Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 Send TopicPrint
Normal Topic QUESTION: 45-120 Brass Quality (Read 795 times)
Retreever
Full Member
***
Offline



Posts: 198
Joined: Mar 21st, 2020
QUESTION: 45-120 Brass Quality
Oct 26th, 2023 at 8:17am
Print Post  
I have (4) different manufacturers of 45-120 brass, the headstamps are as follows

Bertram 45 Basic
HDS 45-120 SS
RCBS 45 Basic
TEN-X 45-120


Can anyone help me as to how one compares to the other?

Thanks, Retreever
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Bent_Ramrod
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1467
Location: Southern Arizona
Joined: Feb 8th, 2006
Re: QUESTION: 45-120 Brass Quality
Reply #1 - Oct 27th, 2023 at 10:41am
Print Post  
Don’t exactly know what you’re “comparing,” but as far as I know, the RCBS and HDS basic cases were made by Norma, which everybody says is good stuff.

Bertram might give problems.  Some lots (especially early ones) of their other oddball brass I’ve bought have exhibited problems with metallurgy (half the cases splitting on the first firing), the lengths of a box of shells might be inconsistent and all shorter than the nominal, and the rims might vary in thickness, diameter and roundness, requiring creativity in shell holder selection or a lathe setup to make work.  Other lots, though, are pretty good, usable for reload after reload.

I’ve found Ten-X cases in .45 Colt at the range, and they resize, load and shoot as well as any other.  Didn’t even know they made exotica like .45-120; figured they catered to the Cowboy Action crowd.

If you’re asking about case volumes, or mouth thicknesses or stuff like that, you’re in a better position to tell us, since you have the shells yourself.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Griff093
Participating Member
*
Offline



Posts: 14
Joined: Jul 31st, 2023
Re: QUESTION: 45-120 Brass Quality
Reply #2 - Oct 27th, 2023 at 1:23pm
Print Post  
My stuff ain't 45-120, but since I've formed about ½ my .40-90 SBN from 45-Basic, it seems a fair comparison.  Bertram, I got pre-formed for the 40-90SBN and seemed a mite brittle, but it was all initially annealed to below the case shoulder.  I annealed case mouths before initial sizing & belling, and have still had no splits, not bad for 30 year old brass.
My HDS & CSA 45 Basic headstamped brass is excellent.  The CSA brass was described to me as being by the same manufacturer HDS used.  I even have some non-headstamped cases, that appear to be of like quality, all of it about the same  age as the HDS & CSA brass.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Retreever
Full Member
***
Offline



Posts: 198
Joined: Mar 21st, 2020
Re: QUESTION: 45-120 Brass Quality
Reply #3 - Oct 28th, 2023 at 2:50pm
Print Post  
Bent_Ramrod wrote on Oct 27th, 2023 at 10:41am:
Don’t exactly know what you’re “comparing,” but as far as I know, the RCBS and HDS basic cases were made by Norma, which everybody says is good stuff.

Bertram might give problems.  Some lots (especially early ones) of their other oddball brass I’ve bought have exhibited problems with metallurgy (half the cases splitting on the first firing), the lengths of a box of shells might be inconsistent and all shorter than the nominal, and the rims might vary in thickness, diameter and roundness, requiring creativity in shell holder selection or a lathe setup to make work.  Other lots, though, are pretty good, usable for reload after reload.

I’ve found Ten-X cases in .45 Colt at the range, and they resize, load and shoot as well as any other.  Didn’t even know they made exotica like .45-120; figured they catered to the Cowboy Action crowd.

If you’re asking about case volumes, or mouth thicknesses or stuff like that, you’re in a better position to tell us, since you have the shells yourself.


Thanks BR, my question was about overall quality so your reply was very helpful.

Thanks, Retreever
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Retreever
Full Member
***
Offline



Posts: 198
Joined: Mar 21st, 2020
Re: QUESTION: 45-120 Brass Quality
Reply #4 - Oct 28th, 2023 at 2:52pm
Print Post  
Griff093 wrote on Oct 27th, 2023 at 1:23pm:
My stuff ain't 45-120, but since I've formed about ½ my .40-90 SBN from 45-Basic, it seems a fair comparison.  Bertram, I got pre-formed for the 40-90SBN and seemed a mite brittle, but it was all initially annealed to below the case shoulder.  I annealed case mouths before initial sizing & belling, and have still had no splits, not bad for 30 year old brass.
My HDS & CSA 45 Basic headstamped brass is excellent.  The CSA brass was described to me as being by the same manufacturer HDS used.  I even have some non-headstamped cases, that appear to be of like quality, all of it about the same  age as the HDS & CSA brass.


Thanks G93 most informative.

Retreever
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send TopicPrint