6.5 creedmoor brass ?
- Thread starter rebs
- Start date
m&p45acp10+1
New member
The ones that are free. I picked up 100 pieces from a guy that shot 5 20 round boxes. He sl8d each back into the holder in the box. He put the boxes back into the bag, and left it on the bench when he went home. The recipt was in the bag. I could not believe he paid that much for new ammo.
Starline, nosler or lapua. If you are looking for absolute accuracy buy one big lot of all the same brand and all the same lot number. Some will turn their nose up at me saying this but I have found even different lot numbers mixed together can result in bigger groups.
And for the love of Christmas full length size your brass.
And for the love of Christmas full length size your brass.
jetinteriorguy
New member
I’ve had excellent results with starline large primer, but make sure you full length size first. I tried just neck sizing, on one bag no problem but the second bag I crushed a couple because the necks were so small. But running them through the full length die with a normal expanding ball got them to where I could safely neck size them. Kind of a pain but only had to do it once and well worth it in the end for the results I’ve been getting.
98 220 swift
New member
I have found Hornady brass to have a lot of weight variation. Starline has been much better. Federal has been great with weighs being close to the same. at least in the small batch I have of them.
m&p45acp10+1
New member
I have and use the following:
1. Hornady- I have not weighed a single one. I bought 2 boxes of 50 right before Christmas this year when I bought my Savage rifle. I have also picked up 160 more from people that shot factory Hornady ammo, and gave me the once fired brass. (I know it to be once fired. I have not weighed a singe one of them. My original lot has 12 firings and the primer pockets are still holding up fine. I get sub 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards. Most groups of 5 are under half an inch from outside edge to edge. That is using a lead sled.
2. Nosler- Have not weighed a single one. Loaded with the same charge weight as the Hornady with the same bullet, and same primer I get the same sized groups.
3. Star Line- Works the same as the other two. No noticeable changes in accuracy either way. $50 per 100 for new off the shelf at the store is big plus.
Note I treat all brass to the same initial steps. I deburr the flash holes. I chamfer the case mouth. I use the deburr for outside of the case mouth. I then load them.
I have used them with 2 rifles. One Ruger RPR, and a Savage 12 FV. Both give half to 3/4 inch groups from outside edge to edge groups from the lead sled. A bit more if I am using the bipod and a sand sock.
I quit with seeking the things that are going to make the uber perfect load. I get a load that works very well, and then start putting them down range. Once a load is doing great. I work more on me. No matter how exact the load is. No matter how well prepped the brass is. No matter how exact the charge weight is. I am the weak link.
1. Hornady- I have not weighed a single one. I bought 2 boxes of 50 right before Christmas this year when I bought my Savage rifle. I have also picked up 160 more from people that shot factory Hornady ammo, and gave me the once fired brass. (I know it to be once fired. I have not weighed a singe one of them. My original lot has 12 firings and the primer pockets are still holding up fine. I get sub 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards. Most groups of 5 are under half an inch from outside edge to edge. That is using a lead sled.
2. Nosler- Have not weighed a single one. Loaded with the same charge weight as the Hornady with the same bullet, and same primer I get the same sized groups.
3. Star Line- Works the same as the other two. No noticeable changes in accuracy either way. $50 per 100 for new off the shelf at the store is big plus.
Note I treat all brass to the same initial steps. I deburr the flash holes. I chamfer the case mouth. I use the deburr for outside of the case mouth. I then load them.
I have used them with 2 rifles. One Ruger RPR, and a Savage 12 FV. Both give half to 3/4 inch groups from outside edge to edge groups from the lead sled. A bit more if I am using the bipod and a sand sock.
I quit with seeking the things that are going to make the uber perfect load. I get a load that works very well, and then start putting them down range. Once a load is doing great. I work more on me. No matter how exact the load is. No matter how well prepped the brass is. No matter how exact the charge weight is. I am the weak link.
Ed Dillon at NECO just put me onto Atlas Development Group cartridge cases, made in Kentucky here in the U.S.A. He said match shooters are going nuts for them. You are guaranteed all the cases come off the same set of tooling in each lot. They claim to have added brass in key places to maximize reloading life.
I just got a sample in today. The flash holes are deburred for you. The case mouths are not chamfered or deburred, but they are cut cleanly and don't have the usual commercial saw marks around the perimeter. The weight of my 308 brass averaged 172.5 about like Lapua, and the weight SD was 0.58 for the first 30 I weighed. About 0.001" neck wall runout on the first 3 I looked at, but that's too tiny a sample. More later. Ed isn't selling the 6.5 Creedmore at this point, but the company site has it. They also have a promotional no-shipping charge policy going on right now.
I just got a sample in today. The flash holes are deburred for you. The case mouths are not chamfered or deburred, but they are cut cleanly and don't have the usual commercial saw marks around the perimeter. The weight of my 308 brass averaged 172.5 about like Lapua, and the weight SD was 0.58 for the first 30 I weighed. About 0.001" neck wall runout on the first 3 I looked at, but that's too tiny a sample. More later. Ed isn't selling the 6.5 Creedmore at this point, but the company site has it. They also have a promotional no-shipping charge policy going on right now.
rebs,
You probably already realize that the some manufacturers of 6.5mm Creedmoor brass set up for Large Rifle Primers and some set up for Small Rifle Primers.
When I got my first 6.5mm Creedmoor, I only could get find new brass with Large Rifle Primers (Norma and Hornady). I found to my amazement that the large rifle primer pockets wore out much faster than in my .308 brass.
When it became available, I switched to Lapua brass with small rifle primers and the primer pockets lasted about 4 times longer. I have retired the first 100 Lapua brass after 23 reloads with no loss in accuracy right up until the last reload.
The Lapua brass cost me $112 per 100. Norma brass cost $122 and Hornady brass cost $74. I got more than 3x the number of reloads with Lapua brass than with the others so Lapua actually cost the least per reload.
The average of group sizes I have recorded show that the small rifle primers, specifically the CCI 400 and CCI BR-4 have produced better accuracy than the Federal 210M large rifle match primers.
CCI BR-4s were the best but are twice the cost of CCI 400s.
CCI 400s shot 10% larger groups than the BR-4s.
Federal 210Ms shot 21% larger groups than the BR-4s.
You probably already realize that the some manufacturers of 6.5mm Creedmoor brass set up for Large Rifle Primers and some set up for Small Rifle Primers.
When I got my first 6.5mm Creedmoor, I only could get find new brass with Large Rifle Primers (Norma and Hornady). I found to my amazement that the large rifle primer pockets wore out much faster than in my .308 brass.
When it became available, I switched to Lapua brass with small rifle primers and the primer pockets lasted about 4 times longer. I have retired the first 100 Lapua brass after 23 reloads with no loss in accuracy right up until the last reload.
The Lapua brass cost me $112 per 100. Norma brass cost $122 and Hornady brass cost $74. I got more than 3x the number of reloads with Lapua brass than with the others so Lapua actually cost the least per reload.
The average of group sizes I have recorded show that the small rifle primers, specifically the CCI 400 and CCI BR-4 have produced better accuracy than the Federal 210M large rifle match primers.
CCI BR-4s were the best but are twice the cost of CCI 400s.
CCI 400s shot 10% larger groups than the BR-4s.
Federal 210Ms shot 21% larger groups than the BR-4s.
Ok, here is my take. YOMV.
Lapua: I have to disagree, I have some and the case mouths were dented, nice stuff, but I had to run through the M die. Should not happen with that cost and quality.
PPU/RP (Remington): These are about the same, good solid middle of the road brass, my go to. I have run a lot of rounds of 7.5 Swiss though the press and no failure (PPU is the only type I cold find, cost was ok and I liked it anyway so happy with it) PPU did not need any case mouth work and it comes in a bag not a cool box.
Norma: Good stuff Maynard, cost an arm and a leg. Only for David Tubb etc.
Horandyh/Nossler/FC etc: Meah. Too costly for what you get, thin, soft etc.
I am still kicking myself, came across a link where they hard tested the various brasses and did not save it. Norma did last a lot longer, best of all.
Lapua was down in the RP area. I don't remember if PPU was tested.
Both were about 2/3 of the longevity of the Norma (big fall off to that spot)
The rest wandered on down from there.
Lapua: I have to disagree, I have some and the case mouths were dented, nice stuff, but I had to run through the M die. Should not happen with that cost and quality.
PPU/RP (Remington): These are about the same, good solid middle of the road brass, my go to. I have run a lot of rounds of 7.5 Swiss though the press and no failure (PPU is the only type I cold find, cost was ok and I liked it anyway so happy with it) PPU did not need any case mouth work and it comes in a bag not a cool box.
Norma: Good stuff Maynard, cost an arm and a leg. Only for David Tubb etc.
Horandyh/Nossler/FC etc: Meah. Too costly for what you get, thin, soft etc.
I am still kicking myself, came across a link where they hard tested the various brasses and did not save it. Norma did last a lot longer, best of all.
Lapua was down in the RP area. I don't remember if PPU was tested.
Both were about 2/3 of the longevity of the Norma (big fall off to that spot)
The rest wandered on down from there.
https://www.outdoorlife.com/evolution-65-creedmoor
In the big inning: or as they say "the evolution of the 6.5 Creedmoor" out of New York or as they say once you get to New York take the LIE
They explain the large primer and the small primer and all the reloaders complaining because they are helpless and can not put a load together.
And they explained the difficulty reloaders have doing anything that is metric with the exception of the 7MM Remington Mag.
If I had a 6.5 Creedmoor I would start with 308 W cases. After forming the cases I could call the cases 264/08s.
F. Guffey
In the big inning: or as they say "the evolution of the 6.5 Creedmoor" out of New York or as they say once you get to New York take the LIE
They explain the large primer and the small primer and all the reloaders complaining because they are helpless and can not put a load together.And they explained the difficulty reloaders have doing anything that is metric with the exception of the 7MM Remington Mag.
If I had a 6.5 Creedmoor I would start with 308 W cases. After forming the cases I could call the cases 264/08s.
F. Guffey
I would assume 6.5 would be similar to other 6.5's and all other brass in general. If the 6.5 is some special breed then ignore this post.
My best luck with brass is with Lapua in .260 Rem, .223, and .308. Starline is Ok but don't try more than ten loads. I had some Norma in .204 but re barreled the rifle to .223 before I had got to ten reloads so I can't speak much about them.
I just tossed 50 Peterson this morning as it was on it's 12th reload, I had a case do a head separation. First one I have had since I started reloading rifle ten years ago. I will not be loading the rest of the Petersons I have past ten. Peterson makes decent brass but it is not as good as Lapua.
Say what you will about Lapua pricing but I have never had a Lapua case fail for any reason other than loose primer pockets. Others may have but I am just speaking about my personal experience. Lapua is all I will use from now on.
My best luck with brass is with Lapua in .260 Rem, .223, and .308. Starline is Ok but don't try more than ten loads. I had some Norma in .204 but re barreled the rifle to .223 before I had got to ten reloads so I can't speak much about them.
I just tossed 50 Peterson this morning as it was on it's 12th reload, I had a case do a head separation. First one I have had since I started reloading rifle ten years ago. I will not be loading the rest of the Petersons I have past ten. Peterson makes decent brass but it is not as good as Lapua.
Say what you will about Lapua pricing but I have never had a Lapua case fail for any reason other than loose primer pockets. Others may have but I am just speaking about my personal experience. Lapua is all I will use from now on.
Hornady was my go to brass in .204 for a couple of thousand rounds, only switched to Norma at the end of that barrel. I liked them but I loaded that .204 hot and the primer pockets wore out fast and after 5 or six reloads I would not trust them. That was just under my circumstances
A month or two back there was a thread here about how stock Hornady ammo was getting to the point where it was rivaling reloads. I have eyewitness proof of that because at a recent match a guy take a off the shelf Ruger precision with the department store scope load up with the Horandy bulk in the red white and blue box and shoot a 199 out of 200 target at 300 yards. Made some of the boys shooting the custom rifle with handloads say some bad words. At 300 velocity SD doesn't matter all that much but that would hold true up to 500. That's good for anything from varmint on in shooting.
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