So I'm loading up some 308 rounds. I loaded 50 with Hornady brass, 43gr of Varget, and 168gr sierra TMK. That set gave me no trouble at all, and none of the rounds had more than 3 thou run out. Now I'm loading the same components but with lapua brass. But now the powder is getting compressed, and my concentricity is gone! WTF is going on guys?!

Well, obviously, the Lapua brass has less internal volume than your Hornady brass and the powder compression is so excessive that it's messing up your concentricity.

By the way, Lapua brass is what I prefer for my 308.

That's what I figured, but I cut it back by 1.5gr and still had problems. I didn't think it would be that much of a difference? I'm only .5 a grain away from the minimum amount of powder the book calls for. So should I be loading for what a Nato round calls for? At least when I use lapua anyway?

I'd change powders so that I wasn't so restricted.

One question; is your problem one of poor accuracy or one of finding your neck concentricity isn't satisfactory. I have a dial indicatior to measure neck concentricity and it hardly ever gets used. The proof is in the pudding or, as it were, on paper.

When I was shooting competitively, I reserved my Lapua brass for the 300 and 600 yard stages because of the improved accuracy over the neck turned Winchester brass I had been using. I found that the neck thickness of Lapua brass is far more uniform than any other brass I tested, including Winchester, Federal and Lake City Match, so much so as to make neck turning unnecessary.

As mentioned above, the proof of the pudding is in the eating thereof, and Lapua does best across the course.

Seems like I tried them all when shooting both XC and Long Range and especially for long range the Lapua gave much better service and considerably more life than the others. Big Plus 1 on Lapua Brass. Heading to Perry this morning and "gonna get me some..."

I've started neck turning my brass, and have been very impressed by the results. Especially at long range. Also here very recently I've been able to find Varget at my local cabelas. My buddy at the range told me I should be using it or 4350? But I really liked the results with it when using Hornady brass. That along with neck turning, I noticed a huge difference in velocity change. I guess if I have to I'll use a different powder? But I'd rather not.

In the December 2008 issue of Handloader magazine there was a test of various things in a 308 Winchester such as best case life, cases for most accurate loads, etc. The best accuracy was found with 45.0 grains of Varget and CCI 250 (magnum) primers under 168 gr. Sierra MatchKings.

For virgin cases, Nosler came in first, plain Federal second and Lapua third for accuracy. For once fired cases, Nosler was still the best, plain Federal second and Lapua seventh out of 10.

Cases were also tested to failure. Nosler was the worst failing on the eleventh shot. Norma was the best failing after 24 uses. Lapua came in seventh failing after 15 uses. Plain Remington and nickel plated remington came in eighth and ninth respectively failing after 20 and 22 shots respectively.

So for best economy factoring in cost versus case life, Remington is probably the best choice. Remington was about the middle of the road accurachy wase with groups in the 0.5 MOA range and Nosler being in the sub 0.4 MOA range.

Is that the gun magazine that said that Dan Coopers $5000 campaign to obammy's first run had nothing to do with his decision to sell the company shortly after the news got out?

Rich

the answer is yes...

Thanks for the info Grumulkin, I've been thinking that if the results don't change after this time firing the cases I'm going back to Hornady brass. If that's the case, why does everyone like lapua so much?!

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Is that the gun magazine that said that Dan Coopers $5000 campaign to obammy's first run had nothing to do with his decision to sell the company shortly after the news got out?

Rich

the answer is yes...

I don't remember reading it there but you may be right. I did miss a few issues a few years ago when my subscription lapsed.

I also don't believe Dan Cooper ever got out. I remember reading on one of the forums where one of the members called the company expressing (feigned) sadness over Cooper's departure and was told nothing had really changed. That's why I will NEVER buy or recommend a Cooper firearm.