Brass so hard couldn't size it

Jack Bickley · Post by **Jack Bickley** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 8:45 pm

Bought some starline 45-90 brass and as I do with all my new brass, I run it through my sizer to true it up, etc. But it was so hard I had to anneal it before I could size it. Is this normal with Starline brass, and if so, how long will it last before it will need to be done again.
Would stretched 45-70 brass be better?

Jack

wolfie · Post by **wolfie** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 9:58 pm

dang thats some tuff brass

should be ok now that you've aneled it,you do have a good case lube i like imperial a little goes a long way

Ken Hartlein · Post by **Ken Hartlein** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 11:56 pm

I've full length sized a few (hundreds) 45-70 starline brass, didn't have any problem with it. I use Ballistol as a case lube, it really works great and you use very very little to do it.

Omaha Poke · Post by **Omaha Poke** » Mon Nov 24, 2003 1:15 am

I just got done full length sizing 300 Starline .45-90 cases, and had no problems whatsoever. I do use imperial sizing wax with an occaisional squirt of Dillons liquid on the cloth. Randy

Smokin · Post by **Smokin** » Mon Nov 24, 2003 1:13 pm

Jack,

In my experience, Starline brass is a bit on the hard side. To keep from sooting the sides of the cases, I have annealed all my Starline case, but the most troublesome were the .45-2.6" cases. It is otherwise excellent brass. One of the lubes which I have found to work very well, if you are doing heavy forming or working in really recalcitrant brass, is anyhdrous lanolin. I believe it is even more sllippery than Imperial Sizing Die Wax, but it is much more difficult to put on sparingly if your reloading room in cool. Good luck, Bruce

Jack Bickley · Post by **Jack Bickley** » Mon Nov 24, 2003 4:36 pm

I've sized hundreds of rounds of Starline 45-70 brass and haven't run into anything anywhere near as hard as this batch of 45-90's.
I am using Dillon Case lube and have always had great performance with it. It contains Lanolin and Isopropyl Alcohol.
I appreciate the get backs, but how many times can I shoot this brass before it will need to be done again?
Thanks,
Jack

arnie · Post by **arnie** » Mon Nov 24, 2003 6:09 pm

Jack i had the same problem with my batch of 45/90 starline brass.Arnie

Lee Stone · Post by **Lee Stone** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 8:24 am

So far I have not had any of my Starline .45/90 brass that would not size after being lubed, but I have have experienced a few that sounde off their reluctance with a squawk when I pulled the lever down on the press. This has prompted me to get the auto-annealer from Ken Light:

http://www.kenlightmfg.com/

Scroll down to see the DC-1000 auto-annealer (it is mis-labeled DC-100)

and a pair of the TurboTorch model TLK-41 torches with the hose connections to the tank from Thermadyne:

http://www.thermadyne.com/tt/literature ... t12_14.pdf

Scroll down to the third page and you will find the model TLK-41. It's new part number is now: 0386-1295

After the great advice from Kelley and Gunny about annealing the brass, I think I would be seriously handicapping myself not to.

Lee Stone · Post by **Lee Stone** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 8:28 am

I wish those of us who cannot always get it right the first time could edit our posts. Oh well.

If you bring up Ken Lights website, click on PRODUCTS up in the top left hand corner of the home page. Then scroll down to see the DC-1000 Automatic Annealer.

Smokin · Post by **Smokin** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 6:50 pm

Lee,

I have winced remarkably after reading some of my posts. Even after giving them a mercilous proof-read I have noticed some embarassing typos and lapses in spelling and grammar. Many of my joints no longer work well; it was only a matter of time before the brain would follow suit. I only wish that the interval were proving to be longer by some sort of geometric function rather than the linear measure that's apparently being used.

steve witt · Post by **steve witt** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 1:22 am

Jack- Just got a recent batch of Starline 45/90, and it was hard as usual. Yes this is normal for Starline and in fact their web site even suggests you may want to anneal their brass. If you then only neck size the cases which I would recommend in loading, you will find they will go a very long time without the need to re-anneal. I get at least six to eight times before they even show any signs of work hardening and might need annealing again. If you rotate through say 250 rds of brass you can shoot a long time before you get to the poing to need to re anneal. I'd shy away from the streached brass, and besides it would need annealing anyway to geta good proper neck tension. Regards steve witt