Thread: Primers?

My 20" long 1-8" Trueflite ultra match Creedmoor barrel stabilizes the 147gr ELDMs just fine..


5 shots at 100m

Howa 24 inch 1-8 6.5CM seems to do ok with 147ELDM's

Have had best results with Fed 215

Originally Posted by spada

Howa 24 inch 1-8 6.5CM seems to do ok with 147ELDM's

Have had best results with Fed 215

Attachment 114010

Nice! Will definitely see what I can get out of the 147’s down the line.


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Another thing to consider Jan is which components to invest in for reloading the Creedmoor longer term.

Hornady factory brass is very soft compared to the Lapua small primer brass, and all the reports from around the world are that the factory brass will probably not make it past three or four or five reloads depending on how hot they are. A potential mistake some have made is to go and buy additional Hornady brass because of the cheaper price point, in order to make up a nice round number, when in the end it is a false economy because they end up having to bin it after a few reloads. It's a good idea to use what you've got for the time being but maybe consider buying something else when the brass starts to show signs of wear and tear.

If you are going down the reloading track and want to make the best of it I strongly recommend you look at stumping up the cash for some small primer brass, Lapua or Peterson. It is a lot stronger and there are some very informative test videos on YouTube that show just how much of a hammering it can take compared to large primer brass. 6.5 Guys test in particular, where they shot it 20 times in succession, with a hot load, with absolutely no change to the brass whatsoever.

I'm on my fifth reload of the Lapua now and the case head dimensions have not budged a fraction of a millimetre. After fireforming with the first use of the brass, I neck sized only for the next four reloads until I've got slightly stiff bolts on chambering, and then full length resized the whole batch. I have not yet annealed the brass and I do question in my mind whether it is going to be necessary. There has been no change to case length, so no trimming required.

Every batch delivers stonking downrange sub-MOA and tumbling goats and the odd red deer, with ease. 143gr ELD-X.

I am well aware that the small primer brass masks pressure signs but if you keep a close eye on the case heads you will notice ejector swipes and stamps just like any other brass which is telling you you're getting close, my experience is you don't get the stiff bolt quite as early as you do with softer large primer brass.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

Another thing to consider Jan is which components to invest in for reloading the Creedmoor longer term.

Hornady factory brass is very soft compared to the Lapua small primer brass, and all the reports from around the world are that the factory brass will probably not make it past three or four or five reloads depending on how hot they are. A potential mistake some have made is to go and buy additional Hornady brass because of the cheaper price point, in order to make up a nice round number, when in the end it is a false economy because they end up having to bin it after a few reloads. It's a good idea to use what you've got for the time being but maybe consider buying something else when the brass starts to show signs of wear and tear.

If you are going down the reloading track and want to make the best of it I strongly recommend you look at stumping up the cash for some small primer brass, Lapua or Peterson. It is a lot stronger and there are some very informative test videos on YouTube that show just how much of a hammering it can take compared to large primer brass. 6.5 Guys test in particular, where they shot it 20 times in succession, with a hot load, with absolutely no change to the brass whatsoever.

I'm on my fifth reload of the Lapua now and the case head dimensions have not budged a fraction of a millimetre. After fireforming with the first use of the brass, I neck sized only for the next four reloads until I've got slightly stiff bolts on chambering, and then full length resized the whole batch. I have not yet annealed the brass and I do question in my mind whether it is going to be necessary. There has been no change to case length, so no trimming required.

Every batch delivers stonking downrange sub-MOA and tumbling goats and the odd red deer, with ease. 143gr ELD-X.

I am well aware that the small primer brass masks pressure signs but if you keep a close eye on the case heads you will notice ejector swipes and stamps just like any other brass which is telling you you're getting close, my experience is you don't get the stiff bolt quite as early as you do with softer large primer brass.

Thanks Dave,

Makes sense, smaller primer so the case should be structurally stronger.

I’ve got 100 pieces of brass that came from factory ammo I tried out. I ordered 140 ELD-M’s and Federal LR Match primers. I almost ordered some extra Hornady brass but did not in the end.

Once I have worked out a load with these once shot Hornady brass and then want to try Lapua brass and small primers, do I redo the whole process to work out a load with the new brass, or just back it down a grain or so and work it up in small increments from there?


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Whatever you end with in Hornady brass will be fine in Lapua SR brass. But that's technically against the rules, so yes you "should" always go back to the beginning. However, few will actually do that.

Depending on what you want to use the rifle for it is worth pointing out that I found some stellar accuracy nodes lower down the powder weight range, like mind blowing literal bug hole accuracy from a cheap and cheerful Howa, every bit as good as semi-custom fancy barrel. So for targets and gongs, you might find 2550-2600fps is spot on. I want more for clean killing quite far out so ended up at 2750fps with the 143gr.

How many firings have you put onto that Lapua SP Creedmoor brass @Wingman. Is it the stuff you got from me?

Absolutely agree with the advice to buy the Lapua small primer brass - it hurts to buy them but they are superb value for money!

My first batch of brass has been fired up to 11 times and is looking fine.

It should also be noted that they just don't grow in length that much at all. Giving them a tickle with the VLD deburring tool seems to keep everything in check. When I got to 8 firings I squared up the case mouths a tiny bit as I think the Lee collet die I use had caused the tiniest amount of small ridges. In fairness it wasn't causing issues, I just wanted them tidy. Not a single case had reached the 1.910" trim-to length at all...

FWIW and as a guide @janleroux I run hornady and starline brass.

Starline has a little bit less case capacity and requires .2gr drop to keep the same MV and POI as Hornady cases.

Starline quality wise appears much more consistant than Hornady in case weight/length and I've not found any burrs around around a flash hole yet.

I can't comment on brass life yet but am at 6 reloads for each brand with nil issues as yet.

The advice given by others about premium brass is sound, however I would suggest that while you are learning the reloading art a 100 case lot of Hornady or starline (which is available in Sr and LR)

would be a good middle of the road and more tolerant (price wise) of the occasional whoopsie that will occur.

By the time you're at the brass replacement stage your reloading skills will be ready for the premium brass.

And dont ever buy Winchester primers!

Originally Posted by johnd

How many firings have you put onto that Lapua SP Creedmoor brass @Wingman. Is it the stuff you got from me?

Nah keeping yours as spares. Its the original batch I bought for my old Rem 700 Creedmoor and is on its 7th loading with no signs of wear and tear as yet. I have 20 6.5x47 lapua brass that I have abused with repeated hot loads and various powder test consecutively for 23 loads and it also is still perfect. The only thing I do is neck size, then anneal and full body size every 5-6 loads. The primer pockets are still as tight as new brass. Its dang good stuff.

https://forum.snipershide.com/thread...imers.6936610/

Originally Posted by spada

FWIW and as a guide @janleroux I run hornady and starline brass.

Starline has a little bit less case capacity and requires .2gr drop to keep the same MV and POI as Hornady cases.

Starline quality wise appears much more consistant than Hornady in case weight/length and I've not found any burrs around around a flash hole yet.

I can't comment on brass life yet but am at 6 reloads for each brand with nil issues as yet.

The advice given by others about premium brass is sound, however I would suggest that while you are learning the reloading art a 100 case lot of Hornady or starline (which is available in Sr and LR)

would be a good middle of the road and more tolerant (price wise) of the occasional whoopsie that will occur.

By the time you're at the brass replacement stage your reloading skills will be ready for the premium brass.

Thanks @spada - this strategy makes very good sense!


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Originally Posted by Husky1600

And dont ever buy Winchester primers!

Yeah Nah, I am using them with no issues. used to use them by the thousand when pistol shooting and they came silver coloured. I heard there was an issue a few years back but I am using them again now in large primer, popping off W760
You may have had probs with them Husky but been all good for me for e few hundred now....... hardly a telling amount i admit, .....just sayin