Brass Quality? Is some brass better than others?

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Furfrenzy

New member
I am just getting involved in the reloading game and was told that there are some brass that are noticeably better than others. I'm starting with reloading my .308 and had a buddy who is a sniper on our SWAT team tell me that the Federal brass (from the 168 grain Gold Medal Match factory loads) is the best(our agency can only shoot factory rounds, I'm sure that is the case with most agencies). He gave some reason why, but I can't remember the details. I was hoping for some insight if some brass is better and what brands of brass are preferred.
 
Options will vary on what brand brass ranks from good to bad. And a lot depends on how you load it and take care of it. I've been told that Federal is not very good (life wise) for reloading. But for starting out and if it's free? Well then it sounds pretty good me and you should take full advantage of it.
 

Brass is like cars, something you like might not appeal to your neighbor, and the actual car you buy may actually be an exceptional instance, and your neighbor gets a lemon.

In general, I would consider Federal brass way down on my list of "good brass". It is soft, and some of the primer pockets will shoot loose after a couple of reloads. Lapua brass is arguably considered "the best" by many, but I am not one of the many. The last batch of 308 Win brass was all over the map on weight and volume, and it showed on the group sizes. On the other hand, I got some once fired Lake City brass, from a military brass supplier, that was very consistent weight and volume wise, and that also shows on the group sizes. Older Winchester brass has been very good, but I have heard the newer stuff varies in quality.

So it really is a crap shoot out there, brass quality wise. Try a few different brands, and lots, and when you find something that works well in your rifle...Buy all of it you can afford.
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Squeeze
 
You know, that is a good question. I do not believe that all brass is the same or that it is all made to the same exacting standards. But for my own use, and most others as well I suspect, it matters little what kind you get.

I have had name brand brass necks split by their third and sometimes second reloading. Some primer pockets get loose and some stay tight for 20 or more loads. But I am just a varmint shooter. Too many other variables can cause you to miss a fidgety creature at 4-500 yards distant. Were I a 1,000 yard bench shooter when a win or a loss can be measured in thousands of an inch that would be different I suspect. In that case I likely would buy match brass and nothing but match brass. Most likely Lapua.
 
My preference order based on my own experience is
1 lapua
2 nosler/norma
3 Winchester
4 federal
5 remington
6 hornady
This is based on my own experience with brass in the .308, I'm basing this on weight consistency and life mostly due to primer pocket expension, I anneal frequently so I've only ever had two split necks both with hornady brass. Really aside from the lapua the rest are all very close from what I've found. The hornady stuff I have is all over the map weight wise so I put it last. Again my own experience, others will have different opinions.
 
Federal is by no means the best, and falls below mil surp in my opinion. It is very soft, and does not show consistency in weight.

I would buy lapua, have it annealed every third firing, and reap the benefits of steps 1 and 2.

I have also gotten a "bad" batch of lapua before (223 blue box) but I won't hold a grudge we all have off days.

Hornady can be fantastic if you weight sort and spend a little time uniforming it.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF RELOADING IS CASE PREP. NEVER FORGET THIS EVER!

Haha, but seriously. It's that important.
 
i prefer Win. brass (or did). have had several new batches in the past 2-3 years with very loose primer pockets.
 
Federal back in the day was pretty good brass or at least I remember it being good.... I was not as picky back then and never heard of nor seen Lapua brass. The poster above(Squeeze) who said it depends got it right as I have gotten one batch of a brand that was great and the next of the same brand split on the first reload.
I have gotten pretty good performance from Winchester/Black Hills .308 match brass and of course Lapua. I have not seen necessarily better accuracy from Lapua but it does last.
 
I bought 100 rounds of hornady 22-250. I have had good luck with it. I just shoot paper and varmints. I don't load near max either. Rudy
 
Not all brass are created equal, but not all differences are always advantageous or disadvantageous...

Plus, not everybody has the same observances, so even in offering my own experiences, I'm sure that I'll get flamed by someone that had different experiences.

Federal brass tends to be thinner, which might mean shorter brass life, but alternatively, it can mean lower chamber pressure for the same load, or more powder capacity for the same pressure.

Hornady brass tends to run softer, so life isn't as long, but it's easier to form, and the weight and thickness regularity is typically good for them (overall quality is good).

Win brass tends to be very regular, for the price.

Rem brass tends to be reasonably regular as well, also at a good price, but I find myself culling more based on weight, and and up work hardening faster to require annealing than Win.

You do get what you pay for with the "premium" brass lines like Norma, Lapua, Nosler (not saying these are all equal, just better than most).

Starline pistol brass has treated me well.

I reload mostly in Win, Rem, Hornady, and Norma for my own rifle work, Rem and Starline in revolvers. I reload batches of 500rnds for a buddy on Federal (FC, not LC cross) that have a half dozen reloads on them so far without significant losses in count.

I look for regular weight (praying that it means uniform thickness for capacity and elasticity), and then neck thickness. I can turn necks to make it uniform, but it's a lot more work when brass are way out of whack.
 
I've had good luck out of Winchester and Remington brass. The worst brass I've used was the most expensive, and that was Nosler. I think there is good and bad in all of it.
 
Varminterror commented about "Federal Brass tends to be thinner." Been my experience otherwise. Have a Shilen barrel on a .308 that will not chamber my Federal brass reloads, but will chamber my Winchester/Remington brass reloads. Wall thickness in Federal neck is thicker than Rem/Win. I need to turn down necks of my Federal Brass to use it in the Shilen barrel rifle. Mentioned this problem to gent who gave me the Shilen barrel and asked him if he'd had it made with a tighter chamber. His reply was NO to a tighter chamber.....that Federal brass is made to military specs, was thicker and etc., that I needed to turn down Fed necks. I would go home and seat a bullet in maybe 5 different brands of resized .308 brass. All of these would chamber without a bullet in them. But with a seated bullet, the Federal would not chamber....had same problem with Hornady brass in this experiment, and that I understand Norma supplies Hornady with much of its brass. Gent I shoot with called Hornady about its brass and was told "yes, I'm sure Norma makes our brass....have seen the shipping cartons of brass we receive....have Norma on them."

Also, have found Federal brass to be on the soft side, with loosening of primer pockets much quicker than other brands of brass I use. This seems to be a common complaint about loosening of Federal primer pockets when brass is discussed.
 


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