Load development from virgin brass

[dirtydawk]

Hi guys,

 

I have 100 brand new Lapua brass in .223 that I am about to start to working up a load for. My question is this- since the brass is not fire formed to my rifle yet, is it worth running a ladder test yet or would any results from this be worthless as any subsequent loads would be once fired/fire formed cases?

As it is only for range use I am sorely tempted to just put together a half decent plinking load I have with some cheap FMJ's and fling them off down range and once the cases are once fired, then start to develop a good target load.

 

As usual any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Ian

[foxing2night]

Hi guys,

 

I have 100 brand new Lapua brass in .223 that I am about to start to working up a load for. My question is this- since the brass is not fire formed to my rifle yet, is it worth running a ladder test yet or would any results from this be worthless as any subsequent loads would be once fired/fire formed cases?

As it is only for range use I am sorely tempted to just put together a half decent plinking load I have with some cheap FMJ's and fling them off down range and once the cases are once fired, then start to develop a good target load.

 

As usual any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Ian

I would put a good load together and go and fire them,,

My brass did shoot smaller groups on the first reload, but there was not much in it??.

Lapua brass is so good that i do not even bother to neck turn,,

i just put a mandrel through them, debur flash hole, uniform primer pockets,,

Also i only neck size, i only fullenth resize if the cases get a bit sticky,,

Hope this is of some help??

 

Darrel

[Davy]

I agree with Darrel other than I do not primer uniform until they have been fired once. I saw virtually no difference in groups between fire forming wildcats brass and once fired brass.

 

Just load them and shoot them.

[dirtydawk]

Thanks guys. As always your advice is greatly appreciated.

[rabbit fingers]

Only thing I do to new cases is run them through the neck die with the expander ball on. I run less neck tension than the standard brass so open them up a touch, it also removes the dings in the necks.