Hornaday brass

reynolds357 · February 6, 2013, 04:07 PM

Is it just me being unlucky and getting a bad lot, or does Hornaday have some serious problems with their brass? I have been loading 6.5 Creedmoor and I am going to have to neck turn every piece of brass in the three boxes (150 pieces). Neck thicknesses and thus neck tension is all over the place.

Cavitation · February 6, 2013, 05:29 PM

I have never had a problem with mine. I am however not fussy. Hornady has a good rep for brass. What problems is it causing you?

reynolds357 · February 6, 2013, 07:42 PM

It is very inconsistent on neck tension on loaded ammo. I have to be careful not to buckle the case necks on some and others are loose. Buckled the case neck on one. The buckled case neck took 14 whacks with the inertia puller. Normally about two is what it takes to pull about anything I try to pull. Its all going to have to be neck turned and that is not going to cure about 1/3rd of them. I always use Lapua and Norma brass, but they do not make it for the Creedmoor. This is yet another of my "I never have this problem with Norma" moments. I guess now my only decision is outside turn or inside ream.

603Country · February 6, 2013, 09:33 PM

The only Hornady brass I have is for the 223 (and I have Nosler, with Lapua on order). I've heard all sorts of dire tales about Hornady brass and loose primer pockets, but I haven't had that problem and I load em pretty warm. As for the necks, part of my pre-load prep is a light turning of case necks. I believe I'm correct in saying that the prepped Hornady cases allow me to shoot as well as the Nosler cases. So...no gripes yet from me about Hornady.

You didn't say in what part of the process you've had some problems. If it's the bullet seating, surely you are chamfering the inside of the necks. If it's during the resizing process, what dies are you using? And are you loading boattail bullets or flatbase bullets?

reynolds357 · February 6, 2013, 11:48 PM

Problem is occurring during seating. Berger VLD bullets. Brass is champhered. Dies are Hornaday as well. I am going to inside ream them to .263, full length size them, then evaluate them to see if I have to do any outside turning.

reloader28 · February 7, 2013, 09:38 AM

I've been hearing bad things about the Hornady brass lately.
Theyre annealing it to soft it seems like. Lottsa people not happy.

A friend of mine with a 338 has had to get a couple of his brass out of the gun by smacking it with a cleaning rod. In doing some research it turns out that theres been a lotta people talking about the same thing.

Bart B. · February 7, 2013, 10:01 AM

With all the case neck issues mentioned, I think the dies end up making case necks way too small.

What's the diameter of the die neck as well as a loaded round's neck? If the loaded round's more than 2 or 3 thousandths larger than the die's neck, that may be the problem.

reynolds357 · February 7, 2013, 10:07 AM

I will check those measurements Bart. I might also add that the Dies are Hornaday as well. Hornaday claims credit for developing the Cartridge. They made the brass. They made the dies. They dont really have that "variance between manufacturers" excuse to fall back on.

reynolds357 · February 7, 2013, 04:29 PM

I turned the necks on 10 of them at lunch. They were all over the place on thickness. Some barely touched the high spots, and some were taking so much material off I could barely turn them. Maybe Norma will decide REAL SOON to start making Creedmoor brass.

**Unclenick** · February 7, 2013, 04:53 PM

Sounds like the form it from straight brass and they forgot the inside ream on some. Very sloppy. A tubing micrometer reading on any that are left would be revealing. The correct dimensions are here. Necks should be between 0.0115" and 0.0155" thick, so probably the usual 0.013"-0.014" in regular production.

February 6, 2013, 04:07 PM	#1
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	Hornaday brass Is it just me being unlucky and getting a bad lot, or does Hornaday have some serious problems with their brass? I have been loading 6.5 Creedmoor and I am going to have to neck turn every piece of brass in the three boxes (150 pieces). Neck thicknesses and thus neck tension is all over the place.

February 7, 2013, 04:53 PM	#10
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	Sounds like the form it from straight brass and they forgot the inside ream on some. Very sloppy. A tubing micrometer reading on any that are left would be revealing. The correct dimensions are here. Necks should be between 0.0115" and 0.0155" thick, so probably the usual 0.013"-0.014" in regular production. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

February 6, 2013, 05:29 PM	#2
Cavitation Member Join Date: February 3, 2013 Posts: 50	I have never had a problem with mine. I am however not fussy. Hornady has a good rep for brass. What problems is it causing you?

February 6, 2013, 07:42 PM	#3
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	It is very inconsistent on neck tension on loaded ammo. I have to be careful not to buckle the case necks on some and others are loose. Buckled the case neck on one. The buckled case neck took 14 whacks with the inertia puller. Normally about two is what it takes to pull about anything I try to pull. Its all going to have to be neck turned and that is not going to cure about 1/3rd of them. I always use Lapua and Norma brass, but they do not make it for the Creedmoor. This is yet another of my "I never have this problem with Norma" moments. I guess now my only decision is outside turn or inside ream.

February 6, 2013, 09:33 PM	#4
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	The only Hornady brass I have is for the 223 (and I have Nosler, with Lapua on order). I've heard all sorts of dire tales about Hornady brass and loose primer pockets, but I haven't had that problem and I load em pretty warm. As for the necks, part of my pre-load prep is a light turning of case necks. I believe I'm correct in saying that the prepped Hornady cases allow me to shoot as well as the Nosler cases. So...no gripes yet from me about Hornady. You didn't say in what part of the process you've had some problems. If it's the bullet seating, surely you are chamfering the inside of the necks. If it's during the resizing process, what dies are you using? And are you loading boattail bullets or flatbase bullets?

February 6, 2013, 11:48 PM	#5
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	Problem is occurring during seating. Berger VLD bullets. Brass is champhered. Dies are Hornaday as well. I am going to inside ream them to .263, full length size them, then evaluate them to see if I have to do any outside turning.

February 7, 2013, 09:38 AM	#6
reloader28 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2009 Location: nw wyoming Posts: 1,061	I've been hearing bad things about the Hornady brass lately. Theyre annealing it to soft it seems like. Lottsa people not happy. A friend of mine with a 338 has had to get a couple of his brass out of the gun by smacking it with a cleaning rod. In doing some research it turns out that theres been a lotta people talking about the same thing.

February 7, 2013, 10:01 AM	#7
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	With all the case neck issues mentioned, I think the dies end up making case necks way too small. What's the diameter of the die neck as well as a loaded round's neck? If the loaded round's more than 2 or 3 thousandths larger than the die's neck, that may be the problem.

February 7, 2013, 10:07 AM	#8
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	I will check those measurements Bart. I might also add that the Dies are Hornaday as well. Hornaday claims credit for developing the Cartridge. They made the brass. They made the dies. They dont really have that "variance between manufacturers" excuse to fall back on.

February 7, 2013, 04:29 PM	#9
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	I turned the necks on 10 of them at lunch. They were all over the place on thickness. Some barely touched the high spots, and some were taking so much material off I could barely turn them. Maybe Norma will decide REAL SOON to start making Creedmoor brass.