Starline rifle brass

[jordanka16]

I've been reading some good things about starline's rifle brass, and I'm a big fan of their pistol and straight wall rifle brass so when I needed some 308 cases it seemed like the logical place to get it. At $199 for 500, compared to $375 for 500 Lapua, especially for my factory barrel, it seems worth it. I ordered them today and they should arrive on Thursday, so I will report with a random sampling of weight and length then.

Anyone else using their rifle cases?

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[DizzyJ]

I've been reading some good things about starline's rifle brass, and I'm a big fan of their pistol and straight wall rifle brass so when I needed some 308 cases it seemed like the logical place to get it. At $199 for 500, compared to $375 for 500 Lapua, especially for my factory barrel, it seems worth it. I ordered them today and they should arrive on Thursday, so I will report with a random sampling of weight and length then.

Anyone else using their rifle cases?

Lake city 308 brass is very good as well.

I've also heard lots of good things about the star line brass. Hope it holds true!

 

[jordanka16]

Lake city 308 brass is very good as well.

I've also heard lots of good things about the star line brass. Hope it holds true!

Lake City match is especially good, I've never liked swaging primer pockets, and standard lake City fare is usually MG fired and needs a good resizing. It also shortens the case life.

I've had such long life from my .44 starline cases, with max loads, I'm hopeful about the 308. I might separate out 25-50 cases to just reload and shoot repeatedly until the necks or primer pockets fail.

 

[DizzyJ]

Lake City match is especially good, I've never liked swaging primer pockets, and standard lake City fare is usually MG fired and needs a good resizing. It also shortens the case life.

I've had such long life from my .44 starline cases, with max loads, I'm hopeful about the starline. I might separate out 25-50 cases to just reload and shoot repeatedly until the necks or primer pockets fail.

If you get virgin lake city brass, there's no crimp. Some places offer removing the crimp and sizing for you, or even all the above and installing the primer too.

And yeah, the MG fired brass is a major PITA.

 

[jordanka16]

If you get virgin lake city brass, there's no crimp. Some places offer removing the crimp and sizing for you, or even all the above and installing the primer too.

And yeah, the MG fired brass is a major PITA.

Yup, I shoot a lot of LC 5.56, last time I bought some I paid for swaged and sized cases, definitely worth it to save my elbows the trouble of swaging and sizing those MG cases.

 

[DenimChicken]

Starline is good to go in everything I've used it for and swaging is for the birds.

 

[jordanka16]

Well, got my cases today. I weighed 50 cases and got these numbers HIGH: 175.3, LOW: 172, AVERAGE: 173.45, SD: .823. Length was all between 2.003-2.0065.

Flash holes were all perfect, no deburring needed and perfectly centered.

These are excellent numbers, I don't own any lapua brass, but from the numbers I've seen it is extremely close, certainly for the money it is well worth it. I will be going to starline first for any rifle cases I need that they make in the future.

 

[DizzyJ]

Well, got my cases today. I weighed 50 cases and got these numbers HIGH: 175.3, LOW: 172, AVERAGE: 173.45, SD: .823. Length was all between 2.003-2.0065.

Flash holes were all perfect, no deburring needed and perfectly centered.

These are excellent numbers, I don't own any lapua brass, but from the numbers I've seen it is extremely close, certainly for the money it is well worth it. I will be going to starline first for any rifle cases I need that they make in the future.

Excellent! How about concentricity of the neck? Is the thickness uniform? What are your readings?

 

[jordanka16]

Excellent! How about concentricity of the neck? Is the thickness uniform? What are your readings?

I'll have to report back later for that, I got home at midnight last night, and we're doing Christmas today. As soon as possible though.

 

[DizzyJ]

I'll have to report back later for that, I got home at midnight last night, and we're doing Christmas today. As soon as possible though.

Excellent. I'm eager to hear your findings.

 

[Argonaut]

I have used Starline for decades in various calibers. There has never been a problem with any of it from 458 WM to 45 Win Mag. I wish they made some 378 Weatherby.

 

[IRY]

I have been working with some Starline in 6.5 CM small rifle primer pockets. I have yet to fire any, although I have worked with Starline pistol brass with excellent results. I am getting the 6.5 preped. So far so good. I have some Laupua to compare it too. It looks great! The primer pockets and flash hole look especially clean. I couldn't tell if the flash hole was punched or drilled. I uniformed it anyway though.

 

[IRY]

OK I just compared some Starline to Lapua 6.5 CM brass. I think the general consensus is that Lapua brass is the brass that everyone measures too. well I would say that Starline might be very comparable or competitive. I used my trusty Starrett calipers to take some measurements. the case neck thickness is the only area that might be a bit of a Lapua advantage. To be fair to starline it seemed that a good chamfer might be in order. they were a little rough compared to the Lapua.

 

[DizzyJ]

OK I just compared some Starline to Lapua 6.5 CM brass. I think the general consensus is that Lapua brass is the brass that everyone measures too. well I would say that Starline might be very comparable or competitive. I used my trusty Starrett calipers to take some measurements. the case neck thickness is the only area that might be a bit of a Lapua advantage. To be fair to starline it seemed that a good chamfer might be in order. they were a little rough compared to the Lapua.

View attachment 414118 View attachment 414119

Thanks for those numbers. Were the Starline necks concentric, or was there any runout due to the thickness of the neck varying from side to side, meaning, were the Starline necks thicker on one side than the other? If so, what was the variance?

 

[Argonaut]

Does anyone use new brass without resizing it first anyway? I suppose you could get away with it using bottle necked brass but in straight cases it is nessisary to flange the case mouth to properly seat and crimp the bullet anyway. There can't be that many actual case manufacturers. Weatherby brass is traditionally made by Norma, I don't know who the actual manufacturers are for various headstamps but I bet there aren't many.

 

[DizzyJ]

Does anyone use new brass without resizing it first anyway? I suppose you could get away with it using bottle necked brass but in straight cases it is nessisary to flange the case mouth to properly seat and crimp the bullet anyway. There can't be that many actual case manufacturers. Weatherby brass is traditionally made by Norma, I don't know who the actual manufacturers are for various headstamps but I bet there aren't many.

Bottle necked brass I usually just round out and chamfer the mouth the first time out.

 

[jordanka16]

Like dizzyj I run the expander ball through to round out the neck then chamfer them, I don't size the body the first time at all.

I have a ball micrometer to measure the neck thickness variance, which I will do, just been busy with holiday and work stuff. Today or tomorrow though!

 

[jordanka16]

I couldn't tell if the flash hole was punched or drilled. I uniformed it anyway though.

I don't remember where I read it, but they are punched, still always very clean though.

 

[IRY]

Thanks for those numbers. Were the Starline necks concentric, or was there any runout due to the thickness of the neck varying from side to side, meaning, were the Starline necks thicker on one side than the other? If so, what was the variance?

for time reasons I just measured each piece of brass at a random side on each piece. I did however measure a couple of each brand for thickness concentrics. Starline seemed to vary a little more, but again I need to chamfer to be fair! All brass I tested is new and been run through a Redding FL sizing die.
Lapua seems to be a little more ready out of the box, but for the money you get choices of primer pocket and large flash holes with Starline. My money is on Starline.
Just another note. If you watch the Starline vid on You Tube the claim the Anneal the brass after every step in the production process!!!

 

[orygun]

Comparing Starline brass to R-P brass in 41 Magnum, the Starline brass was heavier and proved it by using a grain less powder to get the same velocity.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy and use Starline brass, but I would certainly back off of a known load and then work up.