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Old December 29, 2008, 10:46 PM   #1
kgpcr
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Starline Brass Question

I am going to be loading some .454 Casull and was wondering what you think of Starline brass.
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Old December 29, 2008, 11:19 PM   #2
oneounceload
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Starline is one of, if not THE, finest brass maker in the US - their stuff is top notch
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Old December 29, 2008, 11:42 PM   #3
tom234
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+1. Order directly from Starline and save $$. http://www.starlinebrass.com/
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Old December 30, 2008, 12:04 AM   #4
Loader9
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I bought some Starline 38-40 brass and it was first class crap. It is not a favorite around here. It was almost not even formed and it certainly wasn't formed correctly. But they did leave enough for me to get it straight. And the necks looked they had been cut off with a chain saw. It's the last I'll have with the Starline name on it. Oh yeah, just remembered, when Starline first came out, I had major issues with 100 rounds of 44 mag brass, unfired. It's still unfired and now resides in a landfill. Now I know why I was uncomfy buying the 38-40. YMMV.
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Old December 30, 2008, 12:28 AM   #5
Shane Tuttle
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From my limited experience with it, I think they've done their homework. If I didn't already buy used from reputable sources or pick up from known users at the range, I'd probably buy it.
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Old December 30, 2008, 01:59 AM   #6
Guy B. Meredith
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I've loaded over 20,000 rounds of fairly hot .38 spl in the last eight years in my original purchase of 2000 pieces of Starline brass and am still reusing it. I don't buy any other.
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Old December 30, 2008, 12:04 PM   #7
Al Norris
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Last October, on another board, we were discussing the best pistol brass. While I was familiar with Starline, Winchester, Federal and Remington, I had just recently purchased some Magtech and Top Brass. So I was curious how they would perform against the two (Starline and Winchester) that I normally used in my .44.

This curiosity led to the following series of tests that began in mid October and ended shortly befor Christmas.

Load Data used:
Brass: 25 pieces each of Top Brass; Magtech; Starline and Winchester
Bullet: SIE 300gr JSP #8630
Primer: WLP
Powder: IMR 4227 | 21.8gr Note: WARNING: This is over all specs known to me. Use this load entirely at your own risk!
Caliber: .44 rem mag.
Firearm: Ruger NM SBH 7.5" bbl

Methodology: All brass was virgin and initially trimmed. During tests, each set of brass was retrimmed as needed.

Magtech and Winchester brass required the most trimming, both initially and during testing. Starline required little if any trimming initially and very little during the tests. Top Brass required no initial trimming and very little during testing.

I Fired 25 cartridges of each type of brass. After firing, each batch was tumbled, annealed (due to the heavy crimp required), and then reloaded.

Results: After 12 reloads, I have discarded all the Magtech brass initially used. Brass was either cracking at the mouth and/or primer pockets were enlarged to the point they would not accept (hold) primers.

After 12 reloads, I have discarded 13 pieces of the Top Brass initially used, for the same reasons as the Magtech. The 12 remaining pieces of Top Brass are showing signs of extreme wear, but may be good for another 2 or 3 reloads, at this load.

After 10 reloads, I have discarded all the Winchester brass.

After 12 reloads, I have discarded 12 pieces of the Starline brass.

Opinion: Starline and Top Brass appear to be comparable. Price and availability would be my determining factors in purchasing more of these two lines of brass.

Magtech brass appears (at this point, but see my bottom note) to be of higher quality than standard Winchester brass, but of lower quality than Top Brass or Starline. The price of Magtech seems to fluctuate more than the two top contenders. For normal everyday shooting, I wouldn't buy it unless the top two were unavailable.

Based upon my tests, I find that the best quality pistol brass in .44 mag to be:

Top Brass
Starline
Magtech
Winchester
Federal
Remington

Notes: Top place was given to Top Brass simply because it required the least prep, out of the box. I placed Winchester above Federal, again because it required the least prep. Both last about as long under heavy stress. Remington is, IMO, junk.

Despite the #3 position I have given Magtech, I may move it down the list. I feel it is too brittle, but I will see how it performs under normal (for me) loadings, before I make up my mind. If it performs, as I suspect it will, I will end up placing it just above Remington.
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Old December 30, 2008, 12:21 PM   #8
Ole 5 hole group
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I have fired Starline brass in a S&W 29-2, BFR 500JRH (supplied by Jack Huntington) and S&W 500 and have experienced zero problems. I will recommend their brass to anyone relative to the 44 mag and 500S&W brass (500 JRH is a shorten 500 S&W). I found Starline brass cost less from the factory shipped to your door than any other brass outlets that I know of.
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Old December 30, 2008, 12:46 PM   #9
Guy B. Meredith
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Let me clarify my statement that I don't buy any other brass. I do not avoid other brass for any particular reason than I have made an investment in Starline and it is still going.

I do not now have time or reason to research brass so when this brass wears out I will probably stay with Starline unless someone makes a good case for another brand.
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Old December 30, 2008, 12:58 PM   #10
azredhawk44
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I bought 500 pieces of Starline .44 magnum brass a couple years ago.

I had two cases where one had a non-existent rim, and one had a rim that was WAY too thick. I never went through and measured the case rim thickness of the remaining 498 cartridges, but I would assume there is some variation in there. They all seem to shoot well enough though.

I've never had that with any Winchester or Remington brass I've purchased, or any retail ammo I've shot and then reloaded.

I won't be buying any more starline after that experience, though.
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Old December 30, 2008, 01:20 PM   #11
ForneyRider
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I bought some Starline for my 41mag. It was good price locally.

It is a bit stiffer to run through the dies than the Remington/Winchester.

Should last forever without too many hotloads.
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