New Norma brass in my 270 - wow

603Country · August 7, 2012, 05:57 PM

For many years I shot only Norma brass in my 220, and it was a wonderful shooting rifle. I switched to Winchester (I don't know why, but must've been $) and it still shoots great but maybe not as great. I say maybe because I'm older now and I'm not sure the brass is the reason for slightly larger groups. I'm sure some of you grandpaws know what I mean. So anyway, I needed new brass for my 270 and I splurged and got some Norma. Probably the brass didn't need any prep, but I did it anyway and also turned the necks just a teeny bit. I'm retired. I've got time. So today I just started with the load I've been using for years in that 270 in Remington brass and good heavens, I got great results. Geez! It was like making a great shot in golf and nobody was watching. I even went into the house and told my wife, and she says "that's nice, honey". So I thought I'd tell you guys.

I'll do more shooting this week and see what I can really do groupwise.

Creeper · August 7, 2012, 06:26 PM

Lapua and Norma make the finest, most consistent brass there is. That inherent consistency, plus your bit of neck turning, which improves neck tension and expansion consistency... yep, I can see tighter groups just from that.

Cheers,
C

ATPBULLETS · August 7, 2012, 08:21 PM

Someday when my $$$ and my retired time come together.... I too will own some norma/Lapua brass.... thanks for the report...and i want to hear about it if the wife doesn't...

mrawesome22 · August 8, 2012, 12:13 AM

It really is the best of the best.

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Brian Pfleuger · August 8, 2012, 10:54 AM

Yep, I've used Norma brass in my rifles from the get-go. The worst loads I've worked up (and by "work up" I mean from starting to max charge only) have been around 3/4MOA. My Ruger M77 MkII in .204 shoots 1/2 MOA almost without trying.

I recently traded my shotgun for a Savage in 270WSM. I couldn't get Norma brass, so I bought a bag of Winchester. The BEST loads were around 1 1/2.

Does the gun suck? I doubt it, I've haven't seen one yet that won't shoot under an inch, be it Remington, Savage, Ruger, Browning... I think it's the brass.

Yeah, I COULD sort it by weight, uniform the primer pocket, deburr the flash holes, trim for consistent mouth... and after it's sorted, the "good" cases end up costing more than Norma or Lapua.

I bought my Norma brass like 2 years ago. All cases are still in use. Some have 6 or 7 loads through them. Haven't lost one (to failure, impending failure) yet.

Then I see people talking about how Norma brass is expensive. I just laugh.

Creeper · August 8, 2012, 04:16 PM

Quote:

I bought my Norma brass like 2 years ago. All cases are still in use. Some have 6 or 7 loads through them. Haven't lost one (to failure, impending failure) yet.

In my last benchrest rifle, I used Lapua .220 Russian brass necked up and fire formed to 6PPC. I'd do full prep on 30-40 cases... and those would be the cases I'd use for the entire life of a particular barrel.
Of those 30-40, 20 or so would be record cases and the balance sighters and back-ups.
The "perfect 20" would get used about 75 to 100 times a season. Just enough neck sizing to get about 5 lbs of seating pressure... and shoulder bumped about .0015" every 5-10 loadings, depending on temps and... bla bla bla.

OCD is us...
C

603Country · August 8, 2012, 04:48 PM

Creeper, it's funny that you should mention that you had special Norma cases for shooting for record. When I started phasing out my Norma 220 Swift brass for the Winchester, I held back about 40 of the Norma cases for the times that I needed to be extra special accurate. I had shot those cases many many times and I had prepped them to the max and I even went to the next step of throwing away cases that threw flyers more than once or twice. I'd mark them and if they got more than 2 marks I'd discard them. The cases remaining were the good stuff. I even won money with them a couple of times when I was hunting with customers and they'd say "betcha can't hit that". That's when I'd bring out the red MTM box with the special ammo. Then I went to Winchester. Gotta wonder why I ever decided to go over to Winchester cases instead of just buying more Norma cases. Oh well...the Winchester shoots good enough for what I do these days - blast coyotes when I decide that the day will be a 220 day.

m&p45acp10+1 · August 8, 2012, 05:24 PM

It must be a scoped rifle thing. I have 20 Norma cases that purchased in 7.62x53R. I had to expand the case mouths to accomidate the larger bullets. When shooting with Norma, and PPU cases I can not tell a difference at all. Though I admit with the irons I am the weak link in the chain.

I will say the Norma brass is of top tier quality without a single doubt.

FrankenMauser · August 8, 2012, 06:08 PM

Norma is good stuff, and pretty consistent. I don't seek it out, when I want premium brass, though. I've found case life to be quite short.

Norma is great, but short-lived. Lapua is the best. Nosler is alright. R-P looks like crap, but has excellent case life. Winchester is inconsistent in every measurement and has crooked case mouths out-of-the-box/bag. And, Hornady is just barely a step above Remington... maybe.

Lately, I've just been doing the work myself, to save half the cost of "premium" brass:
Buying large lots of R-P brass, sizing, trimming, neck turning, flash hole deburring, weight sorting (20-piece lots), and volume sorting after the first firing (if desired - rare).
I only have to do it once for the life of the brass, and it performs just as well as the premium stuff.

August 7, 2012, 05:57 PM	#1
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	New Norma brass in my 270 - wow For many years I shot only Norma brass in my 220, and it was a wonderful shooting rifle. I switched to Winchester (I don't know why, but must've been $) and it still shoots great but maybe not as great. I say maybe because I'm older now and I'm not sure the brass is the reason for slightly larger groups. I'm sure some of you grandpaws know what I mean. So anyway, I needed new brass for my 270 and I splurged and got some Norma. Probably the brass didn't need any prep, but I did it anyway and also turned the necks just a teeny bit. I'm retired. I've got time. So today I just started with the load I've been using for years in that 270 in Remington brass and good heavens, I got great results. Geez! It was like making a great shot in golf and nobody was watching. I even went into the house and told my wife, and she says "that's nice, honey". So I thought I'd tell you guys. I'll do more shooting this week and see what I can really do groupwise.

August 7, 2012, 06:26 PM	#2
Creeper Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: Woooooshington Posts: 1,797	Lapua and Norma make the finest, most consistent brass there is. That inherent consistency, plus your bit of neck turning, which improves neck tension and expansion consistency... yep, I can see tighter groups just from that. Cheers, C __________________ Shoulder Drive Nicholson Club

August 7, 2012, 08:21 PM	#3
ATPBULLETS Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2012 Location: Land between the Lakes Posts: 267	Someday when my $$$ and my retired time come together.... I too will own some norma/Lapua brass.... thanks for the report...and i want to hear about it if the wife doesn't... __________________ http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/y...e/photo-25.jpg

August 8, 2012, 10:54 AM	#5
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Yep, I've used Norma brass in my rifles from the get-go. The worst loads I've worked up (and by "work up" I mean from starting to max charge only) have been around 3/4MOA. My Ruger M77 MkII in .204 shoots 1/2 MOA almost without trying. I recently traded my shotgun for a Savage in 270WSM. I couldn't get Norma brass, so I bought a bag of Winchester. The BEST loads were around 1 1/2. Does the gun suck? I doubt it, I've haven't seen one yet that won't shoot under an inch, be it Remington, Savage, Ruger, Browning... I think it's the brass. Yeah, I COULD sort it by weight, uniform the primer pocket, deburr the flash holes, trim for consistent mouth... and after it's sorted, the "good" cases end up costing more than Norma or Lapua. I bought my Norma brass like 2 years ago. All cases are still in use. Some have 6 or 7 loads through them. Haven't lost one (to failure, impending failure) yet. Then I see people talking about how Norma brass is expensive. I just laugh. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

August 8, 2012, 05:24 PM	#8
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	It must be a scoped rifle thing. I have 20 Norma cases that purchased in 7.62x53R. I had to expand the case mouths to accomidate the larger bullets. When shooting with Norma, and PPU cases I can not tell a difference at all. Though I admit with the irons I am the weak link in the chain. I will say the Norma brass is of top tier quality without a single doubt. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

August 8, 2012, 12:13 AM	#4
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	It really is the best of the best. sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

August 8, 2012, 04:48 PM	#7
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	Creeper, it's funny that you should mention that you had special Norma cases for shooting for record. When I started phasing out my Norma 220 Swift brass for the Winchester, I held back about 40 of the Norma cases for the times that I needed to be extra special accurate. I had shot those cases many many times and I had prepped them to the max and I even went to the next step of throwing away cases that threw flyers more than once or twice. I'd mark them and if they got more than 2 marks I'd discard them. The cases remaining were the good stuff. I even won money with them a couple of times when I was hunting with customers and they'd say "betcha can't hit that". That's when I'd bring out the red MTM box with the special ammo. Then I went to Winchester. Gotta wonder why I ever decided to go over to Winchester cases instead of just buying more Norma cases. Oh well...the Winchester shoots good enough for what I do these days - blast coyotes when I decide that the day will be a 220 day.

August 8, 2012, 06:08 PM	#9
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	Norma is good stuff, and pretty consistent. I don't seek it out, when I want premium brass, though. I've found case life to be quite short. Norma is great, but short-lived. Lapua is the best. Nosler is alright. R-P looks like crap, but has excellent case life. Winchester is inconsistent in every measurement and has crooked case mouths out-of-the-box/bag. And, Hornady is just barely a step above Remington... maybe. Lately, I've just been doing the work myself, to save half the cost of "premium" brass: Buying large lots of R-P brass, sizing, trimming, neck turning, flash hole deburring, weight sorting (20-piece lots), and volume sorting after the first firing (if desired - rare). I only have to do it once for the life of the brass, and it performs just as well as the premium stuff. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.