Subject line says it. Looking at a 223 build and no upper-end brass available anymore. What are people using these days?
What's the Go-To 223 Brass Now?
- Thread starter Rocketmandb
- Start date
Lapua should hit the market again soon, but with the pent up demand and backorders it may go very quickly.
Here's a post by someone at capstone regarding availability...
There's some talk in there about the last batch of Lapua 223 not being up to their past reputation for durability, but I can't confirm that myself.
I use Lapua in my 223 bolt guns but I've had good luck with starline 5.56 and norma brass in a few ARs. Raven Rocks Precision has run some very good deals on the norma stuff in the past, they usually post in the PX about it.
Here's a post by someone at capstone regarding availability...
There's some talk in there about the last batch of Lapua 223 not being up to their past reputation for durability, but I can't confirm that myself.
I use Lapua in my 223 bolt guns but I've had good luck with starline 5.56 and norma brass in a few ARs. Raven Rocks Precision has run some very good deals on the norma stuff in the past, they usually post in the PX about it.
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LC is always solid and plentiful
i also sell it, full processed, ready to roll if you want a bunch
i also sell it, full processed, ready to roll if you want a bunch
True, LC is usually a good option and was my go to for years, especially when you could easily buy it new. However, the last 2 batches of once fired LC I purchased all died a very early death from a very high rate of neck splits and body cracks running lengthwise between the case head and shoulder. I'm not sure if it was a production issue with that year head stamp or if it was something with the way they were stored or processed that ruined and embrittled the brass, but they certainly didn't live up to my previous older batches of once fired LC that were durable and went about 15 reloads before the primer pockets loosened up.
After having that splitting issue with the last two large batches of once fired prepped LC, I tried norma and starline 5.56 instead and am quite happy with both.
I use Starline 5.56mm Brass with complete satisfaction. It is currently in stock.
#3440 - 5.56x45mm Brass (Small Rifle primer)
Years ago Starline brass was much heavier than say LC brass by several grains, and care had to be taken when swapping known safe LC loads into Starline 5.56 brass. Recent batch's of Starline 5.56mm brass, in the last 2 years weigh darned close to recent LC brass weights which is a good thing when working up your loads.
#3440 - 5.56x45mm Brass (Small Rifle primer)
Years ago Starline brass was much heavier than say LC brass by several grains, and care had to be taken when swapping known safe LC loads into Starline 5.56 brass. Recent batch's of Starline 5.56mm brass, in the last 2 years weigh darned close to recent LC brass weights which is a good thing when working up your loads.
I bought 1000 Starline .223 cases when I started reloading .223 (for bolt rifle) several years ago. Still running it, couldn't ask for more wrt accuracy and longevity. I weighed 20 cases and weighed their H20 capacity - admirably consistent for budget brass.
I've never competed with my .223 so I saw no sense in buying top-shelf brass. But I've become so confident in its capability that I may switch from "Open" to Tactical" for this coming weekend's match...
I've never competed with my .223 so I saw no sense in buying top-shelf brass. But I've become so confident in its capability that I may switch from "Open" to Tactical" for this coming weekend's match...
Creedmoor Sports was sending out backordered Lapua 223 last week. So if you didn't get it then you are in for a long long wait.
I have been using Starline in my bolt guns. In my ARs they get whatever I pick up at the range.
I have been using Starline in my bolt guns. In my ARs they get whatever I pick up at the range.
If you can find RWS....
I run winchester for my gassers
and Hornady for bolt guns - yeah. But it works.
I save the Lapua and RWS I have on hand (about 800 of each) for when I mean business. Fortunately, I'm almost always in play mode these days
I run winchester for my gassers
and Hornady for bolt guns - yeah. But it works.
I save the Lapua and RWS I have on hand (about 800 of each) for when I mean business. Fortunately, I'm almost always in play mode these days
I’m about 300pcs into a batch of 600 starline I got for my trainer barrel. So I don’t have a long term opinion with resizing and annealing and how many firings I’ll get. But even if I only got hypothetically 3 firings I’d buy it again. Hell Im consider selling it as once fired and just buying new again only to save myself time. I chamfer it mandrel it and I’m ready to load.
Make fun of me all you want, I love my R-P brass.
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Starline still makes the heavy brass, it is head stamped 223 Rem. It holds about 1.5gr less powder.
Lapua when you can find it.
Starline 5.56 if you can't get Lapua.
Both have worked great for me in a custom bolt 223 Wylde.
Starline 5.56 if you can't get Lapua.
Both have worked great for me in a custom bolt 223 Wylde.
I have probably 15k pieces of LC dating anywhere from the 70s to current production. Its all been decrimped and primer flashholes cleaned up, but thats all Ive ever done to it other than annealing every firing. It has served my ARs very well and I really only use it for stuff like 69gr bullets and heavier. One large benefit Ive found with LC, that even over 40+ years of production, it is really amazingly consistent.
I do have a 500 piece bag of Starline 5.56 headstamped brass (supposedly harder in the base) that I purchased for an upcoming 223 bolt rifle project I have coming up. Is it better than Lapua? Probably not. The real question is can my rifle and more importantly me, tell the difference on the target.
I do have a 500 piece bag of Starline 5.56 headstamped brass (supposedly harder in the base) that I purchased for an upcoming 223 bolt rifle project I have coming up. Is it better than Lapua? Probably not. The real question is can my rifle and more importantly me, tell the difference on the target.
a
doesn’t matter what year stamp, all my LC runs great and chronos great, even mass loading on a S1050
absolutely
doesn’t matter what year stamp, all my LC runs great and chronos great, even mass loading on a S1050
RWS rocks. It’s what black hills used and they know a thing or two about it. Lapua rocks too but costs 5x the Rws.
I’ve been run starline for my current project, since I couldn’t find alpha or Peterson when I was ordering components a while back.
I could have sworn they did but after looking over the interwebs last night it appears they didn’t, it’s seems 223 “match” brass isn’t really a popular thing for the premier brass makers. I know lapua, norma, and starline all make it with a slight bias towards match performance but the other manufacturers seems to be like geared towards gas gunners
I used starline, LC and 150ish pieces of winchester brass. Still a greenhorn so can say much on which is better. Meet a veteran shooter and told me to try out FC brass the newer production. He won many competitions using it. Said it was better consistency over LC. This is what he explIned to me that day. So i picked out 200ish pieces with same HS and signs of annealing threw in container for a rainy day.
I have some FC with "dots" that seems to shoot interchangeably with LC Nato. I wouldn't say its better, but I'm not up to speed on the nuances.
Scamp marks I believe may have been made by LC but I could be wrong. Either way I will give it a good ole college try
Are you using it in a bolt gun or gasser? I definitely would not run Lapua in a gas gun, I would stick with Starline or LC. But for a bolt gun, run the best you can find.
I have 500 lapua brass from a couple years ago that died after 3-4 firings. Granted I was pushing 88s pretty hard.
I switched to starline and haven’t noticed a decrease in accuracy or consistency and the price is right. I only have 1 firing on the starline so far and also fire formed 1000 for my 223ai with great results.
Moving forward I’m planning on sticking with starline. Much cheaper and slightly more capacity than my lapua.
I switched to starline and haven’t noticed a decrease in accuracy or consistency and the price is right. I only have 1 firing on the starline so far and also fire formed 1000 for my 223ai with great results.
Moving forward I’m planning on sticking with starline. Much cheaper and slightly more capacity than my lapua.
In my RWS brass, I get a lot of DAG marked head stamps. Not sure if they are the same thing or not.
