Virgin Lapua Brass

[Xtrema]

I was having a discussion at Bisley over the weekend about loading virgin Lapua brass. Some people full length size before loading, some just neck size and some don't bother at all; they just load and shoot.

So what's the view on here particularly with new Lapua brass? What do you do and why?

 

Richard

[duey]

For my level of club shooting and hunting the most I will prep virgin Lapua brass is uniform the primer pockets ( considered by many not to be needed and possibly not) and most likely take a very light neck turn to try and uniform neck tension

 

I will only full length resize after 3-5 firings and neck size with bushing dies until then

 

I believe that Lapua brass is below SAMMI sizing anyhow and don't see the need to FL resize before firing but as I said I don't compete so not looking for that last little bit of accuracy or consistency

 

Duey

[Xtrema]

Which is pretty much what I do except I don't turn the necks on new brass.

I do trim the length of the longest to just a tad longer than the shortest though.

I am curious as to what others do.

[justin credible]

Why do you not trim all to the same length?

[MrCetrizine]

I inspect the neck and if it looks round, I load it. If it's a bit oval, I run it as far as the expander in my FL die then load it.

Usually one or two per hundred have been knocked in transit and need rounding out.

 

I'm fairly certain that Lapua don't do anything to virgin brass before making factory ammo from it, I know for a fact that several other manufacturers don't either as they have videos on YouTube showing their factories.

[Big Al]

I dont want to rely on Lapua for my reloading consistency, as such everything with be neck sized and checked for length. If Im running a neck bushing die then Im happy to do the neck only as the cases will be well undersize anyway, if its a FL die I have for that caliber its only the neck that get much attention again as the body will be undersize.

 

I dont neck turn unless its a fitted neck but recently I felt the annealing on a box of 6.5x47 brass was poor as after neck sizing the neck tensions were all over the place, I annealed the cases and everything was fine after that. I find that usually they are all about the same length and just hold back any that might differ a lot, I then trim them all after the majority have had their first firing and then use the few unfired ones first.

[Xtrema]

Why do you not trim all to the same length?

As Big Al says, there's little variation between lengths so for me, they get trimmed after first firing.

[jcampbellsmith]

I run an expander mandrel through the cases to take any dings out of the necks and that's all I do. Regards JCS

[andybrock]

I run an expander mandrel through the cases to take any dings out of the necks and that's all I do. Regards JCS

+1 seems pointless FL resizing new brass as its already as small as its ever going to be!

[GeorgeB]

I neck expand new cases, not only to remove dings but to reduce neck tension to avoid shaving metal off the bullet when seating. The inside of the case neck needs to be lubed well, new brass tends to gall up on the mandrel.

 

- Have also had to return a batch of Lapua 6.5x284 that were not properly annealed.

[VarmLR]

I full length size all new brass. I've had some new brass that's proved either hard to chamber or extract (moderate loads) due to brass inconsistencies, and the last thing I need in the field is a jammed round. I want to make sure brass is neither too undersize or oversize, and sizing gives me that assurance. It should make next to no difference to case life if done properly. After sizing, I won't anneal until the third or 4th firing normally, but after reading how inconsistent some have found new Lapua neck tensions, I may have to rethink that and anneal after initial sizing.

[Grum87]

Neck size, trim, chamfer in and out.

 

Chamber specs on my rifle mean that most factory brass is a ballhair long for my liking, so trimming gets it back to where I want it, with the added advantage of uniforming length's throughout the batch.

 

Neck sizing because the necks run brutally tight from my experience, aswell as dents from travelling.....

[Montey]

I full length size mine and check and trim after fired once.im finding the less I do to my bass the better the results.

[Swarovski1]

All the lapua brass ive ever used is well shy of trimming.they would probaly need 4 firing or more and fl sizing before they will trim.recently I purchased a expander that I only run the case on just a fraction to reshape . uniform pockets.chamfer in and out.no resizing.

[Blue Haze]

Depends on what I am trying to achieve with the first loading of the cases. If they are for my .223 'F-TR pinker' (F-tr type rifle, but only used for a play at my club) then I do very little indeed. It is a factory standard rifle that can only just manage 0.8 MOA. I will just chamfer the necks and load up. on .223 the cases out the box do hold around 6 thou neck tension (which is large) and I can tell on the chrono, but not on targets out to 600 yards. Then on the 2nd loading onward I will size in a bushing die, clean pockets and load. I just accept that the first loading may not be as good as those that follow.

 

For a comp gun, or if I need the first loading to perform, then I will:

• Uniform primer pockets
• De-burr flash holes
• Run over an expander mandrel
• Neck turn to whatever gives 3-4 thou neck clearance
• Chamfer inside and outer case necks
• Size with a FL bushing die to give 2 thou tention on a loaded round and no shoulder bump
• Load up and shoot

[22lrman]

I believe Lapua is pretty consistent from new.

I just visually inspect the necks and if dinged, neck size and load up to get them fireformed. Then do whatever you like doing from there on. I'm not sure if there is any real world benefit in performing all the bells and whistles good stuff if they are not fireformed in the first place. But I dont have the direct experience to say. Maybe some Benchrest guys on here can help....

 

Alternatively just buy some factory loads that use Lapua brass and fire them for practice. Sometimes works out cheaper/less hassle than buying virgin brass and putting in your favourite recipies just to fireform them.

[Xtrema]

The recent batch of Lapua brass i recently bought do have sharp edges on the case mouth.

A quick whirl with the deburring tool just to take the edges off to avoid bullet shaving and they're good to go i reckon.