starline brass thoughts

[300WSM]

I just got some new nickel Starline brass.

I used to just buy up some premium defense ammo and would always use that brass.

Anyone with experienced opinions using Starline brass is most welcomed.

Thx

 

[Wolfshead]

I have it for all my rifles, (30-06, .308 Win., and 30-30), and I really like it.
I used to use a lot of Hornady brass but I’ve since moved to Starline.
I would easily recommend it, however I’m not what you would call an expert, so take my recommendation for what it’s worth…

 

[JD338]

I've used Starline in my 44 Rem Mags and my wife's 6.5 Creedmoor with no issues. Just got 150 pieces for her 7-08 but haven't loaded up anything yet.

JD338

 

[Guy Miner]

I've been using Starline brass for years:
357 mag
44 Special
44 mag
45 Colt

30-06
45-70

Probably some more. I think I may have used it with my 500 S&W, but I sold that a while back along with all the ammo, dies, etc...

No complaints about it at all. Never did use any nickel plated Starline brass. I've used other nickel plated brass and wasn't all that thrilled with it. Had issues with the plating coming off during resizing, also the cases cracked pretty quickly, maybe two or three times through the loading process. The regular brass ones hold up great. That was 357 magnum brass, unknown make. Too long ago.

Regards, Guy

 

[bkordon]

I have roughly 500 rounds loaded of 44 Mag with Starline nickel cases. They tend to be a little harder than brass cases, but they load nicely. It could be worth taking the time to de-burr before you load them. Depending on seating depth, you may get some significant mouth expansion and beveling the edges can help with bullet seating.

 

[Turpentine]

I've used Starline in 6.5 Grendel right alongside of Hornady and in my rifle I can mix them and
shoot the same sized groups and same POI with the exact same load. I generally anneal after 1 or 2 firings but that's just me. I haven't used any nickel cases so can't say anything about those. It's not Lapua but that pretty much goes without saying. But I have found it to be very consistent.

 

[hunter24605]

I've found it good brass in general. I've used it for Grendel, 7-08, 308 and 223 without any issues. Never used their nickel brass, but one thing I noticed using Win nickel brass is make sure to use a VLD chamfer or it'll shave bullets.

 

[Slimfinn]

I've used several of their plain brass for different handgun cartridges and not had any issues

 

[grry10]

I've used Starline for some time and have not had any major issues. One bag of .17 Rem brass had spots on it , but cleaned up when I put it through the tumbler.

 

[Joec7651]

I’ve use it in 45-70, 270, and 308 Win. It’s been very good to me. Accurate and high load counts. It seems to be along the same lines as Norma brass. It’s better than Winchester, Federal, Remington and Hornady. In my opinion, only premium brands beat it. Starline also aneals very well.

 

[NYDAN]

I guess I must be the odd man out. I bought 100 pieces of Starline 358 Win. brass and now wish I had bought Norma or Lapua 308 Win. brass and necked it up.

In general, I don't think the quality is as good as either Norma or Lapua brass. Specifically, I have three issues:

1. The concentricity of the necks is disappointing.
2. The primer pockets are too deep for either of my primer pocket uniformers. I measured the primer pocket depths and found they were right at maximum Saami specs (I don't remember, right now, just what those specs are). Even if I bought a third, adjustable, primer pocket uniformer and set it to clean up the primer pockets, they would end up out of spec.
3. Significantly different amounts of brass chips came out of the individual pieces when I was deburring the flash holes. I used a Hornady tool which has a shoulder on the cutter to control the amount of chamfer applied to the flash hole. So, there was a lot of internal variation in the brass.

I called Starline and told a technical representative that the primer pockets were right at maximum Saami specs and he told me that was the way they make them.

In the future I will buy other brands of brass, if they are available in the cartridge that I want.

 

[RL338]

Never used the nickel plated brass but many calibers in just brass. I got a hold of some of their first SRP 6mm Creed brass and it was on par with my Peterson SRP brass.

 

[Turpentine]

I just bought 100 pieces of their Creedmore small rifle primer brass. I have a lot more small rifle primers saved up right now compared to LRP so I'm interested in seeing how it does.

 

[superdrupal]

I just bought 100 pieces of their Creedmore small rifle primer brass. I have a lot more small rifle primers saved up right now compared to LRP so I'm interested in seeing how it does.

Me too. Both SR and LR 6.5 Creedmoor Starline brass has been good so far. Most of my reloads have been with the SR and CCI 450s. It's not top shelf brass but like others have mentioned, it seems to be better than other popular brands.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Have used and use Starline in 223,260,7mm-08, and 270Win. No complaints. Have not used their nickel-plated brass.
Dan.

 

[Joec7651]

Have used and use Starline in 223,260,7mm-08, and 270Win. No complaints. Have not used their nickel-plated brass.
Dan.

I forgot about my 223’s. I use it in those too.

 

[NYDAN]

I guess I must be the odd man out. I bought 100 pieces of Starline 358 Win. brass and now wish I had bought Norma or Lapua 308 Win. brass and necked it up.

In general, I don't think the quality is as good as either Norma or Lapua brass. Specifically, I have three issues:

1. The concentricity of the necks is disappointing.
2. The primer pockets are too deep for either of my primer pocket uniformers. I measured the primer pocket depths and found they were right at maximum Saami specs (I don't remember, right now, just what those specs are). Even if I bought a third, adjustable, primer pocket uniformer and set it to clean up the primer pockets, they would end up out of spec.
3. Significantly different amounts of brass chips came out of the individual pieces when I was deburring the flash holes. I used a Hornady tool which has a shoulder on the cutter to control the amount of chamfer applied to the flash hole. So, there was a lot of internal variation in the brass.

I called Starline and told a technical representative that the primer pockets were right at maximum Saami specs and he told me that was the way they make them.

In the future I will buy other brands of brass, if they are available in the cartridge that I want.

After I wrote the above post, I loaded up 6 once fired, and sized, brass pieces and the bullet concentricity was the worst I have ever reloaded. Upon further inspection, the cases are now banana shaped from firing and sizing. Apparently, the variation in brass thickness I saw in the neck runs the entire length of the brass.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

After I wrote the above post, I loaded up 6 once fired, and sized, brass pieces and the bullet concentricity was the worst I have ever reloaded. Upon further inspection, the cases are now banana shaped from firing and sizing. Apparently, the variation in brass thickness I saw in the neck runs the entire length of the brass.

Appears to be a bad lot of brass.

 

[xphunter]

Starline is my go to brass for for straight-wall cartridges

It is not my go to brass if I am looking for the best brass out there for bottleneck cartridges.