45 Colt (LC) Brass
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RugerBob
Member
I usually order from cabelas or midway. Once in a while I'll get some at a gun show if they are cheap. Usually get starline or winchester as head stamp makes no difference to me. If your gonna load towards top of chart (max) I would not get nickle as it'll split after awhile. at an average of $19-$22 per 100 is what I usaully pay.
CHM
Member
I chose to reload 45LC rather than buying factory loads due to the $$$. I shopped around and just ordered everything from Midway. I already had powder and primers. Used the star brass. 800X powder ~7.5 gr and I think 200 gr Rainier bullet. Very economical for shooting in a SAA type gun.
BrucefromWis
Member
Another vote for Midway. My experiences with them have all been great - super fast delivery and no "goof ups" with the orders. I just ordered 500 count of Starline (.45 LC) but it is on backorder at the present time.
squarles67
Member
Starline
http://www.starlinebrass.com/
Looks like they are backordered right now but they fill them pretty quick.
Stephen
http://www.starlinebrass.com/
Looks like they are backordered right now but they fill them pretty quick.
Stephen
velocette
Member
I've used Starline bought from Midway. Please note that Midway also has Starline .45 Colt brass called Blank. This brass is the same as the standard .45 Colt brass except that it has a larger flash hole. The larger flash hole does not seem to have any affect on the brass's function, just a larger hole.
Roger
Roger
RidgwayCO
Member
Here's what Starline has to say about their .45 Colt Blank brass:
"The .45 Long Colt Blank has the same external dimensions as the standard .45 Colt but utilizes a .140" diameter flash hole to keep the primer from backing out with blanks. FOR BLANK USE ONLY! NOT TO BE LOADED AS LIVE AMMUNITION!!"
"The .45 Long Colt Blank has the same external dimensions as the standard .45 Colt but utilizes a .140" diameter flash hole to keep the primer from backing out with blanks. FOR BLANK USE ONLY! NOT TO BE LOADED AS LIVE AMMUNITION!!"
Funshooter45
Member
Interesting about the Starline blanks brass. I'm in pretty good shape now for brass, but when I was desperately seeking Starline .45 Colt brass before I had seen the blank brass at Midway, but I believed what they said about not using it with powder and bullets. So, velocette, are you saying you have actually loaded it up and used it like regular brass and it worked OK? That could be very valuable info in the future.
I always keep my eye out for sales so that I can keep an inventory of new, unused brass on hand to replace brass that gets lost or fails. Then I get less concerned when shortages occurs.
In the past, I shopped alot a Midway but they seem to be out of stock frequently since 2009 so i shop around. I stick to the major vendors for the most part.
Things got tense in 2009 when I got my first 30 Carbine. I was hunting brass everywhere.
I know, my comments do not mention 45 Colt brass only because I have an adequate supply on hand for the amount I shoot my 45 Colt. But, my process is the same.
In the past, I shopped alot a Midway but they seem to be out of stock frequently since 2009 so i shop around. I stick to the major vendors for the most part.
Things got tense in 2009 when I got my first 30 Carbine. I was hunting brass everywhere.
I know, my comments do not mention 45 Colt brass only because I have an adequate supply on hand for the amount I shoot my 45 Colt. But, my process is the same.
Funshooter45
Member
A couple things for the OP to consider while he looks for good deals on the elusive .45 Colt brass. I notice he also has the .45 ACP cylinder. 45 ACP brass will always be much cheaper and easier to find than 45 Colt brass is. He could get his feet wet with that for the time being. Another thing to consider is buying .45 S&W Schofield brass. It is about 0.2" shorter than .45 Colt brass but about 0.2" longer than .45 ACP brass. And it is readily available from Midway. It is basically like shooting .38 Special out of a 357 magnum pistol. Loaded up to identical pressures as the .45 Colt brass, it gives about 100 fps less velocity. Fine if you're just shooting paper, not so great if you want powerful Ruger-only fire-breathing loads.
Cherokee
Member
Starline brass, shipping included in the price.
orionengnr
Member
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I have been buying Starline brass. I think I have about 1000 rounds so far. I've shot about half of it several times, but I believe that the low-pressure nature of the .45LC cartridge means that I have a bunch more uses in front of me.
Hondo 60
Member
I bought the least expensive ammo I could find!
Of course it HAD to have reloadable brass.
But I don't think that's an issue.
I've never seen any 45 Colt ammo coming from the former Soviet Union.
(steel cased, berdan primed - Wolf or Tulammo)
My local Wallyworld has 50 rd boxes of Federal for $30
And I bought some brass from Cabela's (Winchester)
Of course it HAD to have reloadable brass.
But I don't think that's an issue.
I've never seen any 45 Colt ammo coming from the former Soviet Union.
(steel cased, berdan primed - Wolf or Tulammo)
My local Wallyworld has 50 rd boxes of Federal for $30
And I bought some brass from Cabela's (Winchester)
41 Mag
Member
Once upon a time I got most of my brass from one of two places. The first was Midway, and the other was DAC which has now closed shop. It used to be they both were one ad pages in the gun rags and you could get brass in lots of 250pcs. This was nice since you could workup your loads with some and still have plenty left over.
Nowadays, I simply go straight to Starline and be done with it. I order 500pcs and shoot for years. With my magnums I loose more in the field while hunting than I do from splits. Somehow they just don't make it back to the house.
When you set up your die, you only need enough of a bell on the mouth of the case to allow the bullet to feed into it, and barely feel it with your thumb nail. This works equally as well with cast or jacketed. If you set up the die like this you will loose more cases than you will split. It hardly works the mouth of the case. I have been shooting one batch of 357, and one each or 41 and 44mag for going on 4 years and have lost less than a dozen total from split necks.
Also bear in mind you don't need an excessive crimp when you load, only enough to roll the edge of the case mouth into the cannalure or crimping groove on cast. The neck tension should be plenty. Test a few at first and if you can shoot a full cylinder with no movement, that is plenty. When you load them look for any signs of a split or feel for one with your thumb nail. If you not them to start simply stash them in a separate lot, and trim them back just a tad.
Good luck with your rounds, and try not to hot rod them too much, and they will be more accurate and last longer.
Nowadays, I simply go straight to Starline and be done with it. I order 500pcs and shoot for years. With my magnums I loose more in the field while hunting than I do from splits. Somehow they just don't make it back to the house.
When you set up your die, you only need enough of a bell on the mouth of the case to allow the bullet to feed into it, and barely feel it with your thumb nail. This works equally as well with cast or jacketed. If you set up the die like this you will loose more cases than you will split. It hardly works the mouth of the case. I have been shooting one batch of 357, and one each or 41 and 44mag for going on 4 years and have lost less than a dozen total from split necks.
Also bear in mind you don't need an excessive crimp when you load, only enough to roll the edge of the case mouth into the cannalure or crimping groove on cast. The neck tension should be plenty. Test a few at first and if you can shoot a full cylinder with no movement, that is plenty. When you load them look for any signs of a split or feel for one with your thumb nail. If you not them to start simply stash them in a separate lot, and trim them back just a tad.
Good luck with your rounds, and try not to hot rod them too much, and they will be more accurate and last longer.
dagger dog
Member
The large primer flash hole on the Starline blank brass is most likley for use with wax bullets powered by primer only.
45 Colt Winchester brass is available from your local Bass Pro, I bought mine @ 22 bucks per100. I've shot that 100 about 5 times now and they were hot H110 loads heavy crimped lightly belled, and low power Trail Boss, and have had no neck splits.
I also have shot Remington nickle plated with the same loads, these have lost some of the nickle plate from the belling-crimping at the mouth of the case, none have split and these have been loaded about 7 times.
John Linebaugh's Dissolving the Myth article reccommends Winchester brass.
45 Colt Winchester brass is available from your local Bass Pro, I bought mine @ 22 bucks per100. I've shot that 100 about 5 times now and they were hot H110 loads heavy crimped lightly belled, and low power Trail Boss, and have had no neck splits.
I also have shot Remington nickle plated with the same loads, these have lost some of the nickle plate from the belling-crimping at the mouth of the case, none have split and these have been loaded about 7 times.
John Linebaugh's Dissolving the Myth article reccommends Winchester brass.
Last edited:
Seedtick
Member
dagger dog said:
I didn't remember it exactly like that......
...so I had to go look it up.So far I've only shot Starline 45 Colt brass and I ain't had any trouble with them yet.
Seedtick
Peter M. Eick
Member
Starline. I just ordered some from them about a month back.
NC Cruffler
Member
Anneal the brass after 5 reloadings and this will go away.
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