Is Hornady brass "better"?

Doodlebugger45 · June 11, 2009, 10:03 PM

I notice that the listed price for Hornady brass is quite a bit higher than for the other name brands. Of course, most all the calibers of brass I like is out of stock anyway right now. I was just wondering for future reference if there is something special about Hornady brass compared to Winchester or Remington.

RedHawk357 · June 11, 2009, 10:26 PM

Bought two boxes of fifty rds each about five years ago. Preped them this week. Lost two cases; one from a serious dent running from side of case to bottom of neck. Lost the second cull from case mouth of the case being all snaggly. Trimming would knock it below min case length. The 98 remaining rds shoot like a dream. Still the two culls really get my OCD kicking when I see those two empty spots in my MNM 100 rd case

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · June 11, 2009, 10:35 PM

For the price...I would say no. Winchester and RP brass is good enough for what the average person uses it for (hunting, plinking, etc). If I am wrong and you are a serious shooter, Lapua brass in my opinion is the best. It is VERY consistent...and the key to accuracy is consistency. Hornady is proud of their stuff...just like Nike, Brooks Brothers, and Polo!

freakshow10mm · June 12, 2009, 08:38 AM

I prefer Winchester in rifle and Starline in pistol. If I see Hornady brass in some fired brass I'll reload it. I don't go looking for it but if it's there, I'll use it.

margiesex · June 12, 2009, 12:38 PM

I'd have to agree with most everyone out there. I've been rolling my own since I was 14. Over the years I've probably picked up or bought most of the available brands of brass.

Currently, I am liking the Speer brass I'm reloading in the 40 and 45 with Fed. a close second.

When I got my 9, I went out and bought Starline cases - I forget how many - I've never used any better in a handgun.

Rifle? When I first started to reload I was rolling mostly for rifles, as I was too young to own a handgun. My Dad got me a .222 for Christmas one year, and I was off. After that Savage, I got a Rem. Varmit heavy bar., and was like a pig in slop. I gave it a steady diet of Norma cases - never shot any other as a reload. Far and away the very best cases I have ever used. I hope to get another .222 someday and I just hope Norma cases are still out there for it!

Enjoy - the variety makes the world go 'round!

And remember - hug your God and your guns, 'cause he's coming for them BOTH soon.

Margiesex

**Mike Irwin** · June 12, 2009, 12:40 PM

Personally, in my nearly 30 years of handloading, I've never found much of a difference between Speer, RCBS, Starline, Hornady, Winchester, and PMC brass.

I rank Remington brass slighly lower than those, as I've had numerous case failures (neck cracks, burn through, etc.) with new or ones loaded Remington brass.

Jehzsa · June 12, 2009, 01:12 PM

This one would be special, but it carries the price tag, http://www.scharch.com/

For plinking, once-fired is just fine.

azredhawk44 · June 12, 2009, 02:02 PM

I have 50 Hornady .308's.

They were more consistent across the lot for OAL and weight variation.

They were about 3-4x as expensive as Winchester brass.

I could have gotten the same thing by buying 200 Winchesters for the same price, weighing them into batches of matched weight cases, and trimming to length.

(FYI, that's my current strategy for peak accuracy ammo: trim a batch of brass and segregate into weight matched groups, then load.)

Since my M14 is rough on brass they aren't worth the additional money for my purposes. If I had a turnbolt tackdriver from which I could extract each case with white gloves... maybe.

June 11, 2009, 10:03 PM	#1
Doodlebugger45 Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,717	Is Hornady brass "better"? I notice that the listed price for Hornady brass is quite a bit higher than for the other name brands. Of course, most all the calibers of brass I like is out of stock anyway right now. I was just wondering for future reference if there is something special about Hornady brass compared to Winchester or Remington.

June 11, 2009, 10:26 PM	#2
RedHawk357 Member Join Date: September 7, 2008 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorad Posts: 63	308 Brass Match Bought two boxes of fifty rds each about five years ago. Preped them this week. Lost two cases; one from a serious dent running from side of case to bottom of neck. Lost the second cull from case mouth of the case being all snaggly. Trimming would knock it below min case length. The 98 remaining rds shoot like a dream. Still the two culls really get my OCD kicking when I see those two empty spots in my MNM 100 rd case

June 11, 2009, 10:35 PM	#3
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	For the price...I would say no. Winchester and RP brass is good enough for what the average person uses it for (hunting, plinking, etc). If I am wrong and you are a serious shooter, Lapua brass in my opinion is the best. It is VERY consistent...and the key to accuracy is consistency. Hornady is proud of their stuff...just like Nike, Brooks Brothers, and Polo! __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

June 12, 2009, 12:40 PM	#6
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Personally, in my nearly 30 years of handloading, I've never found much of a difference between Speer, RCBS, Starline, Hornady, Winchester, and PMC brass. I rank Remington brass slighly lower than those, as I've had numerous case failures (neck cracks, burn through, etc.) with new or ones loaded Remington brass. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

June 12, 2009, 08:38 AM	#4
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	I prefer Winchester in rifle and Starline in pistol. If I see Hornady brass in some fired brass I'll reload it. I don't go looking for it but if it's there, I'll use it.

June 12, 2009, 12:38 PM	#5
margiesex Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2009 Location: Levittown, PA Posts: 210	I'd have to agree with most everyone out there. I've been rolling my own since I was 14. Over the years I've probably picked up or bought most of the available brands of brass. Currently, I am liking the Speer brass I'm reloading in the 40 and 45 with Fed. a close second. When I got my 9, I went out and bought Starline cases - I forget how many - I've never used any better in a handgun. Rifle? When I first started to reload I was rolling mostly for rifles, as I was too young to own a handgun. My Dad got me a .222 for Christmas one year, and I was off. After that Savage, I got a Rem. Varmit heavy bar., and was like a pig in slop. I gave it a steady diet of Norma cases - never shot any other as a reload. Far and away the very best cases I have ever used. I hope to get another .222 someday and I just hope Norma cases are still out there for it! Enjoy - the variety makes the world go 'round! And remember - hug your God and your guns, 'cause he's coming for them BOTH soon. Margiesex

June 12, 2009, 01:12 PM	#7
Jehzsa Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2004 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 756	This one would be special, but it carries the price tag, http://www.scharch.com/ For plinking, once-fired is just fine.

June 12, 2009, 02:02 PM	#8
azredhawk44 Junior member Join Date: September 28, 2005 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 6,465	I have 50 Hornady .308's. They were more consistent across the lot for OAL and weight variation. They were about 3-4x as expensive as Winchester brass. I could have gotten the same thing by buying 200 Winchesters for the same price, weighing them into batches of matched weight cases, and trimming to length. (FYI, that's my current strategy for peak accuracy ammo: trim a batch of brass and segregate into weight matched groups, then load.) Since my M14 is rough on brass they aren't worth the additional money for my purposes. If I had a turnbolt tackdriver from which I could extract each case with white gloves... maybe.