Lapua vs. Winchester Brass

Headgear · December 31, 2009, 08:00 AM

I,ve been searching for new 308 brass. I found a place that sells new Winchester brass, 500/$170.00 and Lapua 500/$335.00. I called the place and the guy told me that the Lapua was much better, would last longer and was ready to load and shoot. He said the Win needs deburring and sizing.

For the money, I don't mind doing the extra work but is the quality of the Lapua that much better to justify the cost difference?

Thanks and Happy New Year!

GeauxTide · December 31, 2009, 09:00 AM

I've used WW brass for 40 years and still like it.

Will Fennell · December 31, 2009, 09:35 AM

Lapua is really good brass. If you can swing it, you will be pleased.

tkofoid · December 31, 2009, 11:46 AM

Lapua is cheaper than Winchester when one considers the number of times it can be reused. It's great brass. The accuracy of it is unexcelled.

L Puckett · December 31, 2009, 11:55 AM

For .308:

Lapua and RWS are the best I have found. Case wall thickness is very uniform and the cases when properly annealed reload many times. Norma is a step below but very good also.

Regarding Winchester.....it's about the best brass made in the USA, albiet some of the Lake City is great when you can find the good stuff. Simply uniform the primer pockets, deburr the flash hole and size and you'll be good to go, unless your making money shots, then no question, buy the Lapua.

LP

**Unclenick** · December 31, 2009, 12:29 PM

It depends on your purpose. Modern Winchester brass is the semi-balloon head design they developed for the 1992 Palma match. The design maximizes case capacity, which holds about a grain and three quarters more water than Lapua cases, and which is why the long range shooters like it. Getting that extra 25 to 50 fps can help keep bullets closer to the top of the high-drag transonic velocity range at 1000 yards. I still use Winchester for that purpose and for 200 yard offhand and rapid fire sitting and 300 yard prone rapid fire in service rifle, where my shooting precision doesn't get me any real advantage from Lapua brass. Given that you always lose a few cases to the brass gods at a service rifle match, it is cheaper too.

The drawback to Winchester brass the lack of uniformity. The last .308 bulk Winchester I got ran from about 153 to 159 grains case weight, and neck wall total indicated runout ran as high as about 0.005", except for one case that ran 0.008" TIR. So I selected cases with 0.001" or less TIR for long range match cases, and that proved to be about 20% of the cases in the lot.

The Lapua cases I have all measure as good as the best 20% of the Winchesters did in that lot. I didn't have to cull any for match accuracy purposes. I didn't have to deburr flash holes, as there were no burrs in it. In short, no real case prep work is involved with Lapua for my purposes. Using a primer pocket depth uniforming tool to clean out primer residue after decapping keeps the primer pockets uniform throughout their service life. For slowfire accuracy loads to 800 yards, Lapua is now my go-to.

By the way, the price you got for Lapua is high. Bruno's sells Lapua for $270/500, and it is currently in stock.

swcr · December 31, 2009, 02:05 PM

I prefer the Lapua as well. It is much more uniform than the Winchester and is pretty much ready to go when purchased. The cases are uniform length and have square mouths right out of the package as well as having annealed case mouths.

Eugene

bamaranger · December 31, 2009, 02:07 PM

Lapua has the rep as the most consistent, uniform brass going. An accomplished FTR shooter I know swears by it. Lapua supposedly drills their flashholes/primer pockets too (? not sure) all the prep work there is eliminated.

If you are willing to prep your cases fully, including weighing and culling cases, you will have useable match cases w/ Win brass, but not equal Lapua.

Hunting ammo, I'd just go w/ Wins.

oneounceload · December 31, 2009, 02:15 PM

If you ask on the various target shooting forums, one name comes up constantly, and Winchester isn't it

Headgear · December 31, 2009, 05:03 PM

It looks like the guy I spoke to was giving me good information about Lapua being a much better case but was trying to pry me and my wallet apart. Glad I didn't buy any yet! Thanks Nick for the Bruno's link.

By the way, I'm pretty new to rifle reloading, what is "total indicated run out"?

Thanks for the info guys, I love learning about this stuff!

James R. Burke · December 31, 2009, 08:56 PM

I been using just Lapua brass. I think it is a great brass, and the cost compared to the amount of reloads you get makes it pretty close money wise. That is just me, and not for everyone. There are lots of folks who like differnt makes, and really do a good job with it. So I am not saying it is the best, but I do like it and feel it is worth it.

K.W. · January 1, 2010, 07:24 AM

Lapua is very good, also better than Sako.
I have 9,3x57 Mauser. There is no Lapua cases for it. I must mold Lapua .30-06 cases for it. Those cases are better than Norma´s original 9,3x57

December 31, 2009, 08:00 AM	#1
Headgear Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2008 Location: Southeast, IN Posts: 123	Lapua vs. Winchester Brass I,ve been searching for new 308 brass. I found a place that sells new Winchester brass, 500/$170.00 and Lapua 500/$335.00. I called the place and the guy told me that the Lapua was much better, would last longer and was ready to load and shoot. He said the Win needs deburring and sizing. For the money, I don't mind doing the extra work but is the quality of the Lapua that much better to justify the cost difference? Thanks and Happy New Year!

December 31, 2009, 09:35 AM	#3
Will Fennell Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 1999 Location: Rock Hill, SC USA Posts: 184	Lapua is good stuff Lapua is really good brass. If you can swing it, you will be pleased. __________________ Will Fennell Member of TEAM BERETTA http://willfennellsportingpursuits.blogspot.com

December 31, 2009, 11:55 AM	#5
L Puckett Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2002 Location: Mid-Tennessee Posts: 150	For .308: Lapua and RWS are the best I have found. Case wall thickness is very uniform and the cases when properly annealed reload many times. Norma is a step below but very good also. Regarding Winchester.....it's about the best brass made in the USA, albiet some of the Lake City is great when you can find the good stuff. Simply uniform the primer pockets, deburr the flash hole and size and you'll be good to go, unless your making money shots, then no question, buy the Lapua. LP __________________ A Good Day is going shooting..........A Great Day is dry ground and no wind - Me

December 31, 2009, 12:29 PM	#6
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	It depends on your purpose. Modern Winchester brass is the semi-balloon head design they developed for the 1992 Palma match. The design maximizes case capacity, which holds about a grain and three quarters more water than Lapua cases, and which is why the long range shooters like it. Getting that extra 25 to 50 fps can help keep bullets closer to the top of the high-drag transonic velocity range at 1000 yards. I still use Winchester for that purpose and for 200 yard offhand and rapid fire sitting and 300 yard prone rapid fire in service rifle, where my shooting precision doesn't get me any real advantage from Lapua brass. Given that you always lose a few cases to the brass gods at a service rifle match, it is cheaper too. The drawback to Winchester brass the lack of uniformity. The last .308 bulk Winchester I got ran from about 153 to 159 grains case weight, and neck wall total indicated runout ran as high as about 0.005", except for one case that ran 0.008" TIR. So I selected cases with 0.001" or less TIR for long range match cases, and that proved to be about 20% of the cases in the lot. The Lapua cases I have all measure as good as the best 20% of the Winchesters did in that lot. I didn't have to cull any for match accuracy purposes. I didn't have to deburr flash holes, as there were no burrs in it. In short, no real case prep work is involved with Lapua for my purposes. Using a primer pocket depth uniforming tool to clean out primer residue after decapping keeps the primer pockets uniform throughout their service life. For slowfire accuracy loads to 800 yards, Lapua is now my go-to. By the way, the price you got for Lapua is high. Bruno's sells Lapua for $270/500, and it is currently in stock. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle Last edited by Unclenick; December 31, 2009 at 12:35 PM.

December 31, 2009, 02:07 PM	#8
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	the best Lapua has the rep as the most consistent, uniform brass going. An accomplished FTR shooter I know swears by it. Lapua supposedly drills their flashholes/primer pockets too (? not sure) all the prep work there is eliminated. If you are willing to prep your cases fully, including weighing and culling cases, you will have useable match cases w/ Win brass, but not equal Lapua. Hunting ammo, I'd just go w/ Wins.

December 31, 2009, 09:00 AM	#2
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,423	I've used WW brass for 40 years and still like it.

December 31, 2009, 11:46 AM	#4
tkofoid Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2008 Location: N. D. Posts: 149	Lapua is cheaper than Winchester when one considers the number of times it can be reused. It's great brass. The accuracy of it is unexcelled.

December 31, 2009, 02:05 PM	#7
swcr Member Join Date: December 31, 2009 Location: Sedro-Woolley, WA Posts: 64	I prefer the Lapua as well. It is much more uniform than the Winchester and is pretty much ready to go when purchased. The cases are uniform length and have square mouths right out of the package as well as having annealed case mouths. Eugene

December 31, 2009, 02:15 PM	#9
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	If you ask on the various target shooting forums, one name comes up constantly, and Winchester isn't it

December 31, 2009, 05:03 PM	#10
Headgear Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2008 Location: Southeast, IN Posts: 123	It looks like the guy I spoke to was giving me good information about Lapua being a much better case but was trying to pry me and my wallet apart. Glad I didn't buy any yet! Thanks Nick for the Bruno's link. By the way, I'm pretty new to rifle reloading, what is "total indicated run out"? Thanks for the info guys, I love learning about this stuff!

December 31, 2009, 08:56 PM	#11
James R. Burke Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2009 Location: U.P. of Mich/Quinnesec Posts: 1,897	I been using just Lapua brass. I think it is a great brass, and the cost compared to the amount of reloads you get makes it pretty close money wise. That is just me, and not for everyone. There are lots of folks who like differnt makes, and really do a good job with it. So I am not saying it is the best, but I do like it and feel it is worth it.

January 1, 2010, 07:24 AM	#12
K.W. Member Join Date: April 16, 2008 Location: Finland Posts: 87	Lapua is very good, also better than Sako. I have 9,3x57 Mauser. There is no Lapua cases for it. I must mold Lapua .30-06 cases for it. Those cases are better than Norma´s original 9,3x57