Starline Rifle Brass - 24hourcampfire

I know Starline has made really good pistol brass for years, but has anyone used any of their rifle brass? If so, any issues or not?? How'd you like it???

I bought some of the 308 Winchester brass. My earlier reports:

Originally Posted by mathman

I recently bought 50 pieces of 308 Win bulk packed from Midway. They are heavier than WW 308 brass, 178 grains avg vs 155 or thereabout. The neck walls are thicker than WW, .014" vs .012". I didn't take time tonight to measure them all around for consistency.

As I received them the case mouths were a bit rough for my taste. The inside edges needed chamfering, and the outside edges needed a fingernail catching "overhang" removed. I started by knocking back the inside rough edges a bit with the slotted Lee chamfer tool. Then I ran the necks over a .307" mandrel in an expander die. Now the necks were round so I gave them a good chamfer inside and out with a Wilson chamfer tool. I finished by running them through a Lee collet neck sizer to tighten them for loading.

I loaded twenty pieces and four finished cartridges had .005" runout measured on the bullet ogive, nine had .003" runout, and seven had .002" runout or less. Each cartridge was marked for runout so I'll be able to tell how much straighter they get on their second loading. I've found the straightest cartridges are usually made on the second loading.

Originally Posted by mathman

Since I last posted in this thread I loaded the other thirty pieces, but before I assembled those I weighed every one of them. There were two weight classes in this batch of brass, one at 176-177 grains and another at 179-180 grains. Why am I not saying the cases weighed 178 grains, +/-2 grains and that's not bad for non-Lapua class stuff? It's because the distribution was clustered in the stated bands, nothing much in the middle. Maybe there were two lots mixed in this bulk pack brass from Midway. That's not the problem though.

This evening I did take some time to measure the necks with my tubing micrometer and they are a disappointment. The majority of them are .015" thick on one side and .013" thick on the other. It looks like my neck turning gear will get a workout.

Originally Posted by mathman

Update: I've turned them to .0125" and a good number of them have patches on the neck that didn't clean up. If this batch is representative then Starline brass isn't what you want for precision work.

I bought some for use in my M1A Squad Scout. So far, they shoot just as well as my PPU brass loads with the same powder charges. That's 1-1.5 MOA for four rounds and same zero. E

I don't have a precision match chamber and I am not shooting precision bench rest matches.

I bought an initial batch of Starline brass in 6.5 CM Palma/small primer.

So far, the brass has performed wonderfully in my Ruger Hawkeye.

I'll be buying more.

Update: The turned neck Starline brass loads into straighter cartridges than before, but it's handily beaten by the out of the bag Sig brass I'm also trying out.

I appreciated the feedback. I'm only putting together hunting loads for my 7mm08 and for the life of me I can't bring myself to pay over a dollar per piece for Lapua brass..Gonna check out the PPU brass

I have always used Starline brass for Magnum loads in my revolvers and it has always given great service, don't see any reason why rifle brass wouldn't do the same.

I recently bought 500 pieces from Midway for my .223. Fireformed 200 so far and I like the results.

Originally Posted by mathman

I bought some of the 308 Winchester brass. My earlier reports:

Originally Posted by mathman

I recently bought 50 pieces of 308 Win bulk packed from Midway. They are heavier than WW 308 brass, 178 grains avg vs 155 or thereabout. The neck walls are thicker than WW, .014" vs .012". I didn't take time tonight to measure them all around for consistency.

As I received them the case mouths were a bit rough for my taste. The inside edges needed chamfering, and the outside edges needed a fingernail catching "overhang" removed. I started by knocking back the inside rough edges a bit with the slotted Lee chamfer tool. Then I ran the necks over a .307" mandrel in an expander die. Now the necks were round so I gave them a good chamfer inside and out with a Wilson chamfer tool. I finished by running them through a Lee collet neck sizer to tighten them for loading.

I loaded twenty pieces and four finished cartridges had .005" runout measured on the bullet ogive, nine had .003" runout, and seven had .002" runout or less. Each cartridge was marked for runout so I'll be able to tell how much straighter they get on their second loading. I've found the straightest cartridges are usually made on the second loading.

Originally Posted by mathman

Since I last posted in this thread I loaded the other thirty pieces, but before I assembled those I weighed every one of them. There were two weight classes in this batch of brass, one at 176-177 grains and another at 179-180 grains. Why am I not saying the cases weighed 178 grains, +/-2 grains and that's not bad for non-Lapua class stuff? It's because the distribution was clustered in the stated bands, nothing much in the middle. Maybe there were two lots mixed in this bulk pack brass from Midway. That's not the problem though.

This evening I did take some time to measure the necks with my tubing micrometer and they are a disappointment. The majority of them are .015" thick on one side and .013" thick on the other. It looks like my neck turning gear will get a workout.

Originally Posted by mathman

Update: I've turned them to .0125" and a good number of them have patches on the neck that didn't clean up. If this batch is representative then Starline brass isn't what you want for precision work.

Originally Posted by mathman

Update: The turned neck Starline brass loads into straighter cartridges than before, but it's handily beaten by the out of the bag Sig brass I'm also trying out.

Thanks for all the info, mathman! I've been meaning to try Starline, because their handgun brass has been second-to-none for me. Looks like I'll try the Sig when I get around to it instead.

Originally Posted by gunswizard

I have always used Starline brass for Magnum loads in my revolvers and it has always given great service, don't see any reason why rifle brass wouldn't do the same.

I haven't found a durability problem yet, but the precision of manufacture is lacking.

I've had good service with Starline brass in my 45-70's. I'm thinking about giving their 358 Win brass a try.

OK. Starline 308 Win Match brass are terrible. They are every bit as bad as Mathman said and then worse. The case mouth is crimped down and many are shorter than required minimum. I am not even sure they are annealed. Also, the flash holes look inconsistent. Tonight I wasted 30 min on evaluating them and they are going back to midway. Worst brass I have ever seen. Lapua is it. Now and for ever. Quality is cheap, my time is valuable.

Starline .233 Remington and 6.5 Grendel have worked very well for me.