What gets fired from a rifle? Even a child could answer this question: a bullet. Now, what do you load into a gun? This one is a trick question, and anyone who answers “a bullet” has given themself away as a novice. The correct answer is a cartridge — which contains a bullet, yes, but also consists of other components. Without a proper propellant, a sufficient primer, a solid rim, or a good case to hold it all together, the only thing that would happen when you pull a trigger is a click sound.
Understanding the anatomy of a cartridge is great for preventing yourself from loading up with duds, dummies, or squibs. Of course, that knowledge is the bare basics. If you really want to improve your shooting, you should know how to pick the best cartridges for your rifle. Here is some information on the top-tier manufacturer Lapua and their excellent brass cartridges.
What is Lapua?
Lapua — short for Nammo Lapua Oy — is a Finnish manufacturer and part of the Nordic Ammunition Company (Nammo) Group. It was founded in 1923 as a state-owned cartridge factory, and the Finnish Army would soon have great need for their products. Lapua ammunition saw action first in the Winter War, in which Finland battled the Soviet Union, and throughout World War II. In the present, their top customers are now hunters, competitive shooters, and law enforcement agents.
The factory has consistently designed, redesigned, and release high-quality cartridges. They also offer bullets and cases — which, as we established in our discussion of cartridge anatomy, is all part of their specialty. With that said, Lapua is known for a specific part of their selection. Experts, professionals, and enthusiasts all over the world recognize the manufacturer for producing the best brass cartridges.
Brass vs. Steel Ammo
Cartridge cases can be made with several different materials. Copper and aluminum are common and rather cheap, but they may not be durable enough for use in competitive settings. The more popular types among professionals are brass and steel. Enthusiasts continue to debate over which type is better. With that said, the former serves as the signature material for Lapua cases because it presents a number of benefits over the latter.
Brass is definitely superior in expanding upon firing, which keeps unlit powder from getting left behind and clogging the rifle. While steel cases need to be coated for rust protection and easier extraction, brass cases are naturally slicker and resistant. AR fans should also take note: brass is better for that type of rifle. Finally, and unlike certain types of cartridges, brass and steel ammo can both be reused — the first time firing them is not necessarily the last. However, brass cases are more durable and malleable, meaning they can be reused far more often than steel.
To be fair, steel has plenty of factors going for it. It tends to be less expensive than brass, and it is definitely more durable than copper and aluminum. Moreover, both types are approximately as accurate as each other. Still, many view brass as superior for all these and other reasons.
What is Reloading Brass?
While we are making distinctions between types of ammunition, we might as well tackle another relevant question: primed or reloading? Many brass cartridges are primed, meaning that they are ready to be fired as soon as you take them out of the box. You can immediately load them into your rifle without any further work. Reloading brass, also known as unprimed brass, is a bit more complex. These brass cartridges come without any preinstalled primer.
For the uninitiated, primer is the explosive at the base that sets off the propellant upon activation, and is therefore an extremely important component for any cartridge. This concept may sound strange to anyone who is new to using rifles, and even many professionals prefer primed cartridges. After all, why would anyone want a cartridge that is, in essence, designed to be a dummy?
To begin with, it is often less expensive than primed bullets. For another, it can give you an edge in competitions if you have the right knowledge. Professional shooters are intimately familiar with the anatomy of cartridges, and they often have their own favorite types and brands for each part. Primer is no different. If you own an unprimed cartridge, you can embed the primer of your preference into it, as long as it is compatible. A good combination can substantially improve your performance.
What Makes Lapua Brass Great?
Many manufacturers pump out brass cartridges for all the reasons mentioned above and more. However, Lapua retains its reputation as the best of them because their designs, standards, and processes optimize every quality that makes brass great. The cases are extremely durable: they can be fired several times without changing in length, width, shape, or tolerance. While other reusable cases quickly lose their ability to properly hold primers, these ones can keep them in place much longer.
This leads to overall greater consistency in a shooter’s performance. Nearly half of all professionals, as of this writing, rely on Lapua brass for precisely this reason. A popular strategy for increasing one’s chances of victory in a rifle competition comes down to decreasing anything that puts victory at risk. Reducing said risk can come in as simple a form as buying products from manufacturers with good reputations. It can also be as meticulous as recognizing the unpredictability of cartridges and finding a brand known for retaining an optimal design. Either way, Lapua’s brass cartridges are the ones that the pros can trust.
Own Lapua Brass Today
OTM Tactical is proud to partner with Lapua and supply their world-famous brass cartridges to pros and novices alike. As we said earlier, each of their cartridges can be fired multiple times. If you buy one pack of cartridges, it would be the same as purchasing several dozen packs. If you want to find out exactly what the best competitive shooters see in Lapua and place an order with us right away.