your opinion of R-P brass?

[Mal H]

g56 - Nothing like a quantitative analysis is there.

I just did the same thing you did. Using a Starrett post micrometer, I measured the case wall thickness at the mouth of 5 different brands of .45 ACP brass just below the lip. Then I measured the thickness at the web just above the groove. The results:

Case          Mouth          Web
R-P           .0095           .472
Starline      .0100           .473
Win           .0101           .470
Federal       .0090           .474
PMC           .0100           .473

The big surprise to me is the thin wall of the Federals.

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Brass

In the normal flow of customer 45acp brass to a commercial reloader compare brass cases of all brands plus GI WCC then check a Remington nickel plated one to see how they all compare.

Of course plus P and high velocity cases obvious from reading the identification, primers and placement of the cannelures need to be sorted out so it would be good to fire some ammo with similar type and weight bullets and FPS for a really good test in the same weapon.

To me Starline has always had a good reputation for anyone affording it.

With my very large lifetime collection, I cleaned them first and my scout troop sorted and boxed them by brand. In selling them for scout camping equipment, brass color casings were worth more to me and charged accordingly than nickel plated brass with their substantially shorter reloading life.

JP

 

[Big Daddy]

I like R-P brass and have never had any of the problems mentioned in this thread. I load a metric buttload of high velocity, high pressure 10mm loads in R-P nickel brass, some 4 to 5 times thus far and no problems yet, not even a single split case. No problems in .45ACP, .45Colt, .40S&W, 9mm, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .308 Win, or .223 Rem either.

 

[Master Blaster]

Not to be a smart AXX but I was unaware that a straight walled pistol case has a neck, I thought that description applied to bottle necked cases. I always called that part the case mouth.

I have reloaded RP brass in .45 acp 15 times with no problem (I track reloadings in my lots of brass).

I have also reloaded it in 9mm, .357 mag, .38 special, 44 mag, .32 acp 30-06, and .308.

I have never noticed a problem with it.

I use dillon dies for most pistol, lee for the .32 acp, and RCBS and redding dies for rifle.

If you have problems with the case holding the bullet I would use less flair on your expander die for pistol cases. That solved the setback problem I noticed when I started using plated bullets.

JMHO YMMV

 

[Master Blaster]

Just curious MAL, what was your sample size??

Were they all from the same lot (within manufacturer) of NEW brass????

 

[Mal H]

Do not misconstrue my table of measurements for any kind of scientific survey. It was an informal check of brass I had on hand.

I measured 3 of each brand and took the average, although, as I recall, that step wasn't necessary for the wall thickness as each case in each sample group had the same thickness at the mouth. The web thickness did vary slightly and they are averages.

Brass from Starline, R-P and PMC were all from the same lot, respectively. Brass from Win and Fed were not necessarily the same lot, i.e., unknown if they were or not. None of the brass was new - they had been fired once. In .45 ACP, I've never bought unfired brass other than Starline. I do have some unfired brass of that brand; I think I'll go measure it just out of curiosity.
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