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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 621
Campfire Regular
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OP
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Posts: 621 |
I've read a lot about Win brass poor quality control. That's all I've used in the past but decided to try another brand in 243.
Started loading for two rifles so also a way to keep brass separated.
Don't shoot my 243 a lot, mostly for predators with maybe some deer or antelope once in a while.
What brands should I be looking for ? Hornady, Starline or ? Trying to keep cost down so ruled out Norma, Lapua etc.
Will load 70gr for predators and 100gr for big game.
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Joined: Aug 2008
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Campfire Regular
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Ive been using Winchester, Starline,and Midway Dogtown brass.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 10,365
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2005
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all I use is winchester, but brass is from the 80's
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,263
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2008
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If the alpha brass is out try PPU brass. These were surprisingly good and reminded me of Lake City Brass. They are heavier and tougher than most common brass, similar to military brass. Some took a lot of primer pocket prep as though they were metric or something not SAAMI standard, but this is a one time operation and not too onerous is you have a tool that bevels swages and uniforms the pocket simultaneously like the Lyman tool. Any brass can perform well if sorted but I like it when sorting is minimal. Once fired brass from a reputable outfit is another option, sometimes you can get something like Norma for less than the Winchester would cost.
Just be sure to check capacity or to work up loads again when switching brass especially if it is heavier.
"When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred." Niccolo Machiavelli
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,246
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2009
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I've read a lot about Win brass poor quality control. That's all I've used in the past but decided to try another brand in 243.
Started loading for two rifles so also a way to keep brass separated.
Don't shoot my 243 a lot, mostly for predators with maybe some deer or antelope once in a while.
What brands should I be looking for ? Hornady, Starline or ? Trying to keep cost down so ruled out Norma, Lapua etc.
Will load 70gr for predators and 100gr for big game. Anytime I need new 243 brass, I just go buy 100 rounds of Federal blue box at walmart. It is usually cheap, its accurate and it puts deer and hogs down easily.
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Grandpa:the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Dad:son you have 2 choices for supper eat or don't eat.
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,792
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2003
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If you can’t get Alpha, I’d be looking at ADG or Lapua.
John
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,652
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2006
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I've read a lot about Win brass poor quality control. That's all I've used in the past but decided to try another brand in 243.
Started loading for two rifles so also a way to keep brass separated.
Don't shoot my 243 a lot, mostly for predators with maybe some deer or antelope once in a while.
What brands should I be looking for ? Hornady, Starline or ? Trying to keep cost down so ruled out Norma, Lapua etc.
Will load 70gr for predators and 100gr for big game. 🤔you don’t want cheap brass........but don’t want to pay for good brass???? Winchester might have a bad lot here and there but so does Remington, Hornady, Federal etc. Winchester is as good as any if you don’t want to buy Lapua
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,203
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,203 |
I use Winchester, Remington, and some cheap stuff that I bought that was already primed, can't remember the brand. I cannot tell any difference between any of it, and I shot the 243 a lot, having 3 of them at the moment that I am reloading for.
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,008
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,008 |
It’s hard not to mention Lapua when asked a question about which brass to choose.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 621
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 621 |
🤔you don’t want cheap brass........but don’t want to pay for good brass????
Winchester might have a bad lot here and there but so does Remington, Hornady, Federal etc. Winchester is as good as any if you don’t want to buy Lapua [/quote]
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 621
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 621 |
Thanks for the replies. It might be that I'm just cheap I've been working on a neighbor's 243 with some new powder. Pretty good results so thought I'd work on my rifle a little. Want to keep brass separate so looking for other than Winchester. I don't use my 243 much but thought I'd work up a couple of new loads just because.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,910
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Look around for used Lapua. I've found it for ~$50/100 for 1-2x fired. Otherwise, this PPU stuff seems pretty dang good.
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,743
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,743 |
Here is a member's site who lives here in town.... His brass is once fired stuff... and he has contracts with multiple Police Depts and some big known manufacturers to buy their once fired brass, from training for P.D.s to manufacturers using it to test their bullets, etc.. jJohn is a great guy and gives excellent service, especially to Campfire members...and very reasonably priced... https://brassmanbrass.com/give him a call....702.645.7542 I have even picked up once fired Lapua over there several times...his website is always not up to date on everything he has available..... the once fired brass is always cleaned, so its ready to deprime, sized and then you get started...
"Minus the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the Country" Marion Barry, Mayor of Wash DC
“Owning guns is not a right. If it were a right, it would be in the Constitution.” ~Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 799
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 799 |
I usually buy Lapua and Norma, but over the years, when I buy Remington or Winchester and weight sort it and prep it, accuracy is about the same. When I say that I prep it, I clean up the flash hole, uniform the primer pockets and lightly turn the neck. Then run it through the FL die and trim to length. All that work, though the reloads shot great, was what pushed me to Norma and Lapua. And Nosler is good stuff and needs no prep at all, but isn’t cheap and I don’t feel like I get the use life that Norma and Lapua give me. I don’t have hard data to support that ‘feeling’.
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,734
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,734 |
I just used some Sig Sauer brass in my 300WM. It did "not need prepping" ( well, I always run them into the FL Die and square the case mouths) and they are excellent. I also am trying some Jagmann brass, and it too is excellent, a bit thicker, so less internal capacity but they will last awhile. Between the two, the Sig Sauer I bought at Cabela's was "relatively inexpensive" and just as good as Nosler. Give them a try.
Last edited by Jim_Knight; 10/08/19.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 621
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
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Posts: 621 |
Thanks for all the info.
I ordered some brass, Starline and Sig Sauer. Sounds like the Sig could be very good and a good price.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 24,412
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 24,412 |
I'm using Sig Sauer and Nosler brass in 243. Both are excellent.
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 106
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 106 |
I have 100 Jagemann 243 Win cases in the back of a FedEx truck that is about 40 miles away that should be here tomorrow. I should be able to post tomorrow how they look-specs-consistence-volume-yata yata yata. Before you ask. Natchez Supplies and made in Wisconsin
Jim Gibson
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 106
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 106 |
I'm ,back! The 243 Win Jagemann brass came in. They were in 50rd heavy duty plastic bags. Pulled 12 out and checked them. For looks, I would rate them A++++++++. Not even a finger print. They make Win and Rem look like GI pulldown. I checked the inside primer vent and only one had a little bit of resistance. No burrs.. They avg. 164.8gr +or- 1/2. Head space avg 1.624" unfired . High to low was 0.0015"unfired. OAL ave was 2.0365" +/- 0.001" unfired. Neck size was 0.016" with +/- 1/2 run out. Only bad side that I saw was the necks were over sized. Run them over the mandrel of my Lee collect die. No problem. The very best upside was the fact that they were less than $40/100. I will now see what the overflow vol.(QL) is after I shoot them with a starter load of odds and end bullets. Will get back.
Last edited by FatAlbert; 12/25/19.
Jim Gibson
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