Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Is Norma brass actually better?

"(Brass) Softness translates into shorter case life and lots of stretch."

Sounds good, but not really.

Excessive stretch comes from how the reloader fits his cases to his chamber. That is determined both by how well he adjusts his sizers AND how well his sizers match his chambers.

"Soft" cases are a matter of very small alloy difference and it's not a massive difference at all. "Soft" cases tend to seal better and are usually slightly thicker in the head/web so they can handle normal standard SAAMI pressures as well as "hard" cases.

Thus, IF a reloader is getting short case life he is incorrectly resizing OR over-loading OR both. That's not the case's fault.

Norma makes good cases.

Not necessarily.

I've had the primer pockets of FC 223 brass rendered loose by firing the factory load, and the chrono was telling me that unless Federal did a poor job of choosing the powder the rounds weren't overloaded.

+1 on that. When I start getting neck splits and enlarged primer pockets after just a couple of uses with a load that permits numerous reloads in other brands of brass (more than one), it means something is lacking in the Norma brass. And, FWIW, I didn't change my reloading procedures just for the Norma brass.

It could be that the brass is heavier and has less capacity (which Norma usually does).

If you mean you didn't change your reloading procedures (meaning the powder charge itself), that's just silly......

If you did, then I wouldn't like it either. How many carts have you used Norma brass in, by chance?

I only have experience with Norma 30-06 brass.

The brass is consistent to about .5 gr in weight.

It also has the lightest weight, and highest volume compared to milsurp, IMI, Rem, and Win.

I have 100 pieces of it that I bought in 2000 when I had my custom heavy precision 30-06 built. I've been reloading it with a Lee Collet Die, sizing just the neck. These cases have been reloaded about 40 times. That's right, I've put over 4000 rounds through the same 100 pieces of brass. I keep waiting for a failure in the neck, or primer pocket, but not yet.

Some would suggest I load my ammo to, or beyond, redline. I don't really, my 30-06 load calcs around 58-60K lbs-psi. I'm just optimizing use of the available volume, and moly'ing the projos.

Anyway, that's what I know about Norma brass.

Anything you KNOW, is not because of guessing or a one time affair....

I have run Norma in 204, 222 Mag, 220 Swift, 6 PPC, 30/06, 7 Bee, 300 Bee, 416 Rigby, 357 Mag and 44 Mag.

Some runs heavier, some lighter and the brass is overall "softer", but I've never had pocket issues or neck splits.

The fact than Weatherby factory loads are by Norma and generally loaded to full potential leaves my head scratching to any issues with it.

FWIW I have some old WW "Super X" and "Super Speed" 338's that are a lot lighter than present manufacture, so any issues with brass and manufacturers is not a total sum deal.

Lots and weights do vary.

I defined the width of my lane very concisely.

No guesswork involved.

You always do.

As I posted, I tried 100 .223 cases and 100 22-250 cases. Of course I had to change the powder charge. That doesn't mean I changed procedures. From reading your post, I doubt that you can take anyone to school about reloading nor call them silly.

Just find it odd you're the only Norma brass user with loose pockets and split necks "longetivity was very short compared to other brass".


From reading your post Norma has only made 200 cases in two cartridges, weight variation sucked and runout was worse than R-P/WW or Fed?

You're suspicions on my abilities are totally correct....

Carry on.

I run it in my .257 Weatherby... as MontanaMarine stated it has the highest volume I need 80gr of Ramshot Mag to make it perk but have no issues with quality

I found Norma to be too soft, far prefer Lapua and RWS

yes it is . (you get what you pay for)