycle 31 that have never been annealed and are NO sized most of the time. From this lot only 2 cases have died (both incipient case head failure.) The bent paperclip trick indicated that 4 more cases were suspect and these have been culled. The particular gun these were shot in delivers an obturated neck diameter of 0.3445 (i.e. BIG) and gets sized in two steps to 0.332. I have lost no necks from this lot.
 
Re: LAPUA BRASS

My chamber neck is huge so I anneal every other loading. 44g of Varget under a 168 SMK. I neck size (no expander ball) and just touch the shoulder back about 0.002". I'm on cycle 11.

I ran the first 6 or 7 loadings with no annealing and started to get cracks in the necks. Haven't had one since. Primer pockets are still tight, and I might get many more loadings.
 
Re: LAPUA BRASS

I have loaded my lapua brass 12 times so far and it still looks good. I do a full resize so I can shoot thru any of my rifles and have only had to trim once so far. I have also anealed them only once. I have in the past used Norma brass and have reloaded them well over 39 times with no problems so I couldn't see Lapua having any issues reloading that many. My load is 44.5g of Varget with a 175 SMK.
 
Re: LAPUA BRASS

Big spread on above posts and that is to be expected. I have loaded Lapua way HOT and what always went first was the primer pocket, ALWAYS. Some in as little as 2 firings. Keep the pressure close to SAMMI and they will go a loooooooong time.
 
Re: LAPUA BRASS

If pressure is within normal limits...
If the brass is being sized at a minimal level...
And If the brass is annealed after every firing,

theres no reason It should not last a very long time.

By minimal sizing I mean have your die set up to match that of your chamber as best as possible whilst still allowing easy chambering.
 
Re: LAPUA BRASS

When I was shooting 260 AI I went 19 loadings on Lapua 243 brass before starting to get 2 or 3 neck splits out of 100 brass. No annealing on them, after I got past 10 loadings I just wanted to see how far they would go.
 
Re: LAPUA BRASS

I've been very pleased with my Lapua brass. 43 gr Varget, 175smk, full length resize each time. I have 5 loadings on a set of cases without problems but seating pressure seems harder than new brass so its probably time to anneal. My Win brass is also good but lapua seems more consistent as far as case weight.
 
Re: LAPUA BRASS

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: psmith</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've been very pleased with my Lapua brass. 43 gr Varget, 175smk, full length resize each time. I have 5 loadings on a set of cases without problems but seating pressure seems harder than new brass so its probably time to anneal. My Win brass is also good but lapua seems more consistent as far as case weight. </div></div>

Did you clean them with an Ultrasonic cleaner?