.308 Lapua Palma — Lapua to Introduce a Small Primer .308 Winchester Variant
Adam Braverman of Nammo-Lapua just confirmed that Lapua, at the behest of the U.S. Palma team, has been quietly developing a NEW version of the .308 Winchester cartridge that has a small BR-style primer pocket. That’s right, this is no joke. Lapua has crafted small primer pocket .308 Winchester brass that will be introduced at SHOT Show in Las Vegas (Jan. 19-22).
The new .308 variant is identical to Lapua’s current .308 match brass with the exception of the primer pocket. The brass will be head-stamped “.308 Win Lapua Palma”.
FLASH HOLES: The flash-hole size for the current pre-production .308 Lapua Palma brass is 1.5mm (.059″), the same as Lapua 6mmBR and 220 Russian brass. Lapua spokesmen were not certain if the flash hole size will change for the regular production brass. Note: if you have a Redding .308 die, you can ask Redding for a smaller decapping rod tip (.057″) to use with the new brass.
Tests Reveal Better ES and SD with Small Primers
Initial tests of the small primer pocket .308 by U.S. Palma team members have been very promising. The small primer pocket case seems to have advantages in both accuracy and the ability to handle high-pressure loads. However, the primary improvement found with the smaller primer is reduced ES and SD. Palma Team members have found that, with almost every brand of primer tested (small vs. large), the smaller version has yielded reduced Extreme Spread and Standard Deviation. This pays dividends in 1000-yard shooting. Also, some testers believe that small primers are more consistent and require less sorting — and that there are more varieties of small primers that seem to work really well in the .308 case. Moreover, the small primer types are more uniform, from lot to lot, than are large primers, according to some testers. More info will follow later today.
Similar Posts:
- .308 Winchester — Large vs. Small Flash Hole Test
- Large vs. Small Flash Holes in .308 Win Brass
- Lapua .308 Win Brass on Sale at Bullets.com
- Adjust Your Decapping Dies to Avoid Primer Pocket Problems
- Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor Brass Has Arrived at Graf & Sons
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Tags: .308 Winchester, Lapua, Palma, Primer
And If they’d do that in 6,5-284 too, I’d be really happy.
The 308 is after all a bit … outdated.
Or a 260 rem, would be nice also.
So much for all of my secret testing!
Guess what happens when you freeze the loads?
When do y’all think the new cases will be necked down to 6 or 7mm.
The new cases are what I used to win a 1000 yard bench rest match………. using the outdated 308.
Just happened to beat 6.5-284s and a 338 Lapua.
Get your orders in early!!!!
Jerry
After having experimented with the Rem BR .308 small rifle primer case for more than a decade, the effectiveness of the small primer in the .308 case depends on the powder used. However, small rifle primers have changed over the last few years and might just be the ticket now.
Roy
Too late for me. Just took delivery of 500 large primer .308 cases. But then when I shoot to 1000 it’s just for kicks.
While I’m sure those who will shoot this case as a 308, or something similar, will be quite pleased with it for many of the same reasons the 6.5 x 47 and 6mm BR cases provide such excellent results, I have a somewhat different venue in mind. A big sigh of relief, an order for too many cases, and then an extended trip to the back 40 to attempt to shoot out as many 22 CHeetah barrels as possible in search of PD’s will be my MO. I no longer will have to accept the unacceptable – the eventual loss of all my original irreplaceable 308BR cases to age and use. The availability of small rifle primer pocket cases may allow an expansion into 6mm or .257 as well. One more thing, RL-15 and RL-17 over CCI 450 primers do just fine in my experience. And, yes, the gun does shoot better than I can at 4300+ fps velocities.
Anyone know when this smaller primed case will be available? Or as a loaded case? Where will they be available?
Regular diameter flashole or small?
What primers did you use, Jerry?
(Long ago when I still had servicable REM BR brass, I used Fed 205 primers)
Thanks
Best regards
Rick
There was something on the LR forum “… the flashhole is 0.059 rather than 0.080.”
This will make me glad I built a 260 Rem, instead of a 6.5x47mm.
Thanks for the reply and edit on the flashole size.
With the 8208imr powder,small rifle primer and a 125 grain BIB bullet or 125 grn.Berger,it will shoot almost like a 6ppc and mimic a well tuned 30br.
I love my 308!! steve stewart
Yikes! I looked for a full year to find a place to buy some CCI BR2 primers. I got 5,000 delivered YESTERDAY. Today I see this article, and now I need 5,000 SMALL RIFLE PRIMERS!
Even when I win I lose.
Good for high pressure loads in F/TR as well presumably….