Strike Two For Starline Brass

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Re: Strike Two For Starline Brass

Post by Ranch Dog »

Ranch Dog wrote:
daboone wrote:RD give Starline the same benefit of the doubt as we give Lee. Give them a call.
I did contact them through their website as I wanted them to see the picture but haven't heard back from them. I'm using Starline in 375 Win (38-55 Win Long Brass), 41 Mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, 45-70 Govt, 480 Ruger, and 9X18 Makarov and along with the 32-20 Win and Casull.
I was a bit hesitant to contact them because I have done so in the past and felt they thought their product was beyond suspicion. The same today, it is either my firearms or me, but not them. Hated to go there, but there was no hesitation on their part, so that becomes a line in the sand for this Texan. Bottom-line is that I called Grafs and added the 454 Casull Winchester brass to my 32-20 brass order as it had not been shipped yet.

They also felt that it was okay to shoot the current round of 32-20 despite finding those with cracked necks. I agree with JD, "suck it up, Buttercup". I will pull the bullets, primers, and powders and toss the brass. Going to toss all my 454 Casull brass that has been shot more than once, and sell or trade the new stuff.

I know that there is a lot more to brass than just brass and the Starline 32-20 & 454 Casull is too brittle. I'm glad I went with Privi Partizan for my last large semi-auto handgun purchase and the other cartridges that I'm using Starline brass with will go to other manufacturers.
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Re: Strike Two For Starline Brass

Post by Old Scribe »

I have reloaded SL brass in 45 colt and one other straight wall. I haven't shot much of that as yet, but have not had any problems. Perhaps they had a bad run?
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Re: Strike Two For Starline Brass

Post by GasGuzzler »

Even if it's just a bad batch how willing are we to put our faces near these out of a R92? So if it's a bad batch the only solution is a pro-active approach by Starline to recall the bad batch. Not only is that a logistical nightmare and expensive, but with their attitude being seemingly as brittle as said bad batch, I don't see it happening. Let's just say they do recall the bad batch. How confident are you in the next batch? Remember your face is pretty close to the chamber.

Remember a few of things....

SL hasn't been making .32-20 forever.
SL has expanded at least once in the last five years.
SL has constantly incrementally added new offerings.
SL has overhauled their ordering and shipping process.
SL was overwhelmed during the last component shortage (I know this because I made some cash buying large lots of their .357 brass and reselling it, call me what you'd like, see rifle pricing topic on RD's Rossi website).

All of these are potential factors related to a possible "bad batch" of brass.

To me none of those are excuses. They're possible causes of growing pains.
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Re: Strike Two For Starline Brass

Post by oscarflytyer »

RD - when did you buy the 32-20 batch? Thanx
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Re: Strike Two For Starline Brass

Post by Ranch Dog »

oscarflytyer wrote:RD - when did you buy the 32-20 batch? Thanx
I think about 4 years ago, right before I retired. While I still had the income, I was trying to secure enough reloading component to meet my needs for a couple of decades.

I understand that Starline has a good following of customers and I sure don't want to rain on their experience. To me, brass is brass, and I buy what fits my budget and have no emotional attachment to it as it is a consumable component. The failures on two different cartridge offerings have raised my eyebrow as my retirement income is not as plentiful as it was when employed. Fact is, I didn't think I would be worried about buying much of my rifle brass at this point, but it tells me that I'm not getting my money's worth.

After completing the 32-20 Win ammo, I had planned to move into the 30 Carbine and then start on my Rossi 92 454 Casull that has been red-tagged for a year and a half. While 30 Carbine brass tumbled, I bagged the 32-20 Win ammo and found the three loaded cases with the problem. Truth be told, during case prep, I found half a dozen that had been cracked that I tossed. Wish I had kept them. With the 92 sitting in view to go to the bench, this caused me to set aside the Carbine and look at the Starline brass.
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Re: Strike Two For Starline Brass

Post by Ranch Dog »

I have 20 cases of Winchester 454 Casull brass remaining; it has been fired twice in my R92. Look at it compared to the Starline that has been fired once. The load was the same, a middle of the road load for the 454 Casull being I'm shooting cast, 48.0K PSI.

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My "red tagged" R92, notice the "ringed chamber." I've had case separation in bolt guns, and it is not a big deal they clean up nicely. Not so with revolver/pistol powders because of their volatility. It really does etch a ring that is impossible to polish out. There is a heck of a lot of heat being generated along the fault line in the brass.

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I'm the kind of guy that would never sell this rifle without noting the issue so the rifle has taken a heck of a hit because of the brass failure. R92s chambered in 454 Casull have been running about $700, but with the issue, I would be lucky to get half that. I already checked and Rossi doesn't have any 454 barrels as the rifle has been out of production for several years.

I'm getting ready to find out the "cost" of the ring on performance. I know that rings have been cut into the chambers of semi-autos to delay the blowback of non-locked barrels. The ring holds the case in place longer. Knurled rings in chambers have been used to the same purpose.
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Re: Strike Two For Starline Brass

Post by GasGuzzler »

How deep would you guess the ring is?
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Re: Strike Two For Starline Brass

Post by Ranch Dog »

GasGuzzler wrote:How deep would you guess the ring is?
It would be very tough to estimate. It is a rough etched ring completely around the chamber. I did my best to polish the "rough" out of it with 320 and 600 grit lapping compound.

All 32-20 Win and 454 Casull cartridges have been pulled with bullets, primers, and primers returned to their appropriate boxes. JD, Buttercup sucked it up! 100º in my garage and couldn't run a fan as I wanted to keep powder loss to a mininum. Pulled a few over 100 cartridges.

Next rifle on my project shelf was my R92 45 Colt. You guessed it, problem related with a new lot of Starline, sitting there since January 2017. I couldn't make this stuff up but can cure it very quick. The brass is from the same period of purchase. I'm dumbfounded. But will provide info and pictures later.
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Re: Strike Two For Starline Brass

Post by GasGuzzler »

I understand.

Let me try a different direction.

How much over spec can that part of the chamber be without issues? Forgive me if that's a dumb question. Just wondering if fireformed good brass and a matching honed or custom size die would let the rifle run.

Thinking out loud.
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Re: Strike Two For Starline Brass

Post by Ranch Dog »

GasGuzzler wrote:I understand.

Let me try a different direction.

How much over spec can that part of the chamber be without issues? Forgive me if that's a dumb question. Just wondering if fireformed good brass and a matching honed or custom size die would let the rifle run.

Thinking out loud.
I don't want to go to that level of effort as I shoot it so little and it is overkill for South Texas whitetails. For my nilgai hunts, I would rather use a 444 Marlin or 45-70 Govt. If the next round of shooting with Winchester brass is a problem. I will part it out.

I take care of my firearms; this is quite upsetting to me. Some of the reason for not getting to it for so long is that every time I look at it in the rack, all the above gets under my skin.
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