Lapua brass prep?

Timberbeast7

Timberbeast7

New member
I have some new Lapua brass I'm going to run in my new .243. Lapua brass comes "prepped", I'm just curious what, if anything, people do before loading new Lapua brass. I'm used to Winchester brass which I fully prep before use (ie, size neck, trim, chamfer, flash holes, etc). I've been told to run the expander mandrel on my neck die through the brass first... does anyone do anything additional? Do I need to size the necks (I'm using Redding bushing dies)?
 
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Originally Posted By: Timberbeast7I have some new Lapua brass I'm going to run in my new .243. Lapua brass comes "prepped", I'm just curious what, if anything, people do before loading new Lapua brass. I'm used to Winchester brass which I fully prep before use (ie, size neck, trim, chamfer, flash holes, etc). I've been told to run the expander mandrel on my neck die through the brass first... does anyone do anything additional? Do I need to size the necks (I'm using Redding bushing dies)?

Prepping Lapua brass for shooting...

1 - Put a primer thingie in the bottom hole.

2 - Put powder stuffie in the big hole in the top.

3 - Put a bullet thingie in the big hole on top, to keep the powder stuffie from falling out.

4 - Shoot it.

But read the thread that Arcorey suggested first, if you love your $1 each cases
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If you love your cases and treat them right, they will love you back
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.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I went through and read the thread ARCOREY showed me.

CatShooter, I've checked some of the cases and I've found one or two with small dents in the case neck. What do you do for those?

Also, if you're not sizing the necks can the first firing be counted on for accuracy? I may be wrong, but wouldn't your neck tensions vary somewhat without making them all uniform before the first loading?
 
Originally Posted By: Timberbeast7Thanks for the info guys. I went through and read the thread ARCOREY showed me.

CatShooter, I've checked some of the cases and I've found one or two with small dents in the case neck. What do you do for those?

Also, if you're not sizing the necks can the first firing be counted on for accuracy? I may be wrong, but wouldn't your neck tensions vary somewhat without making them all uniform before the first loading?


On a more serious note...

Variables are relative, and reading on the net can make you paranoid.

If you are shooting a $3,000 benchrest riffle, and you are shooting in the 1's, an un-prepped case, or variation in neck tension can put you in the 2's...

But if you aren't, then don't let anal garbage run (or ruin) your life.

Little dents in the case mouth can by overlooked if you are loading boat tails - the bullet will remove the ding and once fired, the case is okie dokie fine.

If you are shooting flat based bullets, then you can use a Lyman "M" die (that is a good thing), or, if you don't want to spent the money, then use the front of a bullet to round out the neck.

If you are using Redding dies, then DON'T use the Redding sizer with the expander to try to straighten the neck - the expander in the Redding dies is shaped like a cylinder with sharp edges and there is a good chance that you will crush the neck and ruin the case (don't ask me how I know that
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If you read (and understood) the other thread - the KEY idea when shooting a precision riffle with quality cases, is to get the cases off to a good start in life, and the first firing is key to that.
 
At a minimum, I generally neck size new Lapua brass and give a light chamfer. I also inspect the flash hole for burs. Historically, I would only get a couple pieces with a bur, but the last box of 6.5x47 I picked up had significant burs that needed removed in almost all of it.
 
Originally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: Timberbeast7I have some new Lapua brass I'm going to run in my new .243. Lapua brass comes "prepped", I'm just curious what, if anything, people do before loading new Lapua brass. I'm used to Winchester brass which I fully prep before use (ie, size neck, trim, chamfer, flash holes, etc). I've been told to run the expander mandrel on my neck die through the brass first... does anyone do anything additional? Do I need to size the necks (I'm using Redding bushing dies)?

Prepping Lapua brass for shooting...

1 - Put a primer thingie in the bottom hole.

2 - Put powder stuffie in the big hole in the top.

3 - Put a bullet thingie in the big hole on top, to keep the powder stuffie from falling out.

4 - Shoot it.

But read the thread that Arcorey suggested first, if you love your $1 each cases
wink.gif


If you love your cases and treat them right, they will love you back
wink.gif
wink.gif
wink.gif



.

+1
 
Originally Posted By: willy1947
CatShooter said:
Timberbeast7 said:
I have some new Lapua brass I'm going to run in my new .243. Lapua brass comes "prepped", I'm just curious what, if anything, people do before loading new Lapua brass. I'm used to Winchester brass which I fully prep before use (ie, size neck, trim, chamfer, flash holes, etc). I've been told to run the expander mandrel on my neck die through the brass first... does anyone do anything additional? Do I need to size the necks (I'm using Redding bushing dies)?

Prepping Lapua brass for shooting...

1 - Put a primer thingie in the bottom hole.

2 - Put powder stuffie in the big hole in the top.

3 - Put a bullet thingie in the big hole on top, to keep the powder stuffie from falling out.

4 - Shoot it.


+2. I've learned the hard way not to mess with new Lapua brass and fireform it before doing any of the other stuff to let the brass go through at least one cycle of being shot. Works far better that way in the future. Why fix it if it ain't broken?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Lapua has no reputation as being flawless. Its always a good Idea to run the brass through a full lenght sizing just to be safe, plenty of Lapua brass has come out of a brand new box with dinged up or out of round necks.
 
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i do not do anything to my lapua brass besides a light chamfer to aid bullet seating. just shot a new to me sako (1967). 70 grain balistic tips and 85 sierra bthp. varget. lapua brass. big groups were in the high .2s.
 
I would still run them over the scale and look for a light or heavy one. It will suprise me if you don't find one or two you will use for fouling shots.
 


FYI: I had some Lapua bullets, I did not like. I emailed Lapua next thing I knew the UPS man was at my door with new bullets.
 
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