Hornady brass

Ricky Bobby · January 6, 2013, 11:02 PM

Why does Hornady brass not have as good of a following from shooters/reloaders as their bullets do? Seems like other brands of brass are usually chosen over the Hornady.

Just curious.

5R milspec · January 6, 2013, 11:33 PM

Since I was able to pick up a good but of it at my range,I found it to be great.I've been able to get three other firings and ready for another.Me I like many brands for many reasons,no matter if its brass or bullets.Plus I got it free to tyr first,but now I'll buy it if the price is right.

To really take a stab at your question,I'll say its high end loads.I have yet to see or read many post to a mild or low end load.I will add that some do load low or in the middle like myself,but most load hot to me.Now they have their reasons to hot loads and thats OK,but when loading hot for long ranges the brass needs to hold up to the cost one pays for it.Second would be the amount of powder a type of brass will hold,and to how well it will handle it.

Marco Califo · January 7, 2013, 12:02 AM

I use it along with other brass I bought as loaded ammo on sale. It works fine, but you can't buy 5000 of it like you can with LC. I think it is better than Federal + FC. No primer crimp! I like Fiocci also. Buy cheap loaded, and reload it.

mrawesome22 · January 7, 2013, 12:14 AM

It hasn't been on the market long.

Ricky Bobby · January 8, 2013, 05:40 PM

For a person like myself who reloads for hunting and some non-competitive target shooting, can the brand of brass used make a noticeable enough difference in accuracy?

Marco Califo · January 8, 2013, 07:55 PM

Quote:

can the brand of brass used make a noticeable enough difference in accuracy?

No. But, it would still be best to use one kind of brass for each particular load. Specifically, for 308/7.62 there is a significant difference in weight and volume between brands. But if you have all of one brand, that variance is essentially eliminated. Conversely, you would not want to mix brass, because brand variances will cause different results and pressures.

kimbers rule · January 8, 2013, 08:51 PM

The hornady brass I have used in .204 and .270 has proven to be very consistant but also so hard that the necks split sooner than cheaper brands like r-p and win. I think certain brass can be more accurate than others just by being consistant.

Ricky Bobby · January 8, 2013, 09:39 PM

Would there be any advantage to maybe anneal the Hornady brass right from the start? Would this help prolong it's life, so that I'd get the same amount of firings as some of the other brands of brass?

kimbers rule · January 9, 2013, 07:08 AM

I wouldn't wory to much about it. I was running into about 1% splits when the brass was young and the stuff I have left has been reloaded 7 times for the .204 and 4 times for the .270. I think it might be due to the hornady factory ammo being loaded hot as all the stuff I have was once fired. I don't know tho. I try to buy r-p brass when I see it.

5R milspec · January 9, 2013, 05:52 PM

Yes,I would anneal the necks and run with it,to this is what I did with the Hornady match I picked up.AS of today its been fired 4 times and the pockets still feel good.Will add that I haven't really pushed the brass neither.My load is only at 43gn of Varget.

Hum I am even getting ready to load up 20 more tonight,for a little fun tomorrow.

as long as the guy who shoots the factory ammo keeps leaving it,I will keep picking it up.For this will keep me from useing my Lapua brass as fast.

Ricky Bobby · January 9, 2013, 06:42 PM

The Hornady brass that I have obtained is once fired from factory ammo. I think
I will try annealing it now, then start loading it. I have always used Winchester or Remington brass up until now. This will be my first experience reloading with the Hornady brass.

5R milspec · January 9, 2013, 10:20 PM

Go for it,I just loaded 20 more as I said I would.All 20 will be fired the second time tomorrow.

Just look out for the crimped in primers if you pick it up from the range.You can tell if they are.Me I just push them out and run the deburring tool a few times in the primer pocket to remove the crimp.I love the guy who feeds me brass,he has all so feed me 100 pcs of FGMM brass.Saving them for a really rainy day or for trade.

USMC Vet · January 10, 2013, 10:40 AM

Ricky Bobby,
Probably because of the expense of Hornady brass. Most dealers in my area don't stock Hornady brass. Recently, I was in dire need of .308 brass, and found some Hornady .308 match brass at a dealer about 50 miles distant. It was very pricey. About a buck a piece if memory serves me. I will say though that it was the most perfect rifle brass i have ever purchased.
Every piece was the correct o.a.l., primer flash holes needed no deburring, all cases dropped into the case gage with no sizing, and case weight was very consistent. All things considered, it was the most perfectly dimensioned rifle brass i ever purchased. ....just pricey.
USMC Vet

m&p45acp10+1 · January 10, 2013, 05:07 PM

I have used the stuff from range pick up. I will go out of my way to pick it up if I find some on the ground, or in the bucket. (.223 Rem.) I have picked up the .308 Match brass for a friend. He likes the heck out of it. Says it holds up well for a lot firings while retaining tight primer pockets. I agree with that for .223. I have some of the .45-70 Gov't. that I picked up. while it is shorter than standard brass to keep the OAL of the LeverEvolution round short enough to feed in a lever gun. It shoots just fine. I do have to change the setting on my dies. Though that takes roughly about an extra minute for the expanding, and seating die set up.

Hunter Customs · January 10, 2013, 07:33 PM

I just bought some new Hornady 300 Savage brass.
I have not had a chance to reload any of it yet, so I don't know what it's like.
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

January 6, 2013, 11:02 PM	#1
Ricky Bobby Member Join Date: October 23, 2011 Posts: 48	Hornady brass Why does Hornady brass not have as good of a following from shooters/reloaders as their bullets do? Seems like other brands of brass are usually chosen over the Hornady. Just curious.

January 6, 2013, 11:33 PM	#2
5R milspec Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 360	Since I was able to pick up a good but of it at my range,I found it to be great.I've been able to get three other firings and ready for another.Me I like many brands for many reasons,no matter if its brass or bullets.Plus I got it free to tyr first,but now I'll buy it if the price is right. To really take a stab at your question,I'll say its high end loads.I have yet to see or read many post to a mild or low end load.I will add that some do load low or in the middle like myself,but most load hot to me.Now they have their reasons to hot loads and thats OK,but when loading hot for long ranges the brass needs to hold up to the cost one pays for it.Second would be the amount of powder a type of brass will hold,and to how well it will handle it. __________________ life is great but its better when you can own as many guns you wish to own.for me I haven't bought enough yet.

January 7, 2013, 12:02 AM	#3
Marco Califo Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2011 Location: LA (Greater Los Angeles Area) Posts: 2,598	I use it along with other brass I bought as loaded ammo on sale. It works fine, but you can't buy 5000 of it like you can with LC. I think it is better than Federal + FC. No primer crimp! I like Fiocci also. Buy cheap loaded, and reload it. __________________ ............

January 9, 2013, 05:52 PM	#10
5R milspec Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 360	Yes,I would anneal the necks and run with it,to this is what I did with the Hornady match I picked up.AS of today its been fired 4 times and the pockets still feel good.Will add that I haven't really pushed the brass neither.My load is only at 43gn of Varget. Hum I am even getting ready to load up 20 more tonight,for a little fun tomorrow. as long as the guy who shoots the factory ammo keeps leaving it,I will keep picking it up.For this will keep me from useing my Lapua brass as fast. __________________ life is great but its better when you can own as many guns you wish to own.for me I haven't bought enough yet.

January 9, 2013, 10:20 PM	#12
5R milspec Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 360	Go for it,I just loaded 20 more as I said I would.All 20 will be fired the second time tomorrow. Just look out for the crimped in primers if you pick it up from the range.You can tell if they are.Me I just push them out and run the deburring tool a few times in the primer pocket to remove the crimp.I love the guy who feeds me brass,he has all so feed me 100 pcs of FGMM brass.Saving them for a really rainy day or for trade. __________________ life is great but its better when you can own as many guns you wish to own.for me I haven't bought enough yet.

January 7, 2013, 12:14 AM	#4
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	It hasn't been on the market long.

January 8, 2013, 05:40 PM	#5
Ricky Bobby Member Join Date: October 23, 2011 Posts: 48	For a person like myself who reloads for hunting and some non-competitive target shooting, can the brand of brass used make a noticeable enough difference in accuracy?

January 8, 2013, 08:51 PM	#7
kimbers rule Member Join Date: November 3, 2012 Location: State of Jefferson Posts: 95	The hornady brass I have used in .204 and .270 has proven to be very consistant but also so hard that the necks split sooner than cheaper brands like r-p and win. I think certain brass can be more accurate than others just by being consistant.

January 8, 2013, 09:39 PM	#8
Ricky Bobby Member Join Date: October 23, 2011 Posts: 48	Would there be any advantage to maybe anneal the Hornady brass right from the start? Would this help prolong it's life, so that I'd get the same amount of firings as some of the other brands of brass?

January 9, 2013, 07:08 AM	#9
kimbers rule Member Join Date: November 3, 2012 Location: State of Jefferson Posts: 95	I wouldn't wory to much about it. I was running into about 1% splits when the brass was young and the stuff I have left has been reloaded 7 times for the .204 and 4 times for the .270. I think it might be due to the hornady factory ammo being loaded hot as all the stuff I have was once fired. I don't know tho. I try to buy r-p brass when I see it.

January 9, 2013, 06:42 PM	#11
Ricky Bobby Member Join Date: October 23, 2011 Posts: 48	The Hornady brass that I have obtained is once fired from factory ammo. I think I will try annealing it now, then start loading it. I have always used Winchester or Remington brass up until now. This will be my first experience reloading with the Hornady brass.

January 10, 2013, 10:40 AM	#13
USMC Vet Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: S.E. New Hampshire Posts: 30	Hornady brass Ricky Bobby, Probably because of the expense of Hornady brass. Most dealers in my area don't stock Hornady brass. Recently, I was in dire need of .308 brass, and found some Hornady .308 match brass at a dealer about 50 miles distant. It was very pricey. About a buck a piece if memory serves me. I will say though that it was the most perfect rifle brass i have ever purchased. Every piece was the correct o.a.l., primer flash holes needed no deburring, all cases dropped into the case gage with no sizing, and case weight was very consistent. All things considered, it was the most perfectly dimensioned rifle brass i ever purchased. ....just pricey. USMC Vet

January 10, 2013, 05:07 PM	#14
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I have used the stuff from range pick up. I will go out of my way to pick it up if I find some on the ground, or in the bucket. (.223 Rem.) I have picked up the .308 Match brass for a friend. He likes the heck out of it. Says it holds up well for a lot firings while retaining tight primer pockets. I agree with that for .223. I have some of the .45-70 Gov't. that I picked up. while it is shorter than standard brass to keep the OAL of the LeverEvolution round short enough to feed in a lever gun. It shoots just fine. I do have to change the setting on my dies. Though that takes roughly about an extra minute for the expanding, and seating die set up. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 10, 2013, 07:33 PM	#15
Hunter Customs Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2005 Location: Osborn, Missouri Posts: 2,697	I just bought some new Hornady 300 Savage brass. I have not had a chance to reload any of it yet, so I don't know what it's like. Best Regards Bob Hunter www.huntercustoms.com