I've recently heard some not-so-flattering things about large caliber Norma brass (soft). Since RWS now seems to be out of the market, that leaves Bell to take up the slack for my new 404 Jefferey.

Anybody out there use Bell brass in thier safari calibers? If so, how does it compare to Norma.

Bell brass is junk whether compared to Norma or anything else. I've used both for a wildcat. Nothing I did enabled more than 5 reloads with Bell. In most cases less than that. Norma is still ticking with 18 reloads on one lot. Nothing soft about it in my limited experience. Norma is far better and without comparison to Bell.

Like Bob338 I've also had problems using Bell 404 brass in a wildcat(9.3mm/404). I've found it to be both coursely made and very soft. Norma is much better but I still prefer RWS if you can find any.

Regards

RJW

I've never used Bell (heard too many bad reports about it!), but I've used lots of Norma in 5 calibres and it is head and shoulders ahead of any American-made brass. I've never found it soft, but that could vary among lots I'm sure.

If you can find it (and afford it), go with RWS however. They last forever, are extremely uniform in mass, plus the necks are straight and of uniform thickness.

I have some RWS cases which I got with a used .375 H&H so I have no idea of how many times they were loaded before I got them. I've annealed them once and used them 13-15 times though. When I drop one of these jewels in the grass, I get down and look for that sucker for quite a while!

jpb

GAHUNTER where have you heard the bad rumors?

I'm very pleased with the Norma brass in .416 Rigby and in every thing else I preffere and use Norma.

Can't say that I hvae used either RWS or Bell a lot. My exsperience tells me though that the Bell isn't nice - eventhough it can be the only oppotunity at hand (in my case .450/400 3").

The RWS I don't like - and I kow a couple who will use only them, and others like me who stay as far away as possible from them.

But do any of you know if Norma or RWS isn't make the brass for the other company after they have been put together?

Regards

Mads

Never used Bell brass, but as many here say it's trash, I'll believe them.

As for Norma, I have used quite a bit of it in .357 Mag...or tried to. It was junk. Way to soft and case life was pitiful. Regular old W-W brass outlasted it 10-1.

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A well placed bullet is worth 1,000 ft/lbs of energy.