Starline Nickel Plated 45 Colt Cases?
- Thread starter sixgunnin
- Start date
Bob Wright
New member
I don't know, haven't worn out any yet. No reason why they wouldn't, though.
I load cases with heavy loads only about ten times, after that I keep those cases for mild loads. Most cases last me through forty or fifty loadings.
Incidentally, I use my .44 Special and .45 Colt nickeled cases for daily carry in leather cartridge slides.
Bob Wright
I load cases with heavy loads only about ten times, after that I keep those cases for mild loads. Most cases last me through forty or fifty loadings.
Incidentally, I use my .44 Special and .45 Colt nickeled cases for daily carry in leather cartridge slides.
Bob Wright
TruthTellers
New member
Don't know about you, but I'd use the Nickel .45 Colt cases for above standard pressure loads for a Ruger Redhawk or Blackhawk or a 1892 Lever gun. That way I instantly know it's not meant to be shot in anything else.
I don't know about Starline specifically but I've been reloading nickel plated and unplated brass interchangeably for over 40 years in many different calibers and I've never noticed a difference in case life other than one batch of Remington .38 brass where the nickel plating started flaking off around the case mouth after a couple reloadings. I tossed those, but have other plated brass that has been reloaded so much the plating has just about worn off. Some claim that the plated cases split sooner. I don't necessarily dispute that but haven't seen it personally.
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Howdy
Sometimes nickel plated brass tends to split more often than plain brass. This can happen if the plating job has been poorly done. I have never used any Starline plated brass, but I have used tons of their standard brass, and it is top quality, so I suspect their plated brass would also be top quality.
However I must ask, with your black western rig and stainless New Vaquero, do you have any idea how much a gun belt with 25 or so rounds of 45 Colt in the loops weighs? When I started in CAS I kept 25 rounds of 45 Colt rounds loaded with 250 grain bullets in my belt loops. Gave that up pretty early when I realized how much all that lead weighed. Of course, we carry two revolvers in CAS, but even so, putting that many rounds in your belt loops will easily add another pound to the rig.
Wearing two Colts at about 2 1/2 pounds each was plenty for me to carry around all day without the added weight of bullets. These days I only keep a few 44-40 rounds in my belt loops in case I need a reload.
Sometimes nickel plated brass tends to split more often than plain brass. This can happen if the plating job has been poorly done. I have never used any Starline plated brass, but I have used tons of their standard brass, and it is top quality, so I suspect their plated brass would also be top quality.
However I must ask, with your black western rig and stainless New Vaquero, do you have any idea how much a gun belt with 25 or so rounds of 45 Colt in the loops weighs? When I started in CAS I kept 25 rounds of 45 Colt rounds loaded with 250 grain bullets in my belt loops. Gave that up pretty early when I realized how much all that lead weighed. Of course, we carry two revolvers in CAS, but even so, putting that many rounds in your belt loops will easily add another pound to the rig.
Wearing two Colts at about 2 1/2 pounds each was plenty for me to carry around all day without the added weight of bullets. These days I only keep a few 44-40 rounds in my belt loops in case I need a reload.
jackmoser65
New member
Starline is good brass. You'll probably wear the nickel off them before they split or peel.
Makes no difference one way or the other to case life. Have noticed the nickel coming off though. Plating has nothing whatever to do with being better with hot loads either.
The case mouths will crack before anything else happens.
25 250 grain bullets weighs 6250 grains or 14.3 ounces. Plus the weight of the rest of the cartridge. Got a good belt? snicker.
The case mouths will crack before anything else happens.
25 250 grain bullets weighs 6250 grains or 14.3 ounces. Plus the weight of the rest of the cartridge. Got a good belt? snicker.
jackmoser65
New member
That depends. Some plated brass has proven to be quite brittle and survives very few loadings. It's a product of the plating process.
My 45 Colt rig of belt, two holsters, and 25 rounds of 250 gr weighs 2 pounds, 10 and a fraction ounces. I might not carry any more than needed during a match, but looking authentic the rest of the time is part of it too. No experience, since my first match as just a spectator is the end of the month.
Bob Wright
New member
As a matter of interest, some of my first .45 Colt ammunition was REM-UMC balloon head cases that were nickel plated. I reloaded these so many times the nickel plating wore thin giving the cases a sort of "golden look." Kind of handsome, in a way. These were ca. 1954 time period.
Bob Wright
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Bob Wright
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jackmoser65
New member
I have traversed many a mile over the hills and far away wearing just such a rig.
