New Brass Qusetion?

[PA BEN]

I've never purchased new brass before. I'm going to buy some for my 7mm Rem. Mag. Can I wrong with Remington or Winchester brass?

[Gutpile]

I don't think so. I use whichever brand is available at the time. I'm sure some will have a lot to say here but I don't pay attention. Winchester does seem harder than remmy though when trimming.

[littletoes]

Nothing wrong with 'em at all.

Full length size, load up, and be happy. How many are we talking here, just around 100 rounds?

[carpsniperg2]

i like win a little better then the rems myself. i always check the length on the brass and then trim if needed and then chaffer deburr load and shoot

[PA BEN]

So you have to full length size them? I only have a neck size die.

[Gutpile]

No. Neck size is ok except for use in semi's. I've heard that eventually you may need to full length them if they get to tight but have never had it happen. I do full length everything except my 220 swift and my 6.5 Swede.

[carpsniperg2]

yep you do not have to they should be inside the spec when they left the factory

[bobcat]

I've loaded up 270 Win. ammo using new Winchester brass without running it through the sizer at all, and they shot great.

[PA BEN]

So with new brass you prime, powder and bullet no sizing at all?

[carpsniperg2]

yes some people do not do anything with it i am a bit of a freak i check all the brass before i load it length/case mouth etc but for most my bolt guns i do not mess with the new brass and just chaffer/deburr/prime/powder/bullet and good to go. the only guns i resize before is my 270wsm because the short mags can be a bit touchy somtimes and my 223 brass for my ar-15s because the semi auto's are a bit touchy as well

[PA BEN]

Last year was my first time reloading so if my questions seem a little out there just bear with me. I see you can crimp your finished round w/a crimping die. Is it real necessary to crimp the finished round? 

[littletoes]

You should only need to crimp VERY heavy magnum loads, tube feed, machineguns, straight wall cartriges, etc. The cannalure on a bullet if for crimping, but to be honest, I don't crimp anything.
It tends to make rounds less accurate.

Back to the sizing question above, I size EVERYTHING, many don't, and thats fine. But the brass comes in a bag, thrown in a box with other bags, the necks get dented, and the POTENTIAL is there for them to be a bit out of round. To not size is a "lazy" man's way out, and your ammo will have the potential to be less accurate. To each thier own, I hand load for only one reason-to make the most accurate ammo I can possibly have.

[PA BEN]

That's a good point. Thanks

[buckhorn2]

If you get remington brass the nickle brass seems to be softer and the necks split more often than brass. I bought some norma brass and it seems a little thicker but might just be me. I buy unprimed weatherby brass for my wbys and it;s good brass spendy but hold up well.

[littletoes]

The nickel is harder, and can scratch your dies. Once scratched, always scratched.

Norma is some of the best brass made, with Lapua being the best. But you pay for "Best".

Lets just post a warning on very expensive brass-on occasion you may get a bad "Lot", and there is no retrun. It doesn't happen that often, but it does happen. Sometimes the brass is softer than normal, and may stretch and loose primers. Most likely you won't see any kind of problem like this at all.

[TheHunt]

I think the differences is how soft one brass is to another.   Think of softer brass as playdough as you put pressure on it.  So you will trim more and if you use high pressure loads you might see the differences in brass. 

[mazama]

A lot of the brass you buy now the case mouth needs to be sized because some are dented and out of round.

[Bscman]

A lot of the brass you buy now the case mouth needs to be sized because some are dented and out of round.

+1

As for the remington vs. winchester debate.

Both are "bulk" brass of average quality. I wouldn't rate one over the other, as they both vary quite a bit in overall length and case volume--even between pieces of the same lot number. Good for most shooting needs. Buy whatever it cheaper.

I tend to use mostly winchester for pistol and rifle...not because it is superior, but because it is most available in my area. Also, I tend to stay away from Remington pistol ammunition becasue I find it seems to run a little dirty...so most of my pistol brass is winchester. Once I develope a load, I like to stay with the same brass. 

[280ackley]

I was using winchester brass for my .280 Ackley.  You can see dents in the new brass so you should put them through the sizer before loading the first time.  When Nosler started making brass for the Ackley I switched to them and the brass is better quality. (and more $$$)  Anyone else using Nosler brass?