.44 mag brass

[YellowCake]

I can't decide if I want to go with Hornady brass or Starline for my .44 mag reloads. Is Hornady worth the extra money?

 

[rcmodel]

NO.

Starline brass is as good as it gets, and arguably better the Hornady, although it may be a little thicker then some brands.

rc

 

[YellowCake]

Thanks! That's what I was hoping to hear

 

[CraigC]

Hornady is good stuff but the only brass that I will buy is Starline, unless it's a cartridge they don't offer.

 

[YellowCake]

I've seen Starline before. I reload all Winchester for my 45 acp, but I was really considering Starline since they have some good reviews. I got some Starline on the way. Can't wait to try them out.

 

[472x1A/B]

I have all the major brands of .44 mag brass and load them all. Starline is as good as rcmodel says. I also have some Midway .44 mag brass that I have loaded 41 times. I do not load full power loads either.

 

[Eb1]

Haven't loaded it yet, but I use mostly Winchester brass for any cartridge that gets use for hunting or serious accuracy. Remington brass for plinking loads.

I would like to try some Starline brass.

 

[evan price]

Starline brass is excellent. If I were buying new brass it would be Starline.

BHA and Hornady are good too but not better than Starline.

 

[Chief RID]

I have not had any problems with any 44 mag brass. I started using Starline brass years ago because Georgia Arms used it for loading their ammo and I bought my hunting loads for the 44 mag at gun shows from them. I have to admit I buy whatever is available local sometimes, but when I buy brass from Midway it is usually Starline.

 

[CraigC]

Far as I know, Black Hills uses Starline brass. As do a lot of other makers, you'll just never know it.

 

[wcwhitey]

If I have to buy it, Starline gets my vote. I have never been disappointed. Bill

 

[bluetopper]

I buy my 44 brass used on gunbroker. I try and avoid CBC brass however.

 

[YellowCake]

New .44 starline was really well priced. I've gotten .44 special off of gunbroker really cheap. I think brassman even has starline stamped once fired.

 

[ljnowell]

In my experience Starline is to brass what Edelbrock is to intake manifolds. Some of the very best, but possibly not the most expensive.

I have some 45colt Starline brass that has seen well over 10 Ruger only (30K loads with 2400 and 300gr bullets) that are still in good shap, and getting loaded again.

 

[Ranger J]

I guess I am just lucky. I probably have loaded a thousand rounds of mixed 44 brass (shot through several rifles) and have had only a couple of them crack. A lot of these were heavy H110 or 2400 loads. Are pistols harder on brass than rifles? I don't have a 44 pistol as when I got my first rifle I thought it would be nice to have a hand gun of the same caliber but when I checked out what I wanted it weighed almost as much as my carbine.

RJ

 

[YellowCake]

I was thinking about getting a .44 mag lever action. From what I heard handguns seem easier on the brass and never need trimming, but if shot in a rifle its a different story.

 

[Ranger J]

When I first started reloading for the 44 rifle I dutifully ran the brass through the trimmer and found that non of them were long enough to need trimming. I find that 44 mag brass is almost immortal when loaded at reasonable levels. If pushed above accepted levels that may be another thing. My heaviest loads are at the lower end of heavy. (does that make sense?) I have lived to a decent age and wish to continue to become even more elderly. Even with all my aches and pains I think it beats the alternative.

RJ

 

[Funshooter45]

Hornady and Starline are about equal quality in my book, but the Starline is obviously a better value when you look at the cost. It just seems like I can never find Starline when I'm looking for it. It's always sold out in .44 mag and .45 Colt. I have enough of it to wish I had more. I managed to get a pretty good assortment of .44 mag built up and I have observed how it works enough to form my opinions. On the top would be Starline and Hornady. Winchester is pretty good. I have some marked HSM that is also working really well. I hate the Remington stuff. Not that I've had a lot of trouble with it splitting, but it is so thin, it just behaves differently during flaring and crimping operations. It just looks like it will split the very next time I shoot it.

 

[Hanzerik]

I try and avoid CBC brass however.

I use CBC (Magtech) brass for my plinking loads, and it has been great. Sizes easily, and primers seat much more consistently then with my Winchester brass. Have reloaded them about 10 times now and they are doing fine. I do use Winchester for my heavy loads.

 

[YellowCake]

I just received 500 starlines. Really nice quality brass. I like the feel during resizing and primering a lot more. That could be because the Hornady is the same name but a little different especially ones with a light bevel along the bottom. Thanks for the recommendations.