Starline Brass

[AllenM]

I learned something new today with Starline brass.

I use a lot of it and consider it good brass. I have been loading lead bullets in it for my 44 mag. 240 and 250 gr and everything has been fine.
I picked up some 300 gr XTP's and tried to load them in the new unfired Starline and had issues. One case even crushed in the center and it was deforming the bullets they were seating so hard.

Switched to some unfired Winchester brass and everything ran as it should.

Never had this problem with starline in 9mm, 10mm or .45 acp

I want to say the Starline may be softer, but I am not sure It just seemed the bullets would not slide in well.

I Just thought it was unusual. I will stick with Winchester on my jacketed 44 mag loads. At least with the 300 gr bullets

 

[ol' poke]

It could be that the brass wall is thinner in Starline. I know its thinner on their .44-40 brass, comparted, say, to Winchester. That is why I use it specifically. The thinner walls obturate better to seal the action from blow-back in my blackpowder loads.

Obturate is one of my favorite words.
ol' poke

 

[teddy12b]

Interesting. I haven't read to many negative reviews on starline brass. I'm using it in my 10mm with great success.

 

[Aszerigan]

You probably know this, but lead bullets are more forgiving, so you don't need to expand the mouth of the case quite so much. With XTP's, they have a thick jacket to prevent fragmentation, so adjust your belling a little bit and you should be fine.

Also, since the 44Mag is a much longer piece of brass, you're putting more pressure on the center of the case during seating, which will cause a failure at the mid point more often than any other place. Make sure you're bullets are seated straight in the casing - a canted bullet and a light expanded case mouth can cause the longer cases (44Mag, 45LC, 357Mag) to crush during seating.

I load quite a bit of new Starline brass in 44Mag and 45 Colt, and its always been good to me.

 

[Aszerigan]

*Sorry, double post*

 

[AllenM]

You probably know this, but lead bullets are more forgiving, so you don't need to expand the mouth of the case quite so much. With XTP's, they have a thick jacket to prevent fragmentation, so adjust your belling a little bit and you should be fine.

Also, since the 44Mag is a much longer piece of brass, you're putting more pressure on the center of the case during seating, which will cause a failure at the mid point more often than any other place. Make sure you're bullets are seated straight in the casing - a canted bullet and a light expanded case mouth can cause the longer cases (44Mag, 45LC, 357Mag) to crush during seating.

I load quite a bit of new Starline brass in 44Mag and 45 Colt, and its always been good to me.

Yea did the bell adjust and focused on bullet not being tipped.
I like starline but not sure what was up unless it had to do with the contact surface of the 300 gr bullet. dunno

 

[Drail]

I wouldn't be too quick to blame Starline for the problem you're describing. I have used their brass since they first went into business and have never had a problem. It sounds like the new brass simply needs a little more flare applied as it is stretching and then returning to a smaller dia. It also may be necessary to de burr the new cases also.

 

[parson]

I always resize new brass before loading. This might help with the Starline.

 

[Aszerigan]

I always resize new brass before loading. This might help with the Starline.

I know alot of people that do, but I'm in the other camp. I don't resize before loading new brass. I always spot check a few casings and measure to ensure they have the correct diameter at both the neck and the base, and I check OAL. If they're good, then I'll save my arm for once fired brass.

There's certainly nothing wrong with sizing new brass, it's obviously not going to hurt anything, but its a time consuming step (especially on a single stage) that I don't feel is necessary.

Just my .

 

[BE Mike]

I always resize new brass before loading. This might help with the Starline.

I do this as well, and I lube the new cases beforehand, even though I'm using carbide sizing dies. I've only used Starline brass in 9mm and .45 ACP, but never had any problems with it.

 

[AllenM]

I am not bashing Starline at all. I will continue to use there brass. Just found this interesting was all. I am loading on a progressive and it was set up for 44 so I did perform resizing on the brass. Why it fought me so much I don't know but was a definite difference in ease of loading with the Manchester.