270WSM Brass

[SJB358]

Guys, I love Nosler, all things Nosler, BUT, their brass price is out of control, it is more expensive than Lapua brass in cases where they are selling the same. I just checked Graf's this morning for some 270WSM brass.

Norma brass is 35.00 for a box of 25 cases

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/pr ... ctId/25165

Then Nosler brass is 62.00 for 25 cases.

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/pr ... ctId/23790

I know it is good stuff, but how much better could it possibly be. Norma has always been top notch brass, and heck, ever Winchester brass is pretty awesome in the 270WSM when prepped correctly.

Just wondering what you all think?

I still get Nosler brass when they sell it in the calibers of 50 count boxes, like my 264 Win Mag and 338 Win Mag, as they are much closer in price to Norma, but that is more because I already have loads worked up in that brass and prefer not to mix it up and restart loads. As, 50 cases will last me a long time with a known load.

 

[DrMike]

I went to my local GS a couple of weeks past to pick up some new 300WSM brass. Here, Nosler brass is $90 for 25 pieces. Ordering from Wholesale Sports, it is $75. I passed and ordered 300 pieces of Norma brass. You are correct, Scotty, that Lapua brass is cheaper. I have a bit of Nosler brass I picked up for various cartridges, but I've passed on most of it within the past year. I picked up some 35 Whelen brass, and put it back when I saw the price. Ditto for 325WSM brass.

 

[SJB358]

Nosler seems pretty good with bullet prices and other things they sell, but they are really laying it on heavy with brass. I would love to buy from them, to keep their great folks in work, but a 3X the price in some cases, that is too much. I can't tell the difference from Norma to Nosler either. I almost thought Norma was making the Nosler brass... Ah well, can't win them all I guess.

 

[DrMike]

I'm certain the extra care of weight segregating and chamfering the brass adds to the cost. Undoubtedly, the cost of human hands is the most expensive portion of the cost. However, it has priced me out of the market.

 

[R Flowers]

All I can tell you is that I am not buying any of that high priced brass, period.

Let's face it, a 270 WSM is a hunting rifle, not a bench rest competition gun. I just use Winchester brass and still shoot groups hovering around a 1/2 inch-plenty good for a hunting rifle
( I think).

Yes, I spend a little time on preparation, but even that is probably not needed for hunting. We are all getting carried away with this stuff.

I have a couple of buddies who bought high dollar rifles and scopes before we went antelope hunting this fall. Visions of 700 yard shots were filling their heads. Heck, they both shot their antelope at less than 250 yards. They really needed all that high priced stuff.

It is great that all this stuff is available, but do we really need it????? I recently bought a new 30-06 and even using range pick up brass that I prepped I am getting groups close to a half inch.
Seems plenty good to me.

 

[FOTIS]

Remington brass is getting me sub moa at 100 yards consistently.

66 gr RL 22 140 AB 3150 fps.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I tried Remington .300 Weatherby brass necked up to .340 Weatherby. I was not too happy with the quality One case had a neck split and another case a big neck burr. This was 2 lost in 20 cases.

Norma cases have gone crazy since bronze and brass are being sold as futures and not comodities. This drove prices of Norma cases up over $30 for the Weatherby brass. Usually MidwayUSA will knock $5.00/box off on sale during the winter when it is slow. I have been buying my Weatherby .340 brass for about $27. during these sales. I stock up then.

 

[gerry]

I'm with you Scotty, I couldn't justify spending $99 for 50 35 Whelen brass recently, but was able to pick up 200 Remington brass for not much more than that. As much as I love to use Nosler products I`m not paying over 3 times the amount when good loads can be made from cheaper brass, I would have necked up 30-06 brass instead. Even the Lapua 260 Rem brass I bought was priced the same ($100 or so) but came in 100 and it is regarded by many to be the very best out there in terms of quality. FWIW When I had my 308 Norma Mag I really loved their brass, it lasted long and produced accurate loads.

 

[Guest]

I struggle with the whole "premium brass" thing myself. It comes from being so tight I squeak when I walk. I can't say I've had opportunity to test my theory, in that I've not tried "cheap brass" and "expensive brass" in the same rifle - though thanks to the generosity of a marine I know, I am about to embark on testing Remington brass versus Weatherby brass in my 300'bee. Beyond that, I have Remington, Winchester, Hornady, Norma, and Weatherby brass on my bench. I have two rifles that are my most accurate so far. One is my 270Wby, the other is my 30-06 Colt. In the 'bee, I'm using Norma brass, and in the Colt, Remington.

I can say I like the Norma and Hornady brass better when I'm sizing, but the Rem/Win seems to hold up a little longer. Of course, that could have more to do with how hard I've pushed the Norma and Hornady brass, as those are both in magnum chamberings, and operate at higher pressure than the -06, 8x57, 30-30WCF, 243Win, and the like.

I can't say as I've had the opportunity to try out the Nosler brass yet. I just can't bring myself to spend the money on it. Even seconds (which lose the "weight sorted aspect) are not cost effective compared to other options. It will be interesting to see how the whole brass market shapes up over the next few years. I'm hoarding as I know full well it's not ever going to get any cheaper - despite more than doubling in the past 5-7yrs.

 

[SJB358]

Have you tried annealing your brass Dub? That seems like a good step to add life to brass. Well, if you are getting splits and tough to size necks and not loose primer pockets..

 

[Guest]

The brass I've lost so far has been primer pockets. Either that, or the occasional piece where I've fouled up and crunched a neck or shoulder beyond repair. But that's not the fault of the brass (when I foul up). I'm going to do some annealing here shortly. That's one benefit to not shooting much over the past year. I don't have as much loading to do, nor any real maintenance work to do on brass. Just trying to find the bright side.