Star line brass bad

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hondo1892
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Star line brass bad

Post by hondo1892 »

I've never really bought any Starline brass before the last big shortage. However I bought some .357 mag because it was available and other brands weren't. I've been using it and have to say it is either hard or the walls are thicker than other brands. Yesterday I decided to load up a few rounds so my dad and I could shoot some when all the ice melts. The expander/powder die on my Dillon went into the brass fine but it took two men and a boy the lift the handle to retract the brass off the expander. I took a look at the expander and it had brass on it. I took it out and polished it off and thought it would work better. Nope just as hard to remove from the Starline brass. Federal, Winchester, PMC and Magtec brass was easy to run through the expander/powder die. The only way I could run the Starline brass was use a pencil to put a lite coat of graphite on the expander. I may throw out the Starline if I can ever find some other brand of brass to replace it. Glad I have plenty of other brands for my other calibers that I load. I prefer Winchester and Federal over other brands when they are available. Oh the bullets seem to create a slight bulge when seated in the Starline brass also. Me thinks the Starline has thicker walls.
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OldWin
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by OldWin »

Strange. I have a pile of Starline. 357 that I have loaded on my Dillon for quite a while. Never had an issue.
Maybe it's the newer stuff. Mine is older.
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by Ray Newman »

From the Starline FAQ :

"Why is so hard to get expander and powder funnel back out of the case--

"There are two situations that create this problem. The first is one seems to be associated with the Dillon powder funnel and only a couple of calibers (45 Auto and 40 S&W). The land for expanding case mouth is too long and when you begin to bell mouth the bottom of expander gets into the thicker taper of case and wedges causing it to be very hard to get back out. We have modified several by increasing radius on end and slightly shortening expanding land and this eliminated the problem completely. Call Starline and we will take care of it if you wish. One other cause can be a burr at case mouth created by the final trim operation, which grabs onto expander as it comes back up. This situation does not often appear and can be fixed by deburring case mouth or inside lubing cases."

Read all 'bout it:https://www.starlinebrass.com/faqs/
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by Griff »

That lubing the inside of the case mouth is a step most of like to avoid, but... some cases just need it done. I certainly wouldn't generalize that Starline Brass is "bad" over one experience. I've used their brass in several different cartridges and found them to be very good, better than some, and in my in-expert opinion, just as good as Winchester, Federal or Remington... as in my 45+ years of reloading, I've had bad brass from 'em all.
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by piller »

I broke a Lee Carbide sizing die on Hornady brass. Lee replaced it at no charge. Hornady brass in .480 Ruger is hard to resize.
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hondo1892
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by hondo1892 »

I have two bags of 357 that I purchased, one last year and the other sometime in the Obama years. Both are hard to use in my Dillon and it's not because of burrs on the case mouth. I check and trim all my new brass and rum my chamfer tool on them. I think it may be thicker walls and not hardness. They size as easy as the other brands but just don't run smoothly through the expander/powder die. I have some 44 special but haven't opened them yet. So maybe it's just this batch of 357 mag.
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by Catshooter »

Instead of whinning online about a problem with a well established good company, why don't you contact them to try to sort it out? They aren't some fly by night outfit. Of course if you call 'em with a serious case of attitude your experience will likely be poor.

A person sees this a lot online. It's foolish and irresponsible.


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AJMD429
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by AJMD429 »

I’ve had good experience with Starline brass in 218 Bee, 32-20, 375 Winchester, 444 Marlin, 45 Colt, and 45-70.

I’ve never used 357 magnum brass from them however.

I think I’d contact Starline first and see if they canyon sure why it’s that way or correct the problem if there is one.

P.S. now that I read one of the same suggestions above and the response from Starline, never mind. :wink:
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by Jay Bird »

In reloading over a quarter million rounds of ammo I have never heard or experienced a stuck case or near stuck case with a straight wall case. Has to be the machine your using...something is binding......try polishing the expander.

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Buck Elliott
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by Buck Elliott »

Sounds to me like your sizer die is putting a little too much Squeeze on thar tough Starline brass..
And yes, Starline is generally thicker and harder/tougher than most other brands. Not a Fault; just the way it is..
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RIHMFIRE
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by RIHMFIRE »

NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH STARLINE...
MY 38-40, 44-40, AND 38-55 WORK FINE
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Bill in Oregon
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Starline is great brass in my opinion, having used it in .38 Special, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, .38-55, .458 SOCOM and .45-70. The only better brand I have used is Lapua.
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

I'm sorry that you are experiencing these issues.

Rather than criticize you for bringing this to the group, I will try to be helpful. I wonder if you got a bad batch (this can happen with any manufacturer) or if it is only a problem on the first time loading? I would load a few, fire them, and see if that once-fired brass works better through your Dillon.

That being said, I have had nothing but good experience with Starline brass.
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by ywaltzucanrknrl »

I've had new brass from several manufactures that was hard to pull over the expander and it seemed to gall. I think sometimes this is due to finishing at the factory or lack of. Seems like there is a whitish substance that is associated with this, maybe a coating of some type or something residual from the case making process. What I've found that works is tumbling the brass in media for a couple of hours----takes off the substance, puts a nice smooth polish on and makes the sizing process much easier.

Of course, you can lube----but I don't care for lube that isn't removed----but Hornady One Shot is not supposed to be a problem with powder or primers. Easy way to lube the inside is to put the brass in a zip lock, spray some lube in---Pam works also, shake it, let it sit, give it another shot and shake it----the lube will be spread inside and out using this process.

And, if the Starline is thicker, a ball mic would tell you if that really is the issue, but maybe the web thins less toward the mouth than other brands, so the thicker part may be more to the mid part of the case, adjusting the depth of the expander may solve the issue.

With my Dillon, I don't use an expander on any straight walled case---now that may be odd, but I don't ever have any issues. I only use the powder funnel to lightly bell the case mouth to allow the bullet to enter the case easily.

Not sure the brass is bad so much as just maybe a bit different. I've had very good luck with Starline Brass.
hondo1892
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by hondo1892 »

It only happens with starline brass and no other brand. I did polish my expander and it still sticks so it's the starline brass not the equipment. I'm sorry I sound like I'm whinning and hurt some ones feelings. Thought maybe some one else had the same problem and could give some other perspective.
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by Jay Bird »

hondo1892 wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 3:51 pm It only happens with starline brass and no other brand. I did polish my expander and it still sticks so it's the starline brass not the equipment. I'm sorry I sound like I'm whinning and hurt some ones feelings. Thought maybe some one else had the same problem and could give some other perspective.
NEVER feel like your whining.......asking is how we all learn.....there's not a person alive that figured life out by themselves.....whining is complaining about things that don't concern you....

Just a thought....did you check the length...it only takes a thou to give problems ...not usually but it can happen.....like others have said, Starline is top notch brass.
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by crs »

Starline brass good!

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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by piller »

That idea about length sounds good. Just my limited experience, but brass that is even a tiny bit too long will cause trouble in the sizing die. I use the Lee cutter and length guides. I can sit and watch Forged in Fire while cutting a couple hundred cases to length and then chamferring the mouths. A small trash can in my lap to catch the metal shavings is necessary.
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by Glenn »

I've found brand new brass of any make can do this. It needs a little lube for the first time. Lee case sizing lube (the white stuff in the tube) is a wax, can be applied with a q-tip, dries quickly and will not contaminate the powder. Yes, it's a hassle and takes time, but should only need to be done the first time on new brass. After that it seems the residual dust left from (dry) tumbling takes care of the problem.
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by AJMD429 »

piller wrote: Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:54 am That idea about length sounds good. Just my limited experience, but brass that is even a tiny bit too long will cause trouble in the sizing die. I use the Lee cutter and length guides. I can sit and watch Forged in Fire while cutting a couple hundred cases to length and then chamferring the mouths. A small trash can in my lap to catch the metal shavings is necessary.
The Lee hand-press I use to deprime, and the Lee trimmers I use as well; those are two of the three operations of reloading I’ll do while watching a movie... (the third is running my brass polisher out in the barn while I’m inside watching a movie).
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by JReed »

Used Starline for years in both rifle and pistol calibers. It does tend to be a bit thicker than most and tougher in my experience. I solve this by annealing it when I get a new batch of it and then treat it like any other brass annealing every 4th loading. I will say that I get great longevity out of their brass and it is fairly consistent in it's dimensions.
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by piller »

I learned to anneal Hornady .480 Ruger brass before the first reloading. I didn't know that you could break a carbide die into several pieces by reloading hard brass. I learned a lesson. The Hornady .480 Factory loads have been harder brass than any other in my experience.
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by buckeyeshooter »

I use Starline in 44-40, 44 magnum, 45-70, 45 Auto rim, 50 Alaskan and 50-110. Never had any issues in years!
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Re: Star line brass bad

Post by piller »

Seems to me that we might all learn to try the brass with 1 or 2 pieces, and be ready to stop and anneal if necessary. For that step, I use a propane torch and an old stainless steel pan filled with enough water to cover the brass to about the halfway point. A long wooden dowel that is wet is great for tipping the brass over as soon as it starts to change color. I work in batches of 10 at a time so that there is room between each piece of brass. After anealing, the brass is easier to work, and it seals good to the chamber. 5 reloadings and aneal again. So far the brass has not split and has been loaded 15 times or more for some pieces. For a high pressure round, it seems to be doing good.
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