Norma Brass any good?

[Buzznrose]

I was recently given a gallon zip lock bag of cleaned and deprimed 30.06 brass, probably 150 pieces or more. Guy who have it to me doesn’t shoot ought-six any longer and passed them on.

I did a quick inspection and no split cases and it all looks pretty good. The three predominant markings are PMC, WW Super, Super Speed, and Norma. There are some FC and RP mixed in. Almost half the bag is Norma.

My main question is this...are any of these case brands any better then the others? I don’t hunt any more and am really just planning to work up a nice shooting load to plink steel targets with out to 300-400 yards for fun.

Any comments on the brass?

Also, as I’m just starting out, I’m open to bullet and powder suggestions to start with. Again, not looking for a full bore load, just something I can shoot 30-50 rounds at a time without regrets the next day. I have a 7MM Rem Mag that’s fun for about 20 rounds but after that, I’m shooting .223.

I’ll be shooting from a Ruger M77 bolt gun. Was kinda thinking about 165-180 grain bullets but open to ideas. Thanks!

 

[BigBlue 94]

Norma is top shelf stuff. And pricey
Federal is usually pretty good
Newer Winchester and RP are decent, but not as good as federal. Older WIN or WW and RP are good.

No clue on PMC

No clue on loadings, just got a 30-06 myself.

I like IMR and Hodgedon Powders. Speer and Sierra are my two go-to bullet manufacturers. But ill throw in some Berger, Hornady, and others depending on caliber.

 

[troy fairweather]

norma is Very good brass, the old stuff was very hard and lasted for ever if annealed, pmc is like Remington.

 

[troy fairweather]

165 with imr 4350 starting at about 55 grains always seemed a good place to start.

 

[gifbohane]

Yesterday I picked up a hundred Norma 9MM cases at the range. Never saw them before in 9MM. I do find that I am getting more and more exotic cartridges on the deck of the range, probably guys firing their crap.

That was to be my questions are they any good? Guess that the answer is "yes."

 

[AJC1]

I would call it good brass. If your going to reload it all it may be.worth making lots. If you have a good digital scale measure a few of each for water volume after reloading and fire forming in your chamber.

 

[.308 Norma]

I’ll be shooting from a Ruger M77 bolt gun. Was kinda thinking about 165-180 grain bullets but open to ideas. Thanks!

For probably 20 years before I got my 308 Norma Mag, I used my Ruger M77, 30-06 for deer, elk, antelope and one black bear. My load was a CCI LRM primer and 56.2 grs of IMR 4350 behind a 165 gr HDY BTSP. I was kicking the bullets out at just over 2,800 fps, and it was accurate and deadly on big game from 30 yards clear out to an honest-to-goodness, paced off, 460 yards mule deer once.
I don't know your recoil tolerance though, so I can't tell you whether or not the above load would be comfortable for you to shoot 30-50 times in a session. It probably wouldn't be for me, and I like the recoil of my 308 Norma that kicks 165 gr bullets out at a little better than 3,200 fps. Of course I'm not shooting my 308 Norma 30 or more times in a session. If I was, I might not "like" the recoil quite as much.
BTW, you mentioned your 7mm Rem Mag. Using reduced charges of SR 4759 powder behind Speer 145 gr SPs, my wife practices off and on all summer with her 7mm Rem Mag. Then come fall my wife is well practiced, and when she's shooting at a mule deer, she never even notices the recoil from a 165 gr Speer GS kicked out at close to 2,900 fps.

 

[entropy]

Norma is very good brass. Finest kind. The rest you have is just fine, too.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

The guy who gave you the cases was obviously a reloader or the cases wouldn't be cleaned and de-primed.
You don't know how many times these have been fired or if he had them head spaced correctly in his rifle.

Did you check these cases for case/head separation?

Also you said,

Also, as I’m just starting out, I’m open to bullet and powder suggestions to start with.

Are you a new reloader or just new to 30-06?

I would sort them by head stamp and shoot them in batches, don't mix them. If half of your bag of cases is Norma brass and they haven't stretched beyond safe use, you really made out. Norma is good brass.
I was always partial in 30-06 with IMR 4350 with 165gr and higher wt bullets. You will just have to start at minimum load and work your way up to see what your rifle likes.
Rifles are like cooks, no two rifles will agree on which recipe is best for both of them.

 

[Demi-human]

I don’t hunt any more and am really just planning to work up a nice shooting load to plink steel targets with out to 300-400 yards for fun.

Norma is top tier brass. The rest is just fine, too.


CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.


For just plinking, I have a Hornady Vmax 110 grain bullet load with 56 grains CFE223. Surgically accurate. Must be the CFE, I had it and wondered and tried it.
That is absolutely a maximum in my rifle. However, it is a pretty light shooter.

I agree with @tightgroup tiger, give the cases a good primary inspection. Good brass can be ruined in a bad chamber. Check for the separation ring with an inspection pick(paper clip).

And be sure to thank Guy for thinking of you.
(Unless they’re bad...)

 

[Buzznrose]

Thanks for all the responses. I’m getting back into reloading slowly after many years away. I also haven’t shot much rifles besides .22, .223, 7.52*39 for 7 years since I no longer hunt or reload and costs were prohibitive. But I’m entering a season in my life where I have an itch to start shooting bolt guns again and this opportunity kinda fell in my lap, where I got a very nice Ruger at a great price and the brass given to me by a good friend I shoot a lot of clays and pistols with. By the looks of it, it hasn’t been fired more than once or twice. He also gave me 70 pieces of brand new Winchester brass in the factory bags (one unopened bag of 50 and a second opened bag with 20).

He’s a reloader and a hunter. His new rifle interests are 6.5CM, .308, and a crazy AR with a very heavy 24” SS barrel in .218 Rem.

Gonna ask him to get me back into the reloading game slowly. My wife, previously opposed to me reloading, has softened a bit as long as I have an “expert” helping (teaching) me...which I’m good with.

And yes, bad timing...but I’m not in a hurry and just piecing stuff together at this point....some powder and dies here, bullets and other gear there. My friend had offered his gear as a starting point as well.

So this will be my 2021 project...get started in reloading again. Target cartridges/calibers are 30.06, 9/10/.40/.45, and 30-30.

 

[AJC1]

Thanks for all the responses. I’m getting back into reloading slowly after many years away. I also haven’t shot much rifles besides .22, .223, 7.52*39 for 7 years since I no longer hunt or reload and costs were prohibitive. But I’m entering a season in my life where I have an itch to start shooting bolt guns again and this opportunity kinda fell in my lap, where I got a very nice Ruger at a great price and the brass given to me by a good friend I shoot a lot of clays and pistols with. By the looks of it, it hasn’t been fired more than once or twice. He also gave me 70 pieces of brand new Winchester brass in the factory bags (one unopened bag of 50 and a second opened bag with 20).

He’s a reloader and a hunter. His new rifle interests are 6.5CM, .308, and a crazy AR with a very heavy 24” SS barrel in .218 Rem.

Gonna ask him to get me back into the reloading game slowly. My wife, previously opposed to me reloading, has softened a bit as long as I have an “expert” helping (teaching) me...which I’m good with.

And yes, bad timing...but I’m not in a hurry and just piecing stuff together at this point....some powder and dies here, bullets and other gear there. My friend had offered his gear as a starting point as well.

So this will be my 2021 project...get started in reloading again. Target cartridges/calibers are 30.06, 9/10/.40/.45, and 30-30.

Might be a great time to get into looking for lead to scavenge. Do you have shooting areas that are not being used now where you can mine for lead. It's fun for me and free lead makes casting a cheap option. If you dont have a good source then it might be a waste of time. If your buddy reloads and you can cast it's a great partnership.

 

[Palladan44]

Good stuff

 

[JFrank]

FWIW
I would seperate the Norma and just work with the one brand for load work to avoid chasing your tail due to brass volume differences.

 

[GooseGestapo]

As far as I’m concerned Norma and Lapua are the finest.
Im still using some Norma .30/06 brass I bought as factory ammo in 1975-76...
Used to shoot my first 7 deer ‘76-81. Thereafter for my accuracy load for winning bets and verifying zero. 56.0gr IMR4350 Federal 210 primer, Sierra 165gr GameKing JHP. 3.310”.
My MkX Mauser after 44yrs still shoots 3/4moa 5-shots...

 

[lightman]

Norma is great brass. I am finding some Norma 223 brass with primer crimps which doesn't really please me.