new starline 44-40 brass

[Roscoe]

There has long been sharp disagreement about sizing new brass.  Personally, I believe that it depends.  If the new brass drops freely into and out of the chamber, I see no need to fully resize new brass.  On the other hand, the mouths of new brass is often dented due to the way that it is stored and shipped.  For that reason, I often run the mouths of the brass into the sizer to straighten it out, then bell it as usual.

Here is a quote from the Starline website:

Does one need to full-length size brass prior to loading?

Generally speaking, Starline cases require no resizing prior to loading. Due to variances in diameter of different bullet types, it is a good practice to size the case only as far down as the bullet seating depth. When full length sizing is required, it will be noted in the box with the brass. The only Starline cases requiring full length sizing prior to loading are the .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, and sometimes the .45 Colt(Depending on the bullet diameter to be used).

CC Griff

The universal expander die has a taper that allows using it to repair out-of-round case mouths without sizing the entire case. In any event that must be done from inside the case mouth, not with a regular sizer working from the outside.

[Bryan Austin]

just bought some new starline 44-40 brass. I know I will need to expand them to insert my .430 bullet but will I need to run them also through my resizing die as if they had been previously fired? As new they are a straight line case. I use a lee factory crimp die versus crimping in the bullet seating operation. Will the factory crimp die put the proper taper in the finished round or is that done by the resizing die?

Tater Pickens

I have never resized any of my new Starline cases. Your mileage may very! Fit fine in all of my 44-40 chambered firearms.

[xring2245]

I have reloaded new 45 Colt cases without sizing them and there was no neck tension - you could actually turn the bullet.  But that wasn't 44-40, which I suppose could be different.

How about the .44, which is what this thread is all about?

[Coffinmaker]

Well, ....... I have now heard everybody's arguments, both "for" and "against" resizing as the first step when loading 44-40 cases.

Since I only use 44-40 cases to make 45 Colt cases that seal the chamber, it's all moot.  Good reading, but moot at least ..... for me.