I'm going to try some 300yard matches this spring/summer with my 223rem and something in the flavor of 75gr bullets. Does brass really matter for stuff like this or can I get away with the Hornady and LC matching years I already have? Ive always wondered why brass like lapue and others were so very expensive.
favorite 223rem brass for match shooting?
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Blue68f100
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You can use what you have but I would sort them according weight at a min. Use the ones all with in 2-3 gr for the matches. Use the other for practice.
The reason Lapua is expensive is the way it's prepped. Primer pockets are machined and not punched, so you don't have to remove the flashing inside the case. Fully prepped and ready to load if you like. Depending on caliber, you may or may not need to adj neck tension. If you do it's because it's too tight, and needs to be opened up with a expander. You will get more firings out of Lapua brass normally over others. If you anneal your brass you will get 10 min before the primer pockets start to loosen.
I don't shoot competition but I get better groups using Lapua brass.
The reason Lapua is expensive is the way it's prepped. Primer pockets are machined and not punched, so you don't have to remove the flashing inside the case. Fully prepped and ready to load if you like. Depending on caliber, you may or may not need to adj neck tension. If you do it's because it's too tight, and needs to be opened up with a expander. You will get more firings out of Lapua brass normally over others. If you anneal your brass you will get 10 min before the primer pockets start to loosen.
I don't shoot competition but I get better groups using Lapua brass.
MDof2
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What are you shooting? F Class? BR? Steel?
The latter, no, LC or Hornady should be fine and you won't see much variance so long as the rest of your reloading processes, charge, length, neck tension, etc are true and accurate and consistant. Longer range F class and BR or other precision you will see variance not so much by manufacture but with cartridge volume from lot to lot. Lapua solves a lot of this problem, but you pay for it.
The latter, no, LC or Hornady should be fine and you won't see much variance so long as the rest of your reloading processes, charge, length, neck tension, etc are true and accurate and consistant. Longer range F class and BR or other precision you will see variance not so much by manufacture but with cartridge volume from lot to lot. Lapua solves a lot of this problem, but you pay for it.
Just 300yard matches. 223rem. They say they use F class targets for score and each weapon class shoots together like AR with AR, varmint guns with varmint rifles, etc.
Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
It doesn't matter the brand of brass, provided one has enough to sort into "matched" sets. Even a box of Lapua can be sorted, the differences will be smaller and the sets larger. LC makes very good brass, after it is sorted.
MDof2
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If you're using a gas gun, then the brand is likely insignificant at 300 yards.
I'd run with what you have. I shoot a fair amount of the LC brass in both bolt and gas guns, and generally speaking, it's pretty consistent so long as I do my part.
If I get down to splitting hairs, then I sort, weight, turn necks, etc.
Best of luck to you, and report back how you did!
Toprudder
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Has anyone had a chance yet to try the new Starline 223 brass? I picked up some but have not had the chance to try any yet.
ArchAngelCD
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I have had very good success with PMC brass in .223 Rem.
I'm sure Lalua and Nosler brass is very good too but I'm way too cheap to buy any.
I'm sure Lalua and Nosler brass is very good too but I'm way too cheap to buy any.
I just about fell out of my chair yesterday when i looked up Lapua on Midwayusa.
MDof2
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I've used some. (pistol) Starline brass. Good quality. No complaints. I haven't used the 223 stuff but see it once in a while on shelves.
Blue68f100
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I tried some of the 6.5 CM Starline brass. I did a bunch of weight checks and posted the results. I don't think anyone made any comments on it. The bottom line is that it's better than most commercial brass. You still have to do all the brass prep to the flash holes. Length was all ±0.001" if I recall, ran 0.013-0.014" in neck thickness. Primer pockets were not as tight as Lapua Brass.
ArchAngelCD
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For some reason it seems brass prices have gone up. IMO 64 cents a piece is very high especially when other quality name brand brass costs 24 cents each. (still a lot lol)
And you don't need it IMHO.
Buy some of this Hornady, and it will likely be better than you can shoot. In other words, a poor shot will be your fault.
Get a few matches under your belt, learn to read the wind, not make gun handling/trigger discipline mistakes, and upgrade to a gun that can shoot aggs in the teens, and then worry about what brass you have.
Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
But worth every penny, when considering the time spent NOT prepping it.
I don't mind the prep as its something i do in the winter or rainy days. I have about 1k LC 223 brass ive been slowly sizing, trimming, etc a few hours a week. Keeps me away from the TV. Once i get a big boy rifle and can shoot well enough ill buy some like Walkalong said.
Varminterror
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I readily admit I don’t shoot well enough to tell a difference between Lapua or Hornady brass at the working end of the rifle. Where a guy doesn’t have to look hard to find a difference is the number of reloads. I loosen up pockets much earlier in Hornady than in Winchester, and Lapua seems to last forever.
That IS including annealing as appropriate per cartridge - if you’re not annealing, you’ll lose brass. In that case, replacing cheap brass is cheaper than replacing expensive brass...
So for your first couple of seasons, run what ya brung... the Hornady brass will outshoot you if you treat it right, even without weight sorting most likely.
That IS including annealing as appropriate per cartridge - if you’re not annealing, you’ll lose brass. In that case, replacing cheap brass is cheaper than replacing expensive brass...
So for your first couple of seasons, run what ya brung... the Hornady brass will outshoot you if you treat it right, even without weight sorting most likely.
Varminterror
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One secret most target shooters won’t tell you openly: most of what we do in terms of reloading isn’t really doing much to make things shoot better, it’s just a matter of checking boxes to say, “I’m sure it wasn’t ______” if something doesn’t go as planned. When you have random factory gear, that flyer in the group could be anything... when you’ve spent hours creating ideal brass, it sure ain’t the brass’s fault...
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