Trying to find some new .45-70 brass for my incoming Sharps and I'm coming up empty-handed.

I am able to find some nickel Remington .45-70 brass, but no plain brass.

Is there any real difference between the plain and nickeled brass as far as performance, stretching, brittleness, or dimensions?

Ed

I find that nickel plated cases clean up easier when used with black powder. I like 'em.

Some of the most consistently accurate loads I have for the 45-70 is in Remington nickel brass.

Although I've never tried nickel plated brass, I'm wondering if they tend to get harder faster and does annealing work as well?

Wayne

I have some of those cases that have been shot so much the nickel is coming off of the base and rims, never have annealed them and they'll still deliver top accuracy.

Maybe you'd better grab those nickel plated cases before one of us asks you where they are...

Gone. That's where they are. Not in my direction, either.

Yesterday, after reading your guy's recommendation, I went back online and they were already gone.

Back on the hunt again...

Any of y'all use Starline brass? I have found some of that.

Thanks for your input, gentlemen!

Ed

Ed, Rifle here, or at least update on delivery?

I use and prefer Starline, but I also shoot a batch of Remington.

With certain brands of brass there may be variation among lots. When forming 45-70 brass down to 40-65, some lots of Remington formed well, others cracked. Admittedly, that was putting it to a tough test.

No experience with plated brass.

Paul

Starline is good stuff. My nickel cases are Starline.

Have not tried them with black powder, but like the nickel Starline cases I run in the #1 Ruger - which are loaded with heavy charges of smokeless. They seem to be fine.

I sure wish Starline would make a nickel plated case for a .40-70 SS. Of course, I wish anybody made a case for a .40-70 SS...

Bill,

No rifle. Still in limbo on delivery date.

It'll get here when it gets here. Meanwhile, I'm gathering everything else.

Ed

Thanks for the input, Gents. I'll see about gathering some Starline.

Ed

Well, Gents, 200 new Starline brass .45-70 cases are on my loading bench. I'll measure them tomorrow and see what I have in relation to the Remington brass I have.

Ed

That's good to have. And how far ahead of the cart is this horse?

The horse was supposed to be delivered around May 21st, so I'm just keeping occupied by getting ready.

I have powder, primers, wads, and now brass on the bench as well as some gg bullets cast from two different molds. I'm waiting for a Postell mold to get here and that will give me three bullets to try for starters.

If it doesn't get here soon, I'm going to have to mow the pasture again just so I can see the targets.

Ed

Ed, That's cool. And because you have all of the ingredients, you might go ahead and load some of the greasers so you can fire-form some brass when the rifle does make its grand entrance. I find that fire-formed brass must be used to get any good accurate shooting. Another good thing to do while fire-forming brass is the barrel break-in, do little shooting and a lot of cleaning. It makes fire-forming go quickly.

That's the plan. I have even loaded some of these bullets in .458WM cases so I can shoot something while I wait.

Ed

It sounds like you're all set. I just ordered another 50 .44/77 Jamison cases, just because they're available now. There's no point in waiting until they're gone to want some...

That's the current situation with .45-70 brass. There is none in the pipeline, anywhere. There are a few folks who bought some of the last run of Starline (early April of this year)and are selling it. The guy I got this from only had 300 left out of the crate of 3,000 he got directly from Starline back then.

BTW, USPS delivered the Postell mold yesterday. Now to find some time to cast some up.

Ed