New to me SBH .480 going back to Ruger

[gnappi]

Well, my SBH came back today and Ruger said they replaced the hammer. I have to schedule a range trip.

[iwsbull]

Good deal, hopefully they solved the problems.

[bula]

Fingers crossed that a loud BOOOM will soon be heard. Then a smile, and a bunch more booms.

[gnappi]

I have 50 rounds of brass and 50 factory loaded rounds so I'm waiting for .475 brass to be filled from Starline that I can chop down to .480. I doubt native .480 brass will be available any time soon.
So, I'm afraid not many booms but I have enough to work up loads for my powder coated bullets.

[jeffh]

Apr 15, 2023 13:24:01 GMT -5 gnappi said:

Apr 15, 2023 12:14:49 GMT -5 lar4570 said:

None of those ideas were the issue,...

One thing about sending something back to Ruger is that they don't seem to ask many questions... but the sure don't answer any either.

The last time I sent on in, they replaced the entire gun without question - and without explanation.  When I asked the woman who called to get an FFL to send it too, I asked what they found.  "They just wrote REPLACE" on the ticket" was her answer.

OK by me.  The one I got back had better throat/bore/forcing cone alignment/dimensions/form than any I'd had in the past and it shot well right out of the box with no monkeying around with specific bullets, special bullet diameters, alloys or lube treatments.  The replacement came back with NO LOCK to boot, so that was a bonus.

Good luck on the fretting over where it is and when it will be in safe hands.  I personally don't enjoy that part of the process one bit.  It almost seems like the carriers know who I am and enjoy teasing and torturing me by sending it on as slow and circuitous route as possible.

I'm sure there is some element of the bar code which identifies those with "shipping anxiety."

[gcf]

May 6, 2023 9:54:45 GMT -5 gnappi said:

I have 50 rounds of brass and 50 factory loaded rounds so I'm waiting for .475 brass to be filled from Starline that I can chop down to .480. I doubt native .480 brass will be available any time soon.
So, I'm afraid not many booms but I have enough to work up loads for my powder coated bullets.

My #500 order of Starline .480 brass, was placed 5/2021. Still waiting.
Glad your SBH is fixed. Awesome piece!

[jeffh]

May 6, 2023 13:31:49 GMT -5 gcf said:

May 6, 2023 9:54:45 GMT -5 gnappi said:

I have 50 rounds of brass and 50 factory loaded rounds so I'm waiting for .475 brass to be filled from Starline that I can chop down to .480. I doubt native .480 brass will be available any time soon.
So, I'm afraid not many booms but I have enough to work up loads for my powder coated bullets.

My #500 order of Starline .480 brass, was placed 5/2021. Still waiting.
Glad your SBH is fixed. Awesome piece!

That is one danged practical-looking set of scales on that beast.  I like those.

[gcf]

May 6, 2023 14:16:54 GMT -5 jeffh said:

May 6, 2023 13:31:49 GMT -5 gcf said:

My #500 order of Starline .480 brass, was placed 5/2021. Still waiting.
Glad your SBH is fixed. Awesome piece!

That is one danged practical-looking set of scales on that beast.  I like those.

Thanks - I like 'em too! Very utilitarian. Got them from Ronnie Wells. Fitting to the GF was..., well let's just say a learning experience.
Actually got the ideal from (unbeknownst by, him) David Bradshaw, as shown on his Ruger 03 - with Ronnie's Bradshaw Bisley GF.
I've got some super spiffy Turkish walnut scales on my NM flattop Bisley conversion, but to be honest, I like the unfinished micarta effect better...

[harveylogan]

I like the look of the unfinished Mikcarta effect, they look “grippy”

[gnappi]

May 6, 2023 13:31:49 GMT -5 gcf said:

May 6, 2023 9:54:45 GMT -5 gnappi said:

I have 50 rounds of brass and 50 factory loaded rounds so I'm waiting for .475 brass to be filled from Starline that I can chop down to .480. I doubt native .480 brass will be available any time soon.
So, I'm afraid not many booms but I have enough to work up loads for my powder coated bullets.

My #500 order of Starline .480 brass, was placed 5/2021. Still waiting.
Glad your SBH is fixed. Awesome piece!

Gadzooks!!! TWO YEARS??? I wonder what Starline could be waiting for? I "could" see the L-O-N-G wait if they were stacking up pre-orders like yours but they're not even taking back orders. 

I found two boxes (40 rds.) of factory Hornady ammo at the gun show this past weekend and I'm meeting a fellow that has another two boxes this weekend. 

Anyway, here's mine. 

[gcf]

May 8, 2023 23:07:02 GMT -5 gnappi said:

May 6, 2023 13:31:49 GMT -5 gcf said:

My #500 order of Starline .480 brass, was placed 5/2021. Still waiting.
Glad your SBH is fixed. Awesome piece!

Gadzooks!!! TWO YEARS??? I wonder what Starline could be waiting for? I "could" see the L-O-N-G wait if they were stacking up pre-orders like yours but they're not even taking back orders. 

I found two boxes (40 rds.) of factory Hornady ammo at the gun show this past weekend and I'm meeting a fellow that has another two boxes this weekend. 

Anyway, here's mine. 


View Attachment

That's the $60 question. I've been accumulating brass where I can find it. Obtained #100 new Starline from a member here, & traded an extra new .480 die set to another gent for #200 more. Also grabbed #300 Hornady "once fired' (not) from a fella on another site, that required culling out 15%...

Picked up the last available box of Hornady from my transfer in FFL. Still sitting in the safe, & will probably go with the piece - if I ever sell it.

[gnappi]

GCF, I asked that of Starline and got this reply:

"You are right – we have not ran that for a while and we probably won’t any time real soon. At least till later this year at the earliest I’d think. We, like everyone in the shooting industry, are still digging out from the great rush of 2020. Slow sellers like the 480 do not get the press time due to the huge backlogs of the popular calibers. Even in normal years the 480 would be a once a year minimum run. That line is still running a lot of very backlogged product, so it has to catch up on that first. We have finally got our total backlog down under a year and continue to chip away at it as the sales continue to slow, but we have a ways to go first.

CC companies will not allow us to hold CC details for longer than 30 days, so that is why we are not taking backorders on items we do not have a date on yet. When we have them on the schedule we will open them up to backorders before we get the run done to get people in line. Can’t say when that will be, but hoping yet this year if this pace continues.

We hate these rushes as much as you do – bad for the industry and bad for the customers. But just like 2009 and 2013 – we can’t stop it once it gets started and all we can do is make as much as we can as fast as we can for as long as it takes. We won’t slow down till we are caught up.

Sorry not better news."

For me the path of least resistance is cutting down 475 brass.  So I'm set until such time as Starline .480 brass becomes available. 

[gcf]

May 17, 2023 4:42:01 GMT -5 gnappi said:

GCF, I asked that of Starline and got this reply:

"You are right – we have not ran that for a while and we probably won’t any time real soon. At least till later this year at the earliest I’d think. We, like everyone in the shooting industry, are still digging out from the great rush of 2020. Slow sellers like the 480 do not get the press time due to the huge backlogs of the popular calibers. Even in normal years the 480 would be a once a year minimum run. That line is still running a lot of very backlogged product, so it has to catch up on that first. We have finally got our total backlog down under a year and continue to chip away at it as the sales continue to slow, but we have a ways to go first.

CC companies will not allow us to hold CC details for longer than 30 days, so that is why we are not taking backorders on items we do not have a date on yet. When we have them on the schedule we will open them up to backorders before we get the run done to get people in line. Can’t say when that will be, but hoping yet this year if this pace continues.

We hate these rushes as much as you do – bad for the industry and bad for the customers. But just like 2009 and 2013 – we can’t stop it once it gets started and all we can do is make as much as we can as fast as we can for as long as it takes. We won’t slow down till we are caught up.

Sorry not better news."

For me the path of least resistance is cutting down 475 brass.  So I'm set until such time as Starline .480 brass becomes available. 

Kinda' surprised that you got that much out of them. They had no comment, the last time I inquired.

Regarding your current .475L project, I'm wondering how thick the neck of the cut down brass is, compared to before cutting. Also, compared to factory .480? 
I see new chamfered Starline measuring 0.012" - 0.0125", with a dial caliper.
Any reason to think that the cut down .475 will require reaming?

[gnappi]

GCF, I was surprised at their detailed reply also but it did steel me into the mindset to "expect the best, plan for the worst" mindset.

So, I did not need to ream the cases using my bullets and I suspect there will not be a need with others. I haven't cast any of the Lee 400 grainers yet but all of my loaded ammo drops right into my case gauge and SBH cylinder... we'll see after I cast some 400's next winter.

I had these different brand cases to measure, Hornady, Starline and Federal:

* NOTE: On loaded cartridges I used a Lee 325 GC (no gas check crimped on it) powder coated and it measures .4785". For all measurements I used an 8" Mitutoyo dial vernier and a 4" Digital vernier.


Mouth of NEW sized Hornady .475 Linebaugh uncut wall thickness .016" (tested three)

Mouth of NEW sized Hornady .475 Linebaugh cut to .480 length wall thickness .015" (tested three) * loaded cartridge .498" OD case below bullet to .501" below the crimp

Mouth of new sized Federal .480 brass wall thickness .014" to .0145"

Mouth of once fired Starline .480 brass wall thickness .015" --- * loaded cartridge .498" OD case below bullet to .501" below the crimp

PS, none of the brass I measured were any where near the .012" - 0125" you measured.

[nicholst55]

May 17, 2023 4:42:01 GMT -5 gnappi said:

GCF, I asked that of Starline and got this reply:

"You are right – we have not ran that for a while and we probably won’t any time real soon. At least till later this year at the earliest I’d think. We, like everyone in the shooting industry, are still digging out from the great rush of 2020. Slow sellers like the 480 do not get the press time due to the huge backlogs of the popular calibers. Even in normal years the 480 would be a once a year minimum run. That line is still running a lot of very backlogged product, so it has to catch up on that first. We have finally got our total backlog down under a year and continue to chip away at it as the sales continue to slow, but we have a ways to go first.

CC companies will not allow us to hold CC details for longer than 30 days, so that is why we are not taking backorders on items we do not have a date on yet. When we have them on the schedule we will open them up to backorders before we get the run done to get people in line. Can’t say when that will be, but hoping yet this year if this pace continues.

We hate these rushes as much as you do – bad for the industry and bad for the customers. But just like 2009 and 2013 – we can’t stop it once it gets started and all we can do is make as much as we can as fast as we can for as long as it takes. We won’t slow down till we are caught up.

Sorry not better news."

For me the path of least resistance is cutting down 475 brass.  So I'm set until such time as Starline .480 brass becomes available. 

I messaged Starline last week to ask about .480 Ruger brass, and I haven't heard anything in reply. Not really expecting to, either. Guess I'd better get busy buying some .475 Linebaugh to trim down.