04-26-2022, 04:41 AM
I didn't follow your link CZ to see that PV had them in stock - and I checked them Saturday. Looks like the Lapua boat arrived and wasn't nearly as stocked as it was in late Jan/early Feb. Grabbed their last 500 of 123 Scenars.
I personally have had great success with Lapua 6.5 G brass in 6.5 G. I started with 300. Lost 20 or so by not finding them and with 11 firings (all near max loads), have just lost another 20 or so due to verticle neck cracking. I don't anneal and I do use an expander ball. I checked all the pockets with a gauge after the last firing and still have not lost a single one due to loose primer pockets. I don't worry about the neck cracking while firing since the bullet is released before it cracks and there is no impact on accuracy or the crazy Sds I get with SW Precision powder. I reckon, though, that the neck down to 6mm will probably impact neck life (and I'm not in the crowd that believes I can properly anneal in a basement or garage).
From a weight consistency standpoint, Hornady Grendel brass is laughable in comparison. Around twice the standard deviation from the mean with some serious outliers. I can't find my notes, but I figured I'd have to cull 20% of Starline weight outliers to get it close to Lapua consistency. (and I won't bring up Starline's primer pockets).
I personally have had great success with Lapua 6.5 G brass in 6.5 G. I started with 300. Lost 20 or so by not finding them and with 11 firings (all near max loads), have just lost another 20 or so due to verticle neck cracking. I don't anneal and I do use an expander ball. I checked all the pockets with a gauge after the last firing and still have not lost a single one due to loose primer pockets. I don't worry about the neck cracking while firing since the bullet is released before it cracks and there is no impact on accuracy or the crazy Sds I get with SW Precision powder. I reckon, though, that the neck down to 6mm will probably impact neck life (and I'm not in the crowd that believes I can properly anneal in a basement or garage).
From a weight consistency standpoint, Hornady Grendel brass is laughable in comparison. Around twice the standard deviation from the mean with some serious outliers. I can't find my notes, but I figured I'd have to cull 20% of Starline weight outliers to get it close to Lapua consistency. (and I won't bring up Starline's primer pockets).
#FJB