About Commercial Reloading Brass vs Factory Brass for Reloading

[Thor]

I've often considered reloading as a means to reduce my hobby cost.  Whenever reading an article about the topic, it seem the author is always buying empty brass just for reloading.  Of course, I know plenty of folks who have never purchased an empty casing just to reload.

My question is two part:

1)  Is the empty brass purchased speficially for reloading significantly better than empty factory loads?  Is it heavier, and able to be reloaded more times?

2)  When purchasing factory cowboy loads, which brand offers the best brass, and thus, is best for reloading?  Mostly looking for common store-available brands, not mail order.

Thanks for your consideration.

[Adirondack Jack]

The answer is, it all depends.

Commercial ammo makers, just like handloaders, buy brass from a variety of sources.  If a commercial maker is using GOOD brass, it is EXACTLY the same brass you and I can buy from top rated outfits like Starline, except they have their own headstamp applied.

If the ammo maker chooses to "cheap out", yer gonna get lesser brass, and the number of times it can be reloaded will show it.

I buy Starline exclusively, including the brass I had made for resale, BUT, that is not the reason I wouldn't buy loaded ammo as a source for brass.  In most cases, loaded ammo is not going to be the right recipe for best results in my guns and for my uses.  That's the best reason to buy empty brass.

[Sagebrush Burns]

If you compare cost, starting with factory loaded ammunition is more expensive than starting with bulk brass.  Most reloaders prefer our own recipe to factory loads anyway, so why pay extra...

[Thor]

Ok.  Good answers, good answers....

Let me tweak part "2" a little bit in an attempt to illicit a variety of answers:

2)  Since I am not going to be re-loading right away, and will likely purchase thousands of rounds of factory ammo first, which brands of factory ammo use brass worth saving for a future of re-loading?

The first response thru me a little bit, since I figured a particular brand would have a source of brass that just doesn't change too much over the years.  Am I to believe that a major manufacturer, say Remington, would be prone to change their brass supplier often?

Thanks again.

[Sagebrush Burns]

Get whatever your guns like to shoot or whatever you like the price of.  You will find that just about all brass for CAS shooting will reload just fine.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Only tip I can give you here is don't get nickled plated stuff, in any brand. The plating process seems to make the brass more brittle, and it tends to split a lot sooner than the "brass" brass. Winchester rounds more than likely have Win. brass which is pretty good stuff, Rem. is probably the same set up. When they get stuck though, they do buy from Starline with their own headstamps put on it. I like Starline for all calibers I load, but .45Colt. For it I prefer Winchester...............Buck

[Cyrille]

Personally I buy Starline brass[.45 Long Colt] because I have never had any problem with it and have gotten well over one hundred reloads from  the Starline line with nary a split case in the brass brass My son, however likes the nickel plated brass and buys accordingly replaceing the splits with new nickel brass as needed.We both shoot OM Vaqueros with "cowboy loads."
   In point of fact, I have never had a brass brass split on me regardless of brand-name and I've used quite a few diffrent brands. Winchester is my second choice. Others fall in line in no particular order.

[Just George]

Guess I'll throw my two cents in here.  I've only shot CAS for a year now.  I have shot only Ten-X ammo.  I shoot two 45 long Colts, a 45 Henry and 45/70 Sharps.  After my last big match I started buying Ten-X factory re-loads.  Every bit as good as new and half the price.  You send your empty shells to them and they re-load them.  Now, I'm re-loading my own.  Starline make the brass for Ten-X.  Can't say I'm any more accurate with my loads, but it is again about half the cost of buying re-loaded rounds.  Who knows, with the savings I'm shooting more and maybe, just maybe, getting a little better.  But one thing for sure I learned many years ago.  Buy the best you can afford.  The best will last longer and not you down as often.