.22-250 Brass
- Thread starter tripod3
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Dirty Hippie
New member
I really like Winchester brass if you can find it. Many of my cases have been loaded upwards of 10 times. I am currently trying Lapua brass, and see no reason why it won't last a long time as well. With the rising cost of Domestic brands of brass, the Lapua brass really isn't that much more.
My newest Lapua .22-250 brass is probably close to ten years old. It's all from a pre-production sample I was sent for evaluation. But is/was identical to production lots as far as I know. Whenever Lapua first came out with .22-250, it's just slightly older than that
.
My newest Win. .22-250 brass is even older Probably not any newer than 15 years. I thought it was a pretty good lot and bought quite a few thousand, enough to keep wearing out '250 based barrels the rest of my life.
So... I can't comment on current stuff. But the Lapua I have, the primer pockets outlast Win. and older WW headstamped .22-250 by quite a wide margin. I determined this by taking a couple of each and loading them over and over in a single range session until the primer pockets gave out. Using an intentionally hot load in my .20-250. Lapua kicked Win's arse all over the firing line. When the Win. cases were literally dropping primers, the Lapua was still nice and tight.
Better neck thickness uniformity for the Lapua as well.
My two primary criteria for brass - thickness uniformity and tough primer pockets.
I don't use Rem. brass for anything it if I can avoid it.
- DAA
My newest Win. .22-250 brass is even older Probably not any newer than 15 years. I thought it was a pretty good lot and bought quite a few thousand, enough to keep wearing out '250 based barrels the rest of my life.
So... I can't comment on current stuff. But the Lapua I have, the primer pockets outlast Win. and older WW headstamped .22-250 by quite a wide margin. I determined this by taking a couple of each and loading them over and over in a single range session until the primer pockets gave out. Using an intentionally hot load in my .20-250. Lapua kicked Win's arse all over the firing line. When the Win. cases were literally dropping primers, the Lapua was still nice and tight.
Better neck thickness uniformity for the Lapua as well.
My two primary criteria for brass - thickness uniformity and tough primer pockets.
I don't use Rem. brass for anything it if I can avoid it.
- DAA
I've used rem rifle brass since the 80's. the 30-06 is pretty much brass I've used sine the early 90's, though some was shot & kept in the 80's. 30-06, 22-250, 30-30, 444 marlin, for a while I had a 25-06, all rem brass. most of my 223 is rem, though I do have some hornady mixed in with that.
My 22-250 brass I bought new in 97 or 98.
But I haven't bought any in a long time now so I can't say about recent stuff. the only new brass I've bought in years is hornady 6.5 grendel.
My 22-250 brass I bought new in 97 or 98.
But I haven't bought any in a long time now so I can't say about recent stuff. the only new brass I've bought in years is hornady 6.5 grendel.
Originally Posted By: chrs_28 Brass life will depends on how hot your loads will be.
And which brass you use. The Lapua will take a lot more punishment than the Win. A lot more. At least comparing old Win. and the first lot of Lapua. Which, the Lapua isn't as old as I was thinking. Looks like only had it about 7 years.
- DAA
And which brass you use. The Lapua will take a lot more punishment than the Win. A lot more. At least comparing old Win. and the first lot of Lapua. Which, the Lapua isn't as old as I was thinking. Looks like only had it about 7 years.
- DAA
spotstalkshoot
Well-known member
I load for two 22-250's ,one is a friend's. I use Win for his and Rem for mine makes it easy to separate for processing. I have not witnessed any performance differences with the brass, the rifles both have factory barrels,although we are considering new Lilja barrels on both,done at the same time,same reamer, same g'smith. Just for kicks at range.
tripod3
New member
Originally Posted By: spotstalkshootI load for two 22-250's ,one is a friend's. I use Win for his and Rem for mine makes it easy to separate for processing. I have not witnessed any performance differences with the brass, the rifles both have factory barrels,although we are considering new Lilja barrels on both,done at the same time,same reamer, same g'smith. Just for kicks at range.
I just had some Rem brass reloaded, by a friend. He said it was fine but would probably need trimming next time.
Just didn't have enough of any one kind to load a run to last a bit.
I just had some Rem brass reloaded, by a friend. He said it was fine but would probably need trimming next time.
Just didn't have enough of any one kind to load a run to last a bit.
Originally Posted By: tripod3Thanks for the first hand accounts. I heavily weighed Winchester and Lapua deciding to give Lapua the job.
Ordered them on sale with a second discount plus free shipping, So probably about as cheap as possible at about $85 per 100 delivered no tax.
That's a great deal. And I feel the Lapua is worth the cost, to me anyways. I hope it works out well for you.
Ordered them on sale with a second discount plus free shipping, So probably about as cheap as possible at about $85 per 100 delivered no tax.
That's a great deal. And I feel the Lapua is worth the cost, to me anyways. I hope it works out well for you.
spotstalkshoot
Well-known member
I just bought 100 new Hornady 22-250 off gunbroker for 52.00 including shipping. So I'll play around with them,I should do Dave's test, primer pocket life, on one random case. For information/experimental purposes.
skinney
Director
Originally Posted By: tripod3What is the best brass for the .22-250 currently and why?
I know there are lots of opinions and failure stories so I wondering if the Lapua prestige really outweighs Winchester or Remington.
"The best" is a pretty touchy term. I like Lapua, I bought 50 pieces year before last and I've got 10 firings through them and still have tight primer pockets. I just bought another 50 for the new MK1 rifles and have high expectations. My team mates have Nosler and Norma 22-250 brass, so I'll have some pretty high end stuff to compare over the next couple years.
Reason we all went with different makes is so we don't get our pieces mixed up.
I know there are lots of opinions and failure stories so I wondering if the Lapua prestige really outweighs Winchester or Remington.
"The best" is a pretty touchy term. I like Lapua, I bought 50 pieces year before last and I've got 10 firings through them and still have tight primer pockets. I just bought another 50 for the new MK1 rifles and have high expectations. My team mates have Nosler and Norma 22-250 brass, so I'll have some pretty high end stuff to compare over the next couple years.
Reason we all went with different makes is so we don't get our pieces mixed up.
Is there any difference in Winchester brass you buy empty vs what you get from factory ammo?
Up here in Canada, I can get a box of 40 Winchester ammo for $42. Or a bag of 50 empties for $40. Maybe some differences between lots?
I guess there's the savings on barrel life if you're buying empties rather than firing off factory ammo. I'm not doing any huge volume shooting, so personally, I kinda like getting to fire off the factory ammo for the brass. It's a bit of fun/practice for near the same cost. Probably cheaper actually once primers/bullets/powder are factored in.
Up here in Canada, I can get a box of 40 Winchester ammo for $42. Or a bag of 50 empties for $40. Maybe some differences between lots?
I guess there's the savings on barrel life if you're buying empties rather than firing off factory ammo. I'm not doing any huge volume shooting, so personally, I kinda like getting to fire off the factory ammo for the brass. It's a bit of fun/practice for near the same cost. Probably cheaper actually once primers/bullets/powder are factored in.
SlickerThanSnot
New member
i would buy the loaded ammo. have fun shooting it. then load it and have fun shooting it again.