Ok I did it I bought some Lapua Brass

[Alaskapopo]

A friend of mine is getting ready to move and he sold me some Lapua .223 brass for $50 for a 100 pieces they normally go for over $70. That is a lot of money for brass. I got 200 from him. I also ordered 200 77 grain Lapua bullets. I have used them before and they mildy out performed Sierra and Nosler bullets for me but it was not worth the cost. But I am going to the Texas Multigun match in April so I though what the hell I will have the best ammo I can load for the long range stages. With Vitavory N135 powder and Primers I am looking at around $1.25 a round.
Pat

[thopkins22]

I cringe at leaving $100 worth of brass behind at a match. Of course given your travel costs I guess that changes things a bit.

Let us know how much N135 you wind up using.

My competition 9mm load is 3.2 grains of N320 behind 147gr bullets and it's an insanely soft shooting load. I almost think I could shoot it without ears on. Very interested in what you think of their rifle powder.

[Alaskapopo]

I cringe at leaving $100 worth of brass behind at a match. Of course given your travel costs I guess that changes things a bit.

Let us know how much N135 you wind up using.

My competition 9mm load is 3.2 grains of N320 behind 147gr bullets and it's an insanely soft shooting load. I almost think I could shoot it without ears on. Very interested in what you think of their rifle powder.

I hope I only have to use about 50 rounds or so of it. I only plan on using these loads on the stages with targets past 300 yards. For inside of 300 yards I will be using my cheaper loads using LC brass and Nosler bullets. My standard long range load with the Lapua bullets/Sierra/Nosler at this time is 22 to 22.5 grains depending on the lot. This load in my Noveske Rogue Hunter has averaged 1.04 moa with Lapua bullets and 1.25 with Sierra and 1.30 with Nosler. Its much more accurate in my Larue stealth where it averages .65 to .85. I have noticed the brass prep seems to make a difference and I was hoping the more expensive Lapua brass would get me under MOA with my Noveske.

Pat

[thopkins22]

I hope I only have to use about 50 rounds or so of it. I only plan on using these loads on the stages with targets past 300 yards. For inside of 300 yards I will be using my cheaper loads using LC brass and Nosler bullets. My standard long range load with the Lapua bullets/Sierra/Nosler at this time is 22 to 22.5 grains depending on the lot.
Pat

I assume you plan on zeroing for the Lapua load and checking to see how far off your others are? Or just dialing the Swarovski back and forth?

[Alaskapopo]

I assume you plan on zeroing for the Lapua load and checking to see how far off your others are? Or just dialing the Swarovski back and forth?

Nope was just going to hope for the best. Just kidding. I test 30 rounds from every new batch I load. 25 are fired into a sight in target at 100 yards to check accuracy and zero and 5 are fired over a chrono. I will also be going to a longer range than I have locally closer to the match to check my zero at 200, 300, 400 and 480. Hopefully using as few of the good rounds as possible. I just did the math with the powder and primers included and the total cost for each round is $1.06. Which is expensive but not bad considering what Federal Match costs locally $38.00. It probably won't make a difference but I only shoot a major match once every year or two. I would never do this for a state or local match.

Sorry I re-read your post and I did not answer your question. I will be using 2 loads at the match as of right now. These 77 grain Laupa's and some 52 grain Sierra Match loads I have which are good for about 1.5 moa. I have my dope down on both loads. I zero the scope at 200 yards with the lapua's and when I am shooting the 52's for the shorter stages (less than 300) I dial up 4 clicks (I have it on my range card) This puts me at a 100 yard zero with the lighter bullets. It also puts my hold overs about the same as my 77 grain load is with the 200 yard zero. It worked out really well. So if I ran out of heavy bullets I could use my lighter ones in a pinch. The reason for using the lighter bullets is because they work in my Surefire 60 round mag and I got a good deal on them so I have a bunch loaded. I don't think I will bring my 77 grain Nosler reloads. That would be three different types of ammo to keep track of.

Pat

[markm]

We have a bunch of Lapua .223. Pappabear just got a bolt gun, so hopefully we can use it for that.

For gas gunning, we just never saw the value.

[Raven Armament]

I cringe at leaving $100 worth of brass behind at a match.
No doubt. I use Lapua for bolt guns. $100 worth of brass is too much to waste like that. Neck sizing will make it last a lot longer.


My competition 9mm load is 3.2 grains of N320 behind 147gr bullets and it's an insanely soft shooting load.
Wow! What velocity are you getting? I use 3.7gr N320 with a 147gr bullet at 1.125" for 900fps.

[markm]

Neck sizing will make it last a lot longer.


If he's running it in a gas gun, annealing it will be the way to make it last longest.... since he'll have to full length size it.

[Raven Armament]

He could get away with neck sizing a few times before he has to FL size. IME, Lapua brass doesn't grow much.

[thopkins22]

Wow! What velocity are you getting? I use 3.7gr N320 with a 147gr bullet at 1.125" for 900fps.

875fps. OAL is 1.130. I'm shooting it out of a G34 which might help, or lot variation? I dunno.

[mizer67]

I have a handful of .223 Lapua I use in a gas gun also.

I'd be careful loading them the first time. I was shaving copper from 69 and 77 gr SMKs. The brass is thicker than normal factory Win or LC and produced greater neck tension for me than I'm used to after being run through my Redding FL sizer.

I ended up using a body die and neck die combination to get the neck tension where I wanted it.

Also, they're a little smaller in volume internally and will run faster than comparable LC with the same charge weight, IME. You may want to adjust your charge downward slightly (.1 gr of RE15) to achieve the same velocity as with LC.

[JStor]

Though I didn't notice any abnormal velocity variations between Lapua and Winchester brass, the necks are thicker on Lapua. I use Redding bushing dies and use the Lapua exclusively in a bolt gun. I'm not about to lose such expensive brass by firing it in a semiauto. I have also read elsewhere that Lapua had intentions of making their brass thinner, so newer product may have a different neck thickness. Maybe somebody with a new lot can verify this.

I like to call Lapua one step brass. I resize a fired case with a .250 inch bushing, then a .245 for Winchester or Lake City brass. The Lapua is thick enough to just use the .250 incher.