The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

It is time to reload some .308 for 1000/1200 yards and I just happen to have a few RWS once fired cases here so today I put 300 through the tumbler today and as this is a new venture I may as add a couple of variables into the mixing pot and throw some TR140 in the cases and use FED210M primers behind something pointy.

Has anyone here tried RWS brass as a viable alternative to Lapua and other cases?

Having assisted in loading 13K RWS once fired cases for the GB Rifle Team to South Africa(we depart on saturday), yes I have some experience. If you are using once fired cases, You will need to full length resize, preferably with a small base die. Carefully examine the head of the case before putting through a small base die as some of the heads may be too enlarged to fit. During the Case prep for the GB team, we had about 100 cases that had heads that were too swollen to go through a small base die and some that would not go through an ordinary die.

The RWS brass is excellent. I have been reloading it for three years now and it is the equal of Lapua. You may have to deburr the inside of the flash hole and you will certainly have to trim to length.
The load that I have been using, is RWS case, Fed210m Primer 46gr TR140 behind a 155 SMK to give 2950FPS, used in a 4 lug modern target rifle with a tight (undersize) bore.

Use this data with extreme caution, work your loads up.

Steve

Steve, under visual inspection the brass looks very good so far. The plan is to shoot it in an Accuracy International with a fairly open NATO chamber and the dozen or so cases I checked chamber as is. The brass I have came from a competition shot end of last year in newish rifles and is remarkably consistent.

Next stage will indeed be size, trim to length and deflash/uniform the primer pockets and some careful neck chamfering. I will use the Lapua 155's Moly coated and 46 grains of TR140 is exactly where I expect to be after a lower start. I will have to check my OAL again but would expect to build at just over 2.900" The only other thing I will do is check the H20 case capacity with a couple of full length sized versus my current batch of Lapua to see if there is any discernable difference.

I've been using the RWS too, after my initial load tests comparing Lapua to RWS, the RWS brass with no other variables gave me smaller groups than lapua, so I stuck with that.

I use Sierra Palma Matchkings (2156) 155gr with 46.8gr of Varget (hot load!) and federal primers.

Been going very well, and I am very impressed with the RWS brass.

Generally I tumble, deprime, full length size, clean primer pocket (I don't have a flash hole deburrer), trim to length, chamfer and load.

Nothing but good reports from me... then again, I've only loaded 400 of them so far...

Do you buy this cases once fired from the nra?I have the berdan and they are very good.They are softer than Lapua and about the same capacity.
Filippo

Does RWS have the same case capacity as Lap?
I use .308 Lapua in my 7mm08 so need something different now I have .308 as well so I don't get them mixed up

Another vote for RWS, sold off my Lapua and have stuck with RWS ever since. As my Howa 1500 has a tight chamber I use a modified Lee FLS die on them which bumps the shoulder back an extra couple of thou ".

I've also got an RCBS small base die which also allows them to chamber in the Howa. My Steyr SSG-04 on the other hand is far less fussy.

ovenpaa wrote:Steve, under visual inspection the brass looks very good so far. The plan is to shoot it in an Accuracy International with a fairly open NATO chamber and the dozen or so cases I checked chamber as is. The brass I have came from a competition shot end of last year in newish rifles and is remarkably consistent.

Next stage will indeed be size, trim to length and deflash/uniform the primer pockets and some careful neck chamfering. I will use the Lapua 155's Moly coated and 46 grains of TR140 is exactly where I expect to be after a lower start. I will have to check my OAL again but would expect to build at just over 2.900" The only other thing I will do is check the H20 case capacity with a couple of full length sized versus my current batch of Lapua to see if there is any discernable difference.

Are you loading to mag length ? 2.900 fits in your AI mags ?

Another vote for RWS. I cut all the primer pockets on mine using my trimmer full length resized the Brass then trimmed them to length. I have used them in my SSG 69 with out any issues and did not see any noticeable difference between them and the Lapau cases. I use 155grain bullets usually A max and N140.

I too am really happy with RWS. Using 45.6g TR140, 155 Scenars for all round short range stuff. Guess an extra handful of powder may be required for long range

The powder reduction is due to the barometric pressure conversion due to living in the far SW :lol: (dogs dangly things spring to mind!!)

JohnG :cornwall: