Lapua. 308 Palma Brass

[DannyS]

Just wondering how many are using Lapua Palma. 308 brass with the small primers and how are they performing?

[Quick]

I bought 100pc two days ago and have shot twelve, the seemed to group well at 400yds but a chrony test and testing from 300 to 1000yds will tell the tale.

I started using them on advice from Bill Hallam and Graham Oates here in WA.

[Brad Y]

Yep Im using it too.

[DannyS]

Thanks guys, I have some sitting in the reloading room, just haven't got around to trying them yet.

Have you changed loads etc from large primer lapua cases? Any noticed advantages over normal cases?

[johnk]

I'm the only person I know who went from standard to SR brass without any issues. I suspect that it had a lot to do with the fact that I still have AR2206 on hand. Anecdotally, it would seem that the slower the powder, the greater the need to work your loads, with a distinct possibility that you will get lower velocities like for like.

In my case, velocities were on par or a smidgen better & spreads dropped well into single digit & stayed there.

John

[Brad Y]

I played around a bit actually. Started with 45.8 of 2208 in the LR primer cases, then to 46.2 in the SR primer cases. But have gone back to 45.7gr now- I have a tight barrel and I found 46.2 showing pressure signs starting. Waterline is very good with this load. I read somewhere that 0.3gr extra is needed to get velocities back up to where they were but Im happy with what Im shooting, and its getting to 900m fine at our range.

[DannyS]

I've been loading 46 grns 2208 with cci br2 primers in my standard cases, no pressure signs and good accuracy. Will have a play with the small rifle primers cci br4 and see what I can achieve. Thanks Guys

[Barry Davies]

We ( Davies ) don't use Palma Brass with the small primer. Reason is I guess we get more than satisfactory results with the large primer. Does anyone know the theory behind the small primer ( in large cases ) To my mind I cannot see where less priming compound would help. Flash hole is the same size as cases with large primer--- is less flash better?

Barry

[Brad Y]

I thought the flash hole in SR primers is the same size as a 6BR case- 60thou, not the standard 80 thou that is in the LR primers.

Its supposed to assist reducing vertical spread at long range i think. Something that if you have LR case loads sorted then you probably dont have anyway. Some people dont see any improvement, others do. I never got serious with load development for the LR primer cases, 45.8 seemed to shoot good enough at the time. I keep CCI450's in bulk for my 20 practical varmint loads and for the 223 fclass loads so I figured it made sense to at least try them. Bill and Graham both recommended them to me as well. Happy with the results, so im going to stay with them.

[DannyS]

Hi Barry, thanks for that, if you are getting good results and you are, then don't change. At the moment I'm more than happy with my current loads using large rifle primers. Its just that I bought some Palma brass whilst I was waiting for John Giles to build my rifle, I prepd them and primed them but haven't had time yet to try them out.

From what I have read, opinions about them are fairly well divided, some have had ignition issues, others say they get a more consistant spread of velocities, others see no advantage other than maybe longer case life due to primer pockets staying tighter longer due to more brass in the head. But I don't seem to have problems with loose primers anyway so that is not an issue for me.

I just thought I would ask the question and see how they have been received.

Cheers
Danny

[flatlina]

The flash holes are smaller in the Palma. I just reamed my flash holes out with the K&M tool. This way all my gear will work with the brass.

Regards
john

[johnk]

I ground down the pin on my Lee depriming die & Neck Collet die & that way the cases work as designed.

[Brad Y]

Danny- as per the last couple of comments- you will need to run a die with a decapping pin that will fit the small primer flash holes. If your running redding dies then i think you can get the small one that they use in 6PPC and 6BR or if you have any other kind, you may have to polish them down to fit.

[DannyS]

Thanks Brad, i'm currently using Wilson dies, I could use the decapper from my 6br dies but I'll probably turn down the decapper on some old lee collet dies that I don't use anymore.

I'm waiting on some dies from Pesco, so will get John to make me a suitably sized pin.

I know quite a few shooters are opening up the flash hole but I just wonder does Lapua know something we don't, there is obviously a reason for the small flash hole as there is with the 6br etc.

[OuttaAmmo]

The flash hole is deliberately made "undersize" by lapua so that shooters can uniform them to the same exact size when they run a dedicated flash hole deburring and uniforming tool into them, such as they K&M tool mentioned previously.