Would you buy these?

[Elwood]

 

Or would you send them back, they are brand new 6.5x47 Lapua cases and not exactly cheap at £85 a hundred.

[snap_shot]

personally if they are all thatbad i would send them back........

but if in the minority then i would run them through the dies a few times........doesn't look good though.....annoying that.....

[Redfox]

They look exactly like 99.9% of new cases out of the box. I always full length size new cases and trim and chamfer the necks, uniform the primer pocket and de-burr the flashole. You dont usually do all 100 or so cases, I usually do 25 or 50 and use them in rotation etc.

You have to remember the machines that make the cases are spitting out thousands per hour into steel boxes that then go for packaging so plenty of opportunities for the odd ding and dent in the neck, just size them and carry on.

Redfox

[Elwood]

Ok lets play spot the perfectly round one my photo isn't showing the extent of the damage. I have always used Lapua brass other than .22.250 and I have never seen anything as bad as this. I will admit I haven't been through the whole box yet, but being Lapua and £85 I would expect better.

 

If I send them back I will probably have to pay the postage, so I guess I will take Redfox's advice and use them.

[Ronin]

Apart from the young lad in the shop holding the box above his head and using the contents as a shaker there is nothing massively wrong with them and when you run them through the die the expander ball should smooth the necks out (providing your die has an expander ball)

 

Otherwise run them in an expaneriron (if you have one) and re-size.

 

(if you have one of those too)

 

They are not great, but, I wouldnt send em back

 

 

If you need to borrow a K&M mandrel you can, so long as its returned

[Elwood]

That's very kind of you Andy, I haven't bought my dies yet but I'm thinking I might be going down the expander ball route!

[Chris-NZ]

Or would you send them back, they are brand new 6.5x47 Lapua cases and not exactly cheap at £85 a hundred.

 

Just picked up 200 identical cases and apart from a few minor mouth dents from bulk packaging, they were pretty reasonable, certainly nothing like the picture. A pass with a neck expander should be all they need.

[menial 1]

 

Or would you send them back, they are brand new 6.5x47 Lapua cases and not exactly cheap at £85 a hundred.

 

If I'd paid £85 for a hundred cases with necks like that I'd be livid, they're tits. I use Lapua for 3 of my rifles and I've never had any that look as rough as yours. They're new cases so why should you have to finish them off yourself, apart from the odd dented neck it should be load and shoot to fireform for your next load, you don't buy a new rifle and have to crown it yourself surely? These are new cases and at £85/100 I'd expect better from Lapua.

Pete.

[craigyboy]

I run the expander through all new brass before sizing, no matter how good the brass is, there is always gonna be the odd dinged neck because of packaging, I would say there are alot more dinged that are so slight you cant even see but they will still make a difference to neck tension if using outside only bushing dies.

[menial 1]

I run the expander through all new brass before sizing, no matter how good the brass is, there is always gonna be the odd dinged neck because of packaging, I would say there are alot more dinged that are so slight you cant even see but they will still make a difference to neck tension if using outside only bushing dies.

 

I full length size new brass , but don't expect to have to chamfer/deburr the case mouths as well before seating, I can understand dinks from manufacturing bumps and bangs but not the rough finish that these show in the case mouths. Roughness amounts to poor quality control, if the bricklayers buggered off without doing the pointing up on your new house , you wouldn't turn round and say " Ah well I'll just do it myself then" would you?

I'd send them back to the supplier and express my dissatisfaction when you are used to a better product for that kind of money.

Pete.

[Andrew]

You should always FL resize new brass and prep accordingly. No matter if it's Lapua or not. Unprimed brass is tossed into a bin and sorted by weight, not handled with kid gloves until it's delivered to the reloading bench. In the States, the manufacturers state that you must resize unprimed bulk brass before loading. ~Andrew

[Redfox]

I agree with Andrew to expect the manufacturer to supply trimmed and prepped bras is unrealistic, it would double the price of it at least. To use Petes analogy, would you expect to jump in a new car and it have no pre-delivery check and not have to put petrol in?

Other than those who fire form for wildcat rounds, it makes no sense to make ammo that is not consistent until it is reloaded a second time, consistency gives accuracy, so it makes sense to prep the cases when new, including fl sizing and trimming.

Also these cases were dearer as they are still "specials" as far as the manufacturer is concerned, I pay less than half that for 6.5x55 lapua cases.

Redfox

[bobsdog]

I agree with Andrew to expect the manufacturer to supply trimmed and prepped bras is unrealistic, it would double the price of it at least. To use Petes analogy, would you expect to jump in a new car and it have no pre-delivery check and not have to put petrol in?

Other than those who fire form for wildcat rounds, it makes no sense to make ammo that is not consistent until it is reloaded a second time, consistency gives accuracy, so it makes sense to prep the cases when new, including fl sizing and trimming.

Also these cases were dearer as they are still "specials" as far as the manufacturer is concerned, I pay less than half that for 6.5x55 lapua cases.

Redfox

Yep, I'm with Andrew and Redfox, full-length size and length trim before the first load.

[menial 1]

Yep, I'm with Andrew and Redfox, full-length size and length trim before the first load.

I full length size as I've already said, and measure each case after that, if they meet my requirements I then load without the need to trim. Very rarely do I find Lapua cases that are oversize when new. You can perceive my analogy any way you wish Redfox, but the fact remains that the context of this thread concerned those cases in the picture Elwood posted, not general case prep., and the fact remains they are that which promotes growth and vigour!! We're each entitled to our own opinions and I would imagine that Ian thinks they're crap also, or what would be the point to his question. If you pay the extra it costs for better brass then you expect a quality product. You wouldn't happily hand over Range Rover money and be happy when you received a Lada now would you?

 

Pete.

[Guest northernchris]

In the last few days i have just prepped 100 x 6mmBr and 100 x 6.5x55 Lapua cases,the quality is slipping the same way Norma brass has gone.The flash holes in the 6.5mm brass had burs and brass chipping in and around the flash holes.

Nosler's custom brass seems to be playing catch up with Lapua and at this rate it wont be long before they pass Lapua,just a shame they dont have all the calibres on offer compared to Lapua.

[Guest charadam]

To answer the original question - no, not at that price.

 

Who packed your brass - a UK distributor, or Lapua?

 

In either case, your redress is clear - send back the damaged cases and demand replacements or a refund - only pack them so you cannot be liable for further damage.

 

I work for a Finnish company and generally, they are extremely responsive to genuine grievances.

 

In any case, if you have paid premium price for premium brass, it should be packed so that it reaches you in the condition that it came out of the die.

 

If it came loose in a bag or box, somebody is taking the piss!

[Redfox]

In the real world, the price of metals like copper and zinc are four times what they were 18 months ago, add to that a similar increase in fuel and energy costs, together with labour and transport costs and that is why brass is dearer all the time.

I think it fair to say that we have to get used to higher prices, they are not going to come down anytime soon.

As I already said when you look at the speed they come out of the forming machines and then get packed loose in boxes by machine, you are going to get the odd ding in the neck which is the softest part of the case, whichever make you buy.

If you want perfection, ready to load it is going to cost £2.00 a case individually wrapped.

I have had some boxes that were a bit worse than others, but I always full length size them so it doesnt matter or make any difference if there is the odd ding in the neck and those in the photo arent bad at all compared to winchester or Rem cases Ive had.

It is a bit dissapointing but not that much of an issue really.

Redfox

[menial 1]

In the real world, the price of metals like copper and zinc are four times what they were 18 months ago, add to that a similar increase in fuel and energy costs, together with labour and transport costs and that is why brass is dearer all the time.

I think it fair to say that we have to get used to higher prices, they are not going to come down anytime soon.

As I already said when you look at the speed they come out of the forming machines and then get packed loose in boxes by machine, you are going to get the odd ding in the neck which is the softest part of the case, whichever make you buy.

If you want perfection, ready to load it is going to cost £2.00 a case individually wrapped.

I have had some boxes that were a bit worse than others, but I always full length size them so it doesnt matter or make any difference if there is the odd ding in the neck and those in the photo arent bad at all compared to winchester or Rem cases Ive had.

It is a bit dissapointing but not that much of an issue really.

Redfox

 

If you bought 100 Mars bars and they were all "dinged" at the end you'd send them back methinks, well they're about the same money as cases iirc, and all individually packed, so why should you have to wear poor quality control on reloading products when they advertise themselves as of the highest quality.

Pete

[Guest charadam]

Redfox said:

 

"In the real world, the price of metals like copper and zinc are four times what they were 18 months ago, add to that a similar increase in fuel and energy costs, together with labour and transport costs and that is why brass is dearer all the time. "

 

In the real world - in other words, anywhere but shooting / reloading, suppliers realise that they have to be reasonable.

 

That is why responsible suppliers will take the trouble to supply you, the customer, with "product as described".

 

If the advertisement had said "dodgy brass, distorted necks, you resize or the bullets won't fit" ---would you have paid £85 a 100?

 

The cost of the materials for a case is minimal (see below).

 

Materials:

 

Copper/zinc , £4000 per ton. (I haven't bothered to look it up - make it £10,000- if you wish) Case 150 grains? 2240Lbs x 7000 grains = 15,680,000 grains.

 

/ by 150 = 104,533 cases per ton.

 

= 0.383 PENCE per case.

 

Production cost, after amortisation of tooling, machinery & co. let's say another 2p.

 

So, 2.383 pence.

 

Advertising, bullshit, labour and all the other crap - an excessive 5p per case.

 

Add shipping (not packaging in this case) - OK a totally unreal 5p per case.

 

So now we have a total cost of 12.283 pence per case.

 

Let's add 200% profit for the importer - 36.849 pence PER CASE

 

And you are still OK with paying 85 pence each for damaged cases?

[Redfox]

Copper alone is more than that per tonne, grade a is £4185 per tonne spot cash, then you have to make it into annealed brass strip etc etc.

You should size new brass regardless, so it isnt an issue really, end of argument unless you wish to argue with yourself.

Redfox

[Ronin]

I think this thread is coming to the end of its useful life.....

 

 

I think the majority of us who reload would not use the cases straight from the box but resize, neck turn etc so the brass is how we want it.

 

I have several hundred (of each) of 6.5x47, 6.5x284, 308, 300WSM and 338LM cases in boxes from both Norma and Lapua sat here, I opened a few last night after re-reading the thread, they are pretty much similar to the ones pictured - some better, some the same, none worse.

 

Seems a pretty average reflection of the quality supplied these days.

 

 

Time to move to another subject otherwise we go around in circles

[Redfox]

agreed

redfox