Calling 475/500 Linebaugh Shooters

[jefats]

Santa left a Bowen 500 Linebaugh under the tree this past Christmas. Since then, I've put 769 rounds thru it, with the vast majority being what I call mid-range loads (1000 f/s) using 400 - 460 grain slugs. About 10% were near full throttle and a few in the T-Rex catagory.

I began with 40 new Starline cases and to date have lost 7 to splitting and cracks and those were in the past month. Primer pockets are still tight and case mouths hold crimps very nicely. I use Hornady dies.

This is my first experiecne with Starline brass and I'm very impressed to say the least. I'd like to know how this compares to ya'll more experienced with this cartridge. 475 shooters please feel free to chime in also.

Thanks

[crotalus]

I started an experiment last year to see what the lifespan of my Starline 500L brass would be. The plan was to reload the same 5 cases over and over until the mouths split. At 12 one of the cases showed a small split, unfortunately I mixed the other 4 up with the rest of my brass. It's the heavy crimp that is working the brass, even the power house loads are easy on the cases pressure wise.

All of the loads in the 5 test cases were loaded with Hornady dies, 469 gr. LFNGC bullets and CCI 350 primers. Powders used were Lil Gun, H110, IMR4227. Velocities were 1100-1325 fps. The majority of the loads were my favorite recipe of enough IMR4227 to get 1150 fps.

I'm not sure which would make the biggest difference in case life, a carbide size die or annealing the cases after every 8-10 loads.

I think 20 loads per case is do-able, but may require a carbide die.

Sounds like you are getting almost 20 loads per case already so maybe my split case was just a fluke.

LP

[Fowler]

So far all I have run in my 475 have been Hornady brass, I have about 12 loadings though them. So far I have split one neck in the whole batch.

I did get my first box of Starline 475 brass today so in a year or two I should be able to give you opinion on them! I will tell you they are by far the best 45 colt brass I have tried...

[2 Dogs]

I have shot my 475 more than my 500 but so far have not hurt any of the brass. That may be however becase I have quite a bit of brass....

[paul105]

I ordered a batch of 500 .475 LB Starline cases when I first bought the gun a couple of years ago. The necks started to split right at 20 reloads. I'd load the new and 1x fired cases with standard .475 loads (420s at 1,300 fps from my 6" gun), the balance of the loads were mostly 400s at 1,100 fps.

With the exception of the split necks, the cases are fine. I bought a lee trimmer for the .480 Ruger thinking I'd trim them back and give them to someone with a .480. I chucked a case in my cordless drill -- those necks were so hard, that the Lee cutter just chattered on the case mouth.

Paul

[Lee Martin]

My Starline 500 brass is easily past 10 reloads....no split necks yet and I've been shooting 29.0 of H110 behind a 440 grain hardcast. The dies are homebuilt though and matched to the chamber (sized cases are 0.001" under chamber spec).

-Lee
www.singleactions.com

[Aggie01]

A bunch of split neck .475L might just push a fellow over the edge into .475 Cooper territory.

[Ken O'Neill]

Some of my .475 Starline brass has been loaded and shot a bunch in 3 different .475's. I don't recall ever having a split neck yet, and these have all been loaded with the original RCBS dies, which actually size the Starline brass a bit smaller than necessary.

[jared]

Jun 11, 2009 19:36:29 GMT -5 jefats said:

I use Hornady dies.

I think that may be your problem. I lost quite a few pieces of brass because the retaining clip on the Hornady seating die would occasionally catch the belled case mouth putting a small nick on it.

After I found the problem I filed enough off the retaining clip to prevent it from sticking past the seater plug, and segregated the nicked cases. Those cases continued to split and I haven't had a problem with the others. The nick is barely discernable but I am sure is the cause of my problems. I am still very careful when seating a bullet to prevent the case mouth from contacting the clip.

This is my first and only set of Hornady dies. I like the dies otherwise but will probably buy a different seater down the road.