Finding .45 acp brass

[Oldagefun]

Just starting out loading .45 acp. I've been reading all I can including several reloading manuals. It seems many of the more experienced reloaders do not favor remington brass, most seem to think its too thin. But this is the only brand that seems to be available. Both Winchester and Federal are no where to be found in my neck of the woods. Starlite is available but I,ve read very few posts on it. Does anyone have any opinions on the various brands of brass that are available for .45 ACP. Thanx so much for a really informative forum.

[moxie]

There is nothing wrong with Remington brass. Go ahead and use it. I've got R-P in .45, as well as other calibers, that I've reloaded scores of times over the years with great results and no problems. The Winchester, Federal, Speer, CCI and others are all good too, as is the Starline. A lot of foreign brass works quite well too, such as TZZ, Aquila, CBC, Fiocchi, and S&B. Do not use AMERC! I find PMC inconsistent. Some works. Some doesn't.

[Tuzo]

45 ACP is a good reloading round. Easy to handle during reloading and relatively low pressure during shooting. My experience with reloading 9mm, 45 ACP, 38 spl, 357 mag, 44 spl, and 44 mag has been favorable with nearly all manufacturers' brass. Except PMC - thin easily deformed brass. Winchester and RP brass is the most numerous in my collection because it is the most numerous brass scrounged at my shooting range. Previous poster has given you good advise regarding 45 ACP brass.

[Idaho Spud]

I like Rem brass the best for cast boolits which run a little larger in dia. than jacketed. My 1911 seems to be chambered a little "tight" so Rems are a good fit for me.

[Crankylove]

I don't use AMERC or S&B for reloading, but everything else is fair game. Most of my .45 Auto brass is picked up or given to me by other shooters, and I bet there is over 100 different head stamps. I don't sort my brass (other than reloadable, and scap bucket), and it all loads the same for me.

[Walkalong]

I'll take all the S&B anyone wants to throw away. Good stuff. Some complain the primer pockets are tight, but I don't mind that at all.

[grubbylabs]

I found a guy in a local want add that has range brass shipped to him. I bought a 500 count I think and it has mostly been good stuff. As expected it is a mix of almost every thing. I have tossed less than a dozen pieces due to split brass wrong size primer and so on. Look at all the want adds you can find you never know what you will find.

[Dr Killdeer]

Check this out!

http://oncefiredbrass.com/

I've purchased over a thousand rounds from this site. They're cheap and you can get as much of whatever brand of brass you like.

[Sevens]

.45 Auto is one of the calibers where brass tends to last a LONG TIME. It's my opinion if you are just starting out (or even if you aren't) that it's foolish spending to buy new .45 Auto brass with anyone's headstamp simply because used brass works so well and lasts for such a long time... as long as you don't lose it in the weeds.

As for the question you posted on Starline brass, my opinion is that it's very good brass, but it's also over rated.

Let me explain that: it's every bit as good as typical factory brass from WIN, Federal and all the usual suspects. (that makes it better than thin-walled R-P brass, IMO) However, many folks seem to place Starline brass on a pedestal above all the usual stuff and I have never found it any better, or worth any premium. Like every thing else, I've found a few flawed pieces of Starline.

Is it good brass? It's great brass, and if buying new, it's probably one of your best bets for handgun brass. But I don't believe that Starline is to handgun brass like Lapua is to rifle brass. It's just good, usable brass. It's not the holy grail of handgun brass... it's just good brass.

[Mike-Mat]

I had a friend give me some mixed range brass and I had a hard time with primers in some of it. I'm sticking with you brand from now on. Give me something with a nice radius on the lip of the primer pocket. I would rather buy once fired, clean and sorted brass, of one type/brand.

[Dave R]

When I saw "finding .45 acp brass", I thought you were asking where to FIND it. Answer--any range. If you see someone shooting .45 and not collecting the brass, ask if you can have it. I've never had someone say no.

I have not seen any measureable difference in the performance of one type of .45 brass over another. I use 'em all.

[oneounceload]

You could always buy a bunch of factory ammo, shoot it, and you'll have once-fired brass in the brand you prefer

[bignz]

I don't have any complains about 45 brass. Some really old military stuff I let go - it sometimes has a date stamped on it and I've found as old as 41s, but I only see one or two of those per 1000, the rest I find great. Federal, Blazer, PMC, Starline, Magtech CBC, Rem, Win, Speer, S&B,... these are the usual suspects and I like them all. I guess Speer and Starline are my favorites, but they all work well. The CBCs tend to spit a bit quicker than others for me...but whatever, I use them until I see splits. Federal and Blazer seem to take a bit more effort in my sizing die...but whatever. S&B have tighter pockets...but that's fine too...

[Smokey Joe]

Old Age Fun--As stated above, R-P brass is thinner walled than most brands. That said, it WILL reload and shoot just fine, esp. in a low-pressure ctg. like .45 ACP.

I sort the R-P's out and don't use 'em, just because since the walls are thinner, the cases grip the bullets differently, and I think that'd cause a difference in pressure when firing the cartridge. Not a dangerous difference, mind you, just enough difference to affect the POI slightly.

As a bullseye shooter, I can't afford that. And I have enough .45 ACP brass of other brands that I don't need to use the R-P brass, so I don't.

The other brass I WILL NOT use is Amerc.

[margiesex]

Hello: I have had really good success with just about every type of brass - except AMERC. And, you have to watch out in the .45 for NT brass - some have a small pistol primer, and some have crimped primer pockets. If you're not careful you'll end up with a small pistol primer pocket on your press who's primer tube you've filled with large pistol primers! Argh!

Actually, I have kept the small primer ones and load them seperately with (obviously) small pistol primers - and they seem to go "bang!" regularly for me.

Here is the web site for a fellow whom I have found is VERY honest, and dependable - in fact I'd say, if it is to be had, he'll have it! Great guy to deal with - good prices and if there is a problem, he'll make it right for you. He also handles bullets, as well as new and once fired cases. His name is Bob Wise and runs www.FirstClassBulletsandBrass.com - tell him Scott sent you!

If you're looking just to look around, try www.gunbroker.com - they have an entire area devoted to reloading - from primers to powder and reloading equipment. I have had good success with the dealers there, and have sold some items myself with no problems.

God bless.

Margiesex

And remember: Hug your God and your guns - 'cause he's coming for them both, and sooner than we think!

[demigod]

I'll take all the S&B anyone wants to throw away. Good stuff. Some complain the primer pockets are tight, but I don't mind that at all.

Same here. S&B is noticeably tighter, but I have no issue with that.

And R-P/Remmington .45 brass is just fine. I've loaded a friggin TON of it over the years.