why is 338 Lapua so exspensive?

S

skeetlee

New member
I was looking through my midway catalog and saw what i thought was a mis print. come to find out it wasnt. Why is 338 Lapua so expensive? Even the brass is outrageous.
 
You answered your own question......the brass. Until other manufactures pick up the brass, Lapua will continue charging what ever they want.
John
 
I just purchased a thousand hulls of 300WM Lapua brass for $1.48 per case. I don't think the Lapua is over priced in comparison. Norma does make it and I seen it listed for $180 per hundred.
 
last july in thunder valley ohio, Tom Sarver used 338 Lapua cases to form his cases for his 300 Hulk, Which he used to set an all time record for 1000 yard benchrest (5X/1.403")
The 5 cases he used were on they're 58th firing. If you ever used any Lapua cases you wouldn't think it was overpriced.
I just wish they would make it in 270 win so my 6.5 Gibbs could work to its full potential. Yes, its that good.
RR
 
Quote:
Until other manufactures pick up the brass, Lapua will continue charging what ever they want.
John



Not hardly.

If Remchester started cranking out 338 cases tomorrow, it would NOT change Lapua's prices - it is expensive, not because Lapua is "continue charging what ever they want", but because it is much better brass - and you get what you pay for.


Add to that, the wimpy US dollar for imported goods... and the very limited demand, and you get expensive.


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OPEC must make it and Sets the price . /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Cat, I am sorry but I disagree... Lapua is very, very good brass. I use it myself. However, if you look at Lapua's lineup you must admit that the price of the .338 brass is out of line with their other products. To put it quite simply, they have it, they are the only major supplier of it, and we want it.....so they inflate the price. Very much like OPEC.
John
 
I believe Its because its a high performance round. Do any of the other rounds give you the performance of the Lapua?? The answer is NO. The closest I see is the 300 Win and its still a ways behind the Lapua. Add to the fact they are the only ones making it, and yes its expensive. Lapua is very very good brass, one of the best. Its not cheap to shoot long distance with some authority behind it...

Although, if you want performance of the Lapua there is other ways around that, you just dont get the "lapua" brass. Oh well, my 338 EDGE (necked up 300 RUM) is still just as fun to shoot and matches it ballistically using 300g SMK's at 2850fps with R-P brass. May not get 50+ firings but I"m not shelling out that kinda money for any brass for anything. Guess you can call me cheap!
 
Well just look at one. Look at the head and body diameter. It's a size bigger than anything else. It's unique and I don't believe there're any other cartridges made off that case. How big do you suppose the market is? Low volume stuff costs.
 
For pure accuracy you want the most consistently and uniormly dimensioned brass. From what I hear Lapua brass requires no prepping (primer pocket uniforming, flashhole deburring) and each piece weighs pretty much exactly the same as every other piece. That counts for an awful lot in the very special and finicky world of long-range accuracy. Just a thought.
 
Quote:
I thought it was made off of the 416rigby case?



I don't know, maybe it is. So how many 416 Rigby's do you suppose are sold every year?
 
cartridges built off the 338 lapua
277 allen mag
7mm allen mag
300 Hulk
300 allen express
338 allen express
338 lapua imp
375 allen express

It is based off a 416 but made with a much thicker web, the flasholes are drilled not punched, they are annealed from the factory.
RR
 
Quote:
cartridges built off the 338 lapua
277 allen mag
7mm allen mag
300 Hulk
300 allen express
338 allen express
338 lapua imp
375 allen express

It is based off a 416 but made with a much thicker web, the flasholes are drilled not punched, they are annealed from the factory.
RR



Okay okay okay.... So other than the .338, does brass actually come with any of those headstamps? Does any company make ammunition for any of those chamberings? And if so, how much of it do you suppose they sell? The whole point is that even if it's based on a 416rigby, the .338 is a bastard sized case that's larger than other magnums. And if it's used for wildcats or proprietary stuff, it's still a low volume product. That's why it costs. Sheesh, this isn't a difficult thing to figure out. And how much do you suppose brass for a 416Rigby costs?
 
Quote:
cartridges built off the 338 lapua
277 allen mag
7mm allen mag
300 Hulk
300 allen express
338 allen express
338 lapua imp
375 allen express

It is based off a 416 but made with a much thicker web, the flasholes are drilled not punched, they are annealed from the factory.
RR



All brass is annealed at the factory - most companies polish the coloring off before loading or packaging... Lapuie does not.


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cat I was under the understanding thet rem brass is annealed before it is formed, lapua are annealed before and after, least rem. told me once that they annealed before forming.
RR
 
Quote:
cat I was under the understanding thet rem brass is annealed before it is formed, lapua are annealed before and after, least rem. told me once that they annealed before forming.
RR



You might be right - I know they are annealed (you can't make cases without annealing) but you might be right about them not annealing at the end of the chain.

But here's a thought - military brass comes with a final annealing - why would they do that if it wasn't part of the process?

I think the annealing is polished off with Remchester as the final stage, what you say has merit - I will try to call them tomorrow and ask - my curiosity is up /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


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