300 WM factory ammo brass

[Hunter26]

So I have been reloading for a little while but just now getting more serious and diving into
the details to gain accuracy and consistency. In my recent reloading I have purchased new brass and started from there. However, I am going to work up a load for my uncles 300 wm with brass that he has collected over the years and I have a few things I would some advice. My goal is to get him the most accurate ammo as possible and at least sub moa. I know the ammo isn’t the only factor but currently his rifle shoots one inch with the factory load he uses.

1. Is it an issue to reload nickel plated brass? Does it require anything special?

2. I know people recommend getting your components from the same lot but is it a big deal if I take the time to weight it out? Or is that even necessary?

3. Any idea how many reloads I could expect out of this brass?

4. He has enough Winchester, Remington and nickel plates Federal brass to get him more than started in any one brand. Any type of brass clearly superior to the others? All brass is once fired out of his rifle.

Thanks!

 

[Hunter26]

Any insight? Thanks

 

[Rich M]

I load 243. 243 shoots an inch at 100 w factory and 1 inch at 225 with mixed brass. I originally chose federal brass cause I prefer federal brand, no other reason. Sounds like you can choose one you like, sort it into zip locks and start the process.

I am get better than 6 or 8 or 10 loads per brass. I do have a couple brass that have softer necks and need to toss those, but I'm talking 1 or 2 out of 100-150 brass. They just keep going and going. I've yet to trim or anneal or anything like that - too lazy and the brass isn't stretching enough to worry about. YMMV

What i did was to take 20-30-50 brass and dedicate those to working the load up. Then I loaded a couple 1x fired and checked to see if those shot well. They did. I need to load up the remaining brass I have some day.

Enjoy the process - it's fun.

The biggest PITA for me was getting to the range cause it is 80-90 minutes away depending on traffic. If you've got a close range or can shoot in yard, you got it made.

 

[SamsonMan22]

The Winchester is my pick of the 3. I loaded some for one of my 300s and it was fine although it seems harder and maybe more brittle according to some. My neck tension didn’t seem as consistent with it and I didn’t know much about annealing it so I just went back to standard brass cases.

I don’t have much for experience with Remington brass so I won’t comment on that but with federal brass I have had a lot of trouble with primer pockets.

I kept factory spent brass for 2 300s, a 7mm, and 270 wsm. Most all had loose primer pockets after their first firing in factory configuration. The 270 wsm were so bad I could push new primers in with just my fingers. It would be worth it to check the primer pockets before putting much stock into that brass. It was very consistent brass for the most part just really soft. Some people love it so maybe it was just me.

 

[Flyjunky]

Do yourself a favor and look for Norma or ADG brass. Lapua is going to start producing 300wm brass again and it's supposed to be available sometime this spring. These 3 will be your best options for quality and consistency, but they are a little more expensive. Supposedly the new Lapua brass will be around $150 per 100!

 

[Hunter26]

Thanks for the insight!

 

[BRTreedogs]

Nickel plated brass goes through the sizing die like crap. Did 20 rounds once for a friend never again.
Once you find a load the rifle likes for any given brand get a good chrono speed.
Then if you switch brass brands just change the powder charge until the velocity matches and It should shoot the same groups.

 

[Mosby]

I've never had an issue with nickel plated brass but I haven't loaded any for several years. I prefer Norma and Lapua brass because they are more consistent and less damaged when new but I have shot all major brands and I am comfortable with most of them once they are culled and fully prepped.

At shorter ranges and for the average guy hunting, I am not sure the premium brass buys you much benefit for the cost. At long range, consistency helps with accuracy. I don't mix brands though when shooting and hunting. I pick the best of what I have. I would go through them and do a visual check for dents, dings and bulges. I have weighed once shot brass and batched them by weight and brand in an effort to remove the high and low flyers from the batch. Some batches of cheaper brass are more consistent by weight and I use the best of those for hunting. Doesn't make a huge difference(some would say none) in accuracy but it gave me a bit more confidence in the brass.