Opinions on current Norma brass

[quartermaster]

I have 100 .280 Rem Norma brass as well as Nosler and Remington. I am torn between using the Norma or Nosler on a new custom rifle that I just got back from my smith today. In the distant past, I know there was problems with primer pockets loosening up prematurely, using the Norma, but I am reading nothing but good reviews about it since I started researching it in the past few days.

i want to break in the barrel this weekend and start working up a load shortly thereafter. I have had very good luck with the few calibers which I have loaded the Nosler in, but the Norma ia a bit too pricey to have laying around in my reloading room. I really don't care if it is on the soft side, but I do want to get quite a few firings out of it without having to toss the brass due to loose primer pockets.

BTW, I due not load excessively hot loads any more, but I will go to max if needed to attain accuracy unless pressure signs rear their ugly face before I get there.

I would appreciate if you would share any of your experiences reguarding Norma. I sure wish Lapua would offer a lot more calibers.

Thanks in advance. QM

 

[Twiki357]

I can’t speak to bottleneck cases, but I have a lot of Norma cases in 38 and 357 that started out as loaded ammo back in the 1960s. I have no idea how many times they have been reloaded but they are still going strong.

 

[Garrobo]

"Break in"

the barrel? What's that all about? If the barrel is straight, the chamber cut correctly, the threads cut correctly and installed properly, etc. what is there to "break in"?

 

[Kp321]

Custom barrel makers have a specific break in procedure for new barrels. Shilen, for example recommends cleaning the bore each shot for ten shots then every five shots for fifty. The first bullet down a clean bore smooths the tool marks and micro burrs that are always present.
The break in does not increase the accuracy of the barrel as much as it will prolong the accuracy by minimizing jacket fouling.

 

[rduckwor]

The problem I had with Norma 308 brass was just the opposite. Impossible to seat any primer other than Remington's with a hand primer. Very tight primer pockets. I have only a couple of firings on them so far.

RMD

 

[quartermaster]

RMD, that is good to hear. Better on the tight side than too loose. I decided to use the Norma. I did all my prep work today and the brass is tumbling as I am writing. They seem to be pretty darn good as far as uniformity goes. They are a bit on the thick side, at least the necks. All 100 were .0145 - .015. I turned them all to .014 to make my bushing selection easier for neck sizing.

Before tumbling them, I randomly selected a dozen or so and weighed them and they were all within a grain. The flash holes had no burrs inside the casing, I would guess indicating that they were drilled instead of punched. All and all, I'm very happy with them at this stage of the game. Time will tell.

I will save the Nosler for my 25-06 Ack. I had a problem with 25-06 brass while fire forming. The necks came back to form the new shoulder of the Ack making the case .030 short of the trim to length, so I tried some old .280 brass and it worked out fine. My barrel is pretty much fried at this point in time, so be before I have it changed out. I will take the 100 Noslers and fire form them.

Thanks guys, QM

 

[quartermaster]

Garrobo, as Kp321 says, breaking in a custom barrel is well worth the effort. I use the same procedure for all of them, no matter which manufacturer. 3 shots and clean in between, until no copper fouling is left, then 6 shots cleaning the same way for each 2, then cleaning every 3 shots until the barrel is broken in. this usually happens for me anywhere between 9 and 15 shots.

You know when it's broken in as when you clean, you get powder residue out and there is virtually no copper fouling what so ever. It definitely does make barrel cleaning down the road almost effortless.

QM

 

[TBJK]

I have some Norma brass. I like it, I have fired it once & reloaded. They didn't even need any trimming. Btw I used standard large rifle cci primers.

 

[Damon555]

I've got some Norma 6XC cases that have I have used 10 times each.....First split neck was @ 7 firings....I annealed them and 3 firings later had 1 more split neck. Primer pockets are still pretty tight......They cost me a buck a piece but they are well worth it.

Don't be afraid of doing load work ups while you break in the barrel......If the barrel sucks breaking it in won't change anything accuracy wise....If the barrel is great breaking it in won't do anything for it either.....