My buddy bought 200 pcs of new Lapua 7-08, same lot. He opened the first box, and at least 25% of the brass appears to be over annealed. I’ve seen oxidation on new brass, but this is definitely heat. It looks like it was someone’s first day on the annealing line. Torched the length of the brass, and some pieces onto the head-stamp. Anyone else ever received new Lapua this bad?

That does look bad. I’d contact someone with Lapua or the dealer you bought it from, as expensive as that stuff is.

Just throw it in a tumbler it will clean up fine.

Larry

Mmm not suppose to anneal the case head area, would make me nervous. I would call lapua and see what they have to say. I just loaded out of my new box of lapua 7mm08 brass, mine did not look like that.

I’ve never seen Lapua brass look like that.

^^This

Never seen any look that bad. Much as it costs, it should arrive in perfrect condition.

Amen, at the price I wouldn’t settle. I use Lapua and Nosler, actually like Nosler better, but that wouldn’t even be considered.

I was shocked that it made it through quality control. I’m not a stickler about bright shiny brass, but I wouldn’t gamble with the possibility of a softened and weakened case head/web. And, as others have stated, you’re paying for top shelf brass, and should receive such. We didn’t open the second box, but it’s the same lot and I’m willing to bet it would be more of the same. As soon as he pulled it out of the box, I snapped a few photos and he packaged it back up. He ordered through Brownell’s, and they’re going to swap them out. Hopefully for a different lot. Unfortunately, he was planning to shoot this weekend.

I don't like the looks of that brass, I'd call and return it with a return label. I do buy Lapua, Nosler and Norma brass and none looked like that.

Its probably from cleaning or something similar. I've had results like that from drying after ultra sonic cleaning brass that wasn't annealed at the time.

It’s possible. In the picture, it just looks tarnished. I had a hard time getting the colors to show up. Any dark area on the brass you see had the same bluish, iridescent colors seen in the neck/shoulder of a properly annealed piece. That color flows seamlessly from the mouth of the case, down the body. At any rate, it’s headed back.

Glad brownells is doing th right thing. I have seen what Dee referred to but it did not have the same color described in the above post.

I use quit a bit of lapua brass and have never seen what is described add pictured and if I got some that looked like that I would want it replaced as well.

Been said already but I just bought my first 200 pieces of Lapua, not that it matters but in 308, and mine didn't lok like that at all. I'd defintely contact them.

Putting on my engineering hat...the point of annealing is structure the molecules within the solid piece of metal to alter its mechanical properties. And the peak temp reach is a very critical variable. For example in the O&G pipeline industry, the specific instructions for heat treating and peak temp and time held are such critical variables that non-compliance means the whole piece is no good, meaning I'd reject it instantly and make the vendor try again or get me a new one.
If this is even a possible evidence for too much heat into, i'd send it right back.