.284 Win brass availability.

[JBirchall]

Dear all

It seems Winchester .284 win brass is thin on the ground. I can obtain Norma but at £150 per 100 it's not a cheap option. What is everyone using these days? 

I have a KM expander mandrel to neck up Lapua 6.5x284 brass but I'm trying to avoid this option as i have started to experience dough nutting on my last batch.

I'm guessing apart from Norma, necking up Lap brass is the sensible option.

[That bald headed Geordie]

Most people I know who shoot .284 Winchester use Lapua 6.5 x 284 brass and neck up.

I have used Lapua brass and necked up for many years and never had a problem and case life seems pretty good.    As for doughnuts,  I use the Berger 180 Hybrid and ensure that the bearing surface of the bullet is above the shoulder / neck junction so am not affected with doughnut issues.

 

 

[No i deer]

Did you cut into the shoulder by approxaimetley 25 thousanths when neck turning your brass...?

This prevents donuts.

I've got 6 times fired lapua 6.5x284 brass i necked up and ive never had donuts

[weejohn]

Just go the Norma route , life is too short for worrying about donuts. 

I did do the necking up 6.5 brass,  turning into the shoulder but I still got donuts so gave up with the lapua and bought Norma. 

I think it shoots better than the lapua in my gun without all the faffing about which is great as I am not a great fan of reloading and only see it as a necessary evil. 

[sean223]

If you are seating to below the shoulder junction area you may still get donuts even with Norma brass. As far as I can make out the .284 case is renowned for donuts. I turned my Norma brass so time will tell. After 3 firings none so far. My Berger  180gr VLD hunting bullets bearing surface is just at the neck/shoulder junction so I would feel it when seating a bullet. I know I had them with my 6.5x284 but I wasn’t turning then.  

[JBirchall]

Thanks for the replies.

I am with weejohn regarding my interest in reloading and neck turning etc. I bought and still have, all the K&M neck turning equipment but I vowed never to neck turn another case. So to answer Noideer - no i didn't neck turn or cut into the shoulder. I've managed to get away with it for (i'm guessing about 4 firings) but when seating bullets the other day I felt the doughnut as the bullet shank went below the shoulder. 

Looks like the Norma route if i want an easy life by the sounds of it. I'm assuming there is a supply issue with Winchester brass.

 

 

[Laurie]

10 hours ago, JBirchall said:

Looks like the Norma route if i want an easy life by the sounds of it. I'm assuming there is a supply issue with Winchester brass.

Correct - it is only made on an occasional basis. Hannams Reloading had Win in three or four years ago though and as they didn't sell well, may still have some.

Frankly, the Winchester version as made currently is so poor that you're much, much better paying more for Norma. Flash-holes are off centre, oval, and there are so many other issues they're not worth having.

[No i deer]

It doesn't matter much to me whether I use Norma or lapua.ive still got to turn brass for a tight neck chamber.i would still have to expand.turn and resize.i don't mind it at all.

I do the same to my 7mm saum 

[JBirchall]

Thanks for the info Laurie ref the issue with the Winchester brass and confirms it's Norma as the option after all (in order to avoid necking up etc).

[JBirchall]

Just for information I loaded up 5 rounds using the doughnutted (necked up Lapua) brass and shot a group (5 rounds) that went .437

i know it’s only one group and I will test further but if going off that it would seem the doughnuts haven’t made any difference to accuracy. 

This is my first experience with doughnuts and as such I wouldn’t know what is “normal” when using brass with this issue. Does it normally cause accuracy to go wild?