How do you buy your Starline Brass: 38 Special??

[Gary H]

I would like to buy some Starline, but wondering if it might be better to buy loaded brass with company "x" headstamp, but made by Starline. Sometimes it works out better buying loaded ammo and then using the brass. How do you purchase your Starline?

 

[Johnny Guest]

Gee, I hoestly don't know - - - -

I started collecting .38 Spl brass back when almost all cops and a great number of bullseye shooters shot it. Most of it was range-scrounged, or issue stuff, which we seldom had to turn in. Lotta guys gave the relatively few reloaders their brass.

Other than serious carry ammo, ALL the .38 Spl I shoot is handloads. In recent years, since .38 Spl has become more scarce, I've swapped a lot of 9 mm and .40 brass for once-fired .38. When I went to Texas DPS for CHL instructor school, we were required to qualify with both revolvers and autoloaders, using factory ammo. That, and the instructor renewals since, have been the only times I've bought standard velocity or target ammo.

All the Star brass I've ever bought was excellent. I think it has all been .45 Colt, .44 Mag, .357, and a few .45 Scofield. I couldn't even guess at which factor ammo utilizes Starline. At most gunshows, there is someone selling bagged-up, clea, once-fired brass. This is a good source of reasonably priced brass, unless you need matched brass for true match grade or extra hot loads.

Hope you get some good input on this.

Johnny

 

[E357]

I buy directly from Starline to begin - usually 1000 cases. In the low pressure rounds (38 and 45 in ACP revolvers) the cases will last exactly 50 years, unless you go crazy with the belling and crimp. The initial slight extra cost doesn't mean too much and you have "matched" cases.

I'm somwhat leary of buying "once fired" magnum brass.

Elliot

 

[martin]

I don't shoot much .38 Special, but, bought direct from Starline. I opted for 500 pieces instead of 1000. That will do me the rest of my life I'm sure.

I stay the hell away from the dirtbags at the gun shows selling once fired brass and prefer same lot stuff.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Like Elliot, I buy it direct and empty.

and also leery of "once fired", unless I the one who once fired it.

Sam

 

[Gary H]

Time pressures and all, I just purchased the brass from Starline. I decided to get 357 Magnum and will load to 38+P pressures with Titegroup. Still need to decide on a bullet.

Thanks for all of your remarks.

 

[444]

I also ordered directly from Starline; 1000 cases.
I have thousands of .38 Special brass that has been fired who knows how many times. I have had it for years, some of it for probably over 20 years. I got to the point where I was loading it all. How many rounds I loaded was determined by my brass supply, so I ordered more.
I load .38 Special brass until the case splits. Some of my brass has probably been loaded more than 20 times.