Rex Rugged
New member
What is your opinion of Hornaday brass? I just bought some 270 Weatherby Mag brass and just thought I'd see what you guys think about this particular brand.
Hornady Brass
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FrankenMauser
New member
Mixed experiences with different cartridges.
I would say it is "average" for quality and consistency. -- Meaning, to me, better than Win or R-P. But that doesn't mean much, since they're bottom of the barrel.
If the Hornady looks fine, you probably won't have any issues.
Most problems that I have had were apparent upon initial inspection.
The only "hidden" issues tend to arise with factory ammo and hot loads stretching primer pockets in certain cartridges.
I would say it is "average" for quality and consistency. -- Meaning, to me, better than Win or R-P. But that doesn't mean much, since they're bottom of the barrel.
If the Hornady looks fine, you probably won't have any issues.
Most problems that I have had were apparent upon initial inspection.
The only "hidden" issues tend to arise with factory ammo and hot loads stretching primer pockets in certain cartridges.
@Franken or anyone else who knows: Who makes Hornady brass? Is Hornady making their own brass now? I can't tell from their website. Initially in the late 60's, the Frontier .243 win ammunition I bought, used military surplus brass. The headstamps were military and I could still see the slight crease on the .243 shoulder where the brass was necked down from 7.62x51mm. Then shortly after, I believe that the Frontier/hornady ammunition was using Federal brass and they used that for a long time. I don't know what hornady is doing now.
A couple of years ago, I did buy two 50 round boxes of Hornady match .308 brass. The quality was very good.
@Franken again: I agree with your opinion of win and r-p brass. But after remington's bankruptcy, didn't federal buy remington's ammunition manufacturing division? Can't remember for sure. Does that mean the Remington ammunition is now federal ammunition? Perhaps it is still made on remington machines. I always thought federal brass was a cut above win and r-p brass.
A couple of years ago, I did buy two 50 round boxes of Hornady match .308 brass. The quality was very good.
@Franken again: I agree with your opinion of win and r-p brass. But after remington's bankruptcy, didn't federal buy remington's ammunition manufacturing division? Can't remember for sure. Does that mean the Remington ammunition is now federal ammunition? Perhaps it is still made on remington machines. I always thought federal brass was a cut above win and r-p brass.
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Marco Califo
New member
Hornady contracts for their headstamp brass. They do not make it themselves.
Starline makes their own brass and it is good stuff. But Starline does not make odd-ball calibers: No Magnums and Weatherby, and Remington Ultra Short AI Pest Poopers are SOL.
Some posters won't buy a gun if Starline doesn't make brass for it.
Starline makes their own brass and it is good stuff. But Starline does not make odd-ball calibers: No Magnums and Weatherby, and Remington Ultra Short AI Pest Poopers are SOL.
Some posters won't buy a gun if Starline doesn't make brass for it.
@Marco: Thanks for the response. However, that begs the question of: Who does make it for Hornady? Hornady has often been linked with federal on new cartridge introductions and other ventures.
You're right about starline brass. Good brass at a good price. They don't make the brass you cited, but after just reviewing the rifle and pistol list on Starline's website, starline does make a lot for brass for hard to find cartridges.
You're right about starline brass. Good brass at a good price. They don't make the brass you cited, but after just reviewing the rifle and pistol list on Starline's website, starline does make a lot for brass for hard to find cartridges.
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"I always thought federal brass was a cut above win and r-p brass."
I can't speak on Federal as made today but for a long time I considered Winchester brass to be about the best with Remington a fairly close second place. Federal bras always seemed to be softer and I never could load it to the same levels as Winchester and Remington. Primer pockets loosened up much faster with Federal brass.
Years back, gun write Bob Hagel did an article on bras in IIRC, Handloader magazine where he had brass from Winchester, Remington and Federal analyzed regarding grain structure with pictures of the tested bras showing grain structure. Winchester was the hardest with Remington and Federal following in that order. I always had Winchester lasting the longs with Remington close behind. I just felt Federal was much softer but I was loading some very stiff loads back then and Federal's primer pockets became too loose to load much quicker than Winchester and Remington. I still load most of my ammo for top velocity with accuracy, I also have a very good supply of my preferred brass bought probably twenty some odd years ago. Last couple of bags I bought was when I got a deal on some nickel plated .280 Rem. brass by Winchester, maybe eight ot nine years ago. So far it's holding up just fine.
Paul B.
I can't speak on Federal as made today but for a long time I considered Winchester brass to be about the best with Remington a fairly close second place. Federal bras always seemed to be softer and I never could load it to the same levels as Winchester and Remington. Primer pockets loosened up much faster with Federal brass.
Years back, gun write Bob Hagel did an article on bras in IIRC, Handloader magazine where he had brass from Winchester, Remington and Federal analyzed regarding grain structure with pictures of the tested bras showing grain structure. Winchester was the hardest with Remington and Federal following in that order. I always had Winchester lasting the longs with Remington close behind. I just felt Federal was much softer but I was loading some very stiff loads back then and Federal's primer pockets became too loose to load much quicker than Winchester and Remington. I still load most of my ammo for top velocity with accuracy, I also have a very good supply of my preferred brass bought probably twenty some odd years ago. Last couple of bags I bought was when I got a deal on some nickel plated .280 Rem. brass by Winchester, maybe eight ot nine years ago. So far it's holding up just fine.
Paul B.
Starline makes a lot of "oddball" calibers, though some of it is "seasonal" meaning not in constant production.
What Starline doesn't do a lot of is make large rifle cases, though the do some calibers.
They take what seems to me to be a practical approach. If you order enough, they will make it, and (usually) do a production run over what you order and sell the rest to the public. They don't generally make brass in "oddball" calibers hoping someone will buy it. Some years back, they were making .44AMP brass, and I bought several hundred, probably a lifetime supply for me. They aren't currently making that caliber, but state they happily will, if they get enough ordered.
I don't know who makes Hornady brass, my experience with it is decades old, and probably not applicable to what is being made today.
Marco Califo
New member
In my experience, if Starline has it available for backorder, go ahead and order it. It has always arrived within 10 days.
Some manufacturers, Norma is one, make brass on contract. However, who makes a certain caliber can change.
Federal and R-P brass is made from a softer brass ("low brass" or Munz Metal?) than "cartridge brass" used by Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, Winchester and Starline. I defer to Unklenick on the exact copper & zinc %'s. Not being mil-spec was enought to deter me.
Starline also makes their brass with nickel plating, ONLY in wholesale lots. I have to buy Starline Nickle plated brass from MidwayUSA (and formerly, Grafs).
Some manufacturers, Norma is one, make brass on contract. However, who makes a certain caliber can change.
Federal and R-P brass is made from a softer brass ("low brass" or Munz Metal?) than "cartridge brass" used by Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, Winchester and Starline. I defer to Unklenick on the exact copper & zinc %'s. Not being mil-spec was enought to deter me.
Starline also makes their brass with nickel plating, ONLY in wholesale lots. I have to buy Starline Nickle plated brass from MidwayUSA (and formerly, Grafs).
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According to this:
https://thegunzone.com/who-makes-hornady-brass/
Hornady makes their own brass in the USA
https://thegunzone.com/who-makes-hornady-brass/
Hornady makes their own brass in the USA
stagpanther
New member
I generally will use most anything else before Hornady's, their brass composition just seems to be softer than most everyone else's just based on my personal speculation and experience. It seems a disproportionate amount of brass that I have that simply stretches too much at the head or won't hold a primer anymore is Hornady's in my experience. Admittedly that might be because they are smaller cases which I tend to run hotter loads on more often--but I'm not pushing them to max pressures. That said--bigger magnum cartridge cases I wouldn't worry about Hornady's stamp being on it--including the 270 Weatherby (I've used some)--because they are "heavier duty" anyway. My less than 2 cents. : )
Marco Califo
New member
FITASC, thanks for that. The article reads as "Sales Copy".
The lack of specifics, the exact Plant, and history of their brass is strikingly absent. Maybe they make it now, or they realize the importance of branding, despite who actually made it.
The lack of specifics, the exact Plant, and history of their brass is strikingly absent. Maybe they make it now, or they realize the importance of branding, despite who actually made it.
I have a preference for RP brass but no idea now what or where it is going so the next ones tend to.
Lapua. Odd mix of overrated and good, comes with dented case mouths, I don't see that as qualti control. Makes big deal about annealed but all brass is annealed and at the neck end, many just polish it off, others think mil cool that is not polished off and copy that. I can forgive them the ladi dah stuff for the basic quality.
Peterson: I don't know about lengthily but I have been impressed shooting it as it is contestant in that regard like Lapua
PPU: Not what you think as mainline but I have shot a lot of it in 7.5 Swiss and I am just getting some failures. I am guessing 10-20 cycles though its been re-anneled once.
FC I was not impressed with at all. Did not stand up but for FC, well one shot and who cares? Probably as time goes by true with any loaded ammo and the aftermarket types like Lapua, Peterson, Starline will be good brass as that is their core market.
Lapua. Odd mix of overrated and good, comes with dented case mouths, I don't see that as qualti control. Makes big deal about annealed but all brass is annealed and at the neck end, many just polish it off, others think mil cool that is not polished off and copy that. I can forgive them the ladi dah stuff for the basic quality.
Peterson: I don't know about lengthily but I have been impressed shooting it as it is contestant in that regard like Lapua
PPU: Not what you think as mainline but I have shot a lot of it in 7.5 Swiss and I am just getting some failures. I am guessing 10-20 cycles though its been re-anneled once.
FC I was not impressed with at all. Did not stand up but for FC, well one shot and who cares? Probably as time goes by true with any loaded ammo and the aftermarket types like Lapua, Peterson, Starline will be good brass as that is their core market.
Marco Califo
New member
"Who makes Hornady Brass?"
Does not have a singular answer. Who made what caliber for Hornady, and When could result in a table. Hornaday does not say.
That is the problem: you just won't know.
Based on the experiences discussed here, that describes an unknown factor that reloaders are not necessarily comfortable with. They also do not include a year in the headstamp, so it is possible to have two pieces of the same caliber, made by different manufacturers. It is not a speficically identifiable product.
Does not have a singular answer. Who made what caliber for Hornady, and When could result in a table. Hornaday does not say.
That is the problem: you just won't know.
Based on the experiences discussed here, that describes an unknown factor that reloaders are not necessarily comfortable with. They also do not include a year in the headstamp, so it is possible to have two pieces of the same caliber, made by different manufacturers. It is not a speficically identifiable product.
FrankenMauser
New member
Hornady makes most of their own brass via their Frontier Cartridge subsidiary/arm.
Specific to 270 wby brass, Hornady and Federal brass have noticeably less volume than Wby/Norma brass. This needs to be accounted for if your working up loads based on a manual that used Wby brass.
Rex Rugged
New member
Thank you zeke
you're welcome
reynolds357
New member
I hate it.
Rex Rugged, I reload for 270 Weatherby using Norma and Weatherby brass. I can tell you case capacity between the 2. Nosler list case capacity for their brass in their manual and it's 5gr/6gr less than my brass.
I shot 300Wby and was using Weatherty brass. I purchased 100rds Remington brass for 300 Wby. Different in weight, Rem was 249.gr and Wby was 228gr. Case capacity different was 2grs. I still have few case that haven't been fired.
What case capacity?
I shot 300Wby and was using Weatherty brass. I purchased 100rds Remington brass for 300 Wby. Different in weight, Rem was 249.gr and Wby was 228gr. Case capacity different was 2grs. I still have few case that haven't been fired.
What case capacity?