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Misssissippi Dave · July 15, 2012, 10:03 AM

I have used several brands of brass for .45 and the biggest difference has been how long they last. I found Winchester brass has been holding up quite well and the same for RWS brass. I don't think you should worry too much about using a different brass so so long as the primers seat properly and you inspect you brass prior to loading. Clean brass is much easier to inspect than dirty brass.

You might find some rifle brass will make a difference but pistol brass for the most part doesn't.

You only mentioned using one source for your load information. I like to have at least two references before I start a new load. Here is a link to the power manufactures website to check their information as well:
http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

I also find using the minimum load tends to either bearly cycle my pistols or not cycle them at all. Make no more than 10 rounds for any given load you are working up. It helps to reduce the number of rounds you will have to take apart later on. When you find the load you think is great, don't load more than 50 to check them some more. You still might want to make another change after that.

With W231 powder I have found it burns cleaner when I added 0.1 to 0.2 grains of powder beyond where they started grouping well. That was still below the max. level in the books. I prefer WST for .45 but W231 does work pretty good too.

July 15, 2012, 10:03 AM	#2
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	I have used several brands of brass for .45 and the biggest difference has been how long they last. I found Winchester brass has been holding up quite well and the same for RWS brass. I don't think you should worry too much about using a different brass so so long as the primers seat properly and you inspect you brass prior to loading. Clean brass is much easier to inspect than dirty brass. You might find some rifle brass will make a difference but pistol brass for the most part doesn't. You only mentioned using one source for your load information. I like to have at least two references before I start a new load. Here is a link to the power manufactures website to check their information as well: http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp I also find using the minimum load tends to either bearly cycle my pistols or not cycle them at all. Make no more than 10 rounds for any given load you are working up. It helps to reduce the number of rounds you will have to take apart later on. When you find the load you think is great, don't load more than 50 to check them some more. You still might want to make another change after that. With W231 powder I have found it burns cleaner when I added 0.1 to 0.2 grains of powder beyond where they started grouping well. That was still below the max. level in the books. I prefer WST for .45 but W231 does work pretty good too.