Klem Wrote:Both of you are making assumptions.
Ninny,
You are assuming the quality and percentage of brass alloy is the same across manufacturers. Cartridge brass varies in quality and mix (Copper/Zinc). Here's an article from Accurateshooter.com that includes spectroscopy findings. Bottom line, thinner brass can be stronger.
Bottom line, this is why I stated "all other things equal" multiple times. I completely understand how alloys differ in strength by chemical concentration differences. In making technical comparisons you have to analyze one variable at a time and set all the others equal. That's the only way to break down the problem.
So now to consider your point applied to this failure, the Lapua brass could be stronger due to composition differences, but I can't speak to that myself. If someone has data showing that Lapua brass is stronger in this regard, like having a higher Young's modulus or other materials deformation factor than Hornady, then I would definitely agree that composition is a factor to consider too.
Edit: I liked how the article you linked had this disclaimer:
"We do NOT have the metallurgical expertise to infer that any particular alloy shown above is better than another. The alloy blend is merely one of many variables that can have an impact on the performance and quality of the finished product. Annealing times/methods differ and some cartridge brass is extruded while other cartridge brass is made with the traditional drawing process. Readers should not presume, on reading the above chart, that they can identify the best shooting brass simply based on the constituent metals in the various alloys."