45-120 Brass

[Pritcher]

Hello all, first post on the site, though I have read through a fair few threads in the past. So, I bought a fairly inexpensive 45-120 made by some obscure Italian brand from the 70s. I had always wanted one of the Petersoli units, but they are somewhat price prohibitive for me. At any rate, the rifle is on its way to me, and I already have dies, all I need is brass. However, it seems as though nobody has even a hint of it anywhere. To boot, the folks selling cases on gunbroker want an arm and a leg for them. My question is, might there be anywhere one could find reasonably priced cases for sale? I only need a small number (perhaps 20), but I really don't want to shell out more than five bucks a case to the handful of guys selling on gunbroker.

Cheers,
Jack

 

[TennesseeHunter]

I just did the same thing since acquiring a 45-120 a few months ago.
I don’t have any cases to spare but I was able to find a few from someone else on this forum, so I’m not much help.

From what I understand based on what little I know, these cases basically don’t exist since every company that’s made them is out of business besides Norma, who hasn’t imported them for several years I guess. I did at one point see some available at northern shooters supply. Out of stock now anyways but they are in Australia so they might export for a pretty penny.

My suggestion would be to ask around even further. Could do some goofy things like call Buffalo arms, (the source of all things black powder cartridge rifle shooting) and ask the person who answers the phone if he or anyone else who works there has any. Talk to enough people you might find something. Or ask the folks at the Shiloh rifle forum.

Secondly, there’s Rocky Mountain cartridge who cnc machines any case you want. That doesn’t answer your question since it’s still about $10 a case and they’re months behind due to equipment failure, so I was told.

I would assume that eventually 45-120 cases will be made again if people can ask ten bucks or more for fired 3-1/4 basic brass.

That’s a long winded way of saying I don’t know but best of luck.

 

[Pritcher]

Thanks for the info, I will call around. I had actually ordered some from an English website a week or so ago, but they said that (despite having them "in stock" online) there were none available and Norma was not due for another production run until summer. Seems like even overseas folks are high and dry for these rounds.

 

[jambrdly]

Would Kynoch .450 cases help?

 

[Pritcher]

Would Kynoch .450 cases help?

I don't know if it would work, the rim is considerably thinner, on the nitro cartridge. They are pretty similar otherwise though.

 

[jambrdly]

I don't know if it would work, the rim is considerably thinner, on the nitro cartridge. They are pretty similar otherwise though.

Buffalo arms has loaded 45-120 in stock at $7.50 a round. Someone on GB has 19 45-120 cases at $200. Someone else has a set of dies and 40 + brass for a whopping $700.

Bertram makes brass for this caliber too but they have lost their stateside dealer. If you want to go through the hassle of getting the forms from BATF, you can import directly from Australia. It takes a while to make it happen though.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hello all, first post on the site, though I have read through a fair few threads in the past. So, I bought a fairly inexpensive 45-120 made by some obscure Italian brand from the 70s. I had always wanted one of the Petersoli units, but they are somewhat price prohibitive for me. At any rate, the rifle is on its way to me, and I already have dies, all I need is brass. However, it seems as though nobody has even a hint of it anywhere. To boot, the folks selling cases on gunbroker want an arm and a leg for them. My question is, might there be anywhere one could find reasonably priced cases for sale? I only need a small number (perhaps 20), but I really don't want to shell out more than five bucks a case to the handful of guys selling on gunbroker.

Cheers,
Jack

@Pritcher
You can get it in Australia for 200usd for fifty.
Bob

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Doesn’t raven rock precision import it? They are sponsors , send them a message and ask if they can help
Gumpy

 

[jambrdly]

There are 25 pieces of new Jamison .45-120 on GB right now with a current bid of $155.

 

[RedTag]

I hate gun broker. I hate it with a passion. I feel that website is incrementally ruining our shooting sports. I understand an actual business needing to make 20% but most of what I see on there is beyond the pale. This supply and demand bottleneck we’ve all experienced in the last few years seems to have collectively driven us mad. The willingness of so many buyers to participate in the insane bidding wars or pay the exorbitant buy now prices is feeding the monster. The world is not ending. Manufacturers have machines. Raw materials exist in the Earth’s crust. Things will be made. If people would exercise restraint and patience (not giving in to the urge to have it all immediately for fear it’ll be gone tomorrow) there would be plenty to go around and at reasonable prices too. I would be ashamed of myself to sell to my fellow sportsmen at such dishonest prices. I like to think we are gentlemen. Not fucking pirates.

 

[Hoofnit]

Just a thought, you can shoot any of the 45-70, 90, 100, or 110 brass in that until you can locate some 120 cases…

 

[jambrdly]

I might agree in principle but in practice ... not everything on GB is horrifically overpriced. Some - not all, but some - of the workaday items are more or less reasonably priced ( .30 caliber bullets or .243 brass, for example). I think people see some guy trying to sell 7mm bullets at $300 for 50 and they see red and start shouting about pirates. Look closer: there will be other venders selling the same item at a far more rational price. Competition will fix the market. It always does.

Granted, if you are looking for .360 No.2 Nitro Express brass, heaven help you. Rarity demands a premium and always has. The principle of competition in the marketplace doesn't work when there's one box left of the thing you just have to have.

There is a distinct difference between what a given vendor(s) may ask for an item and what people will actually pay. The guy who is trying to sell common bullets or brass for outrageous money probably doesn't have that many customers. The vendors who keep their prices reasonable-ish do good business.

Last but not least, it is dangerous to assume that any group of people consists entirely of "gentlemen" just because they share an interest in a given sport. Pick any five guys off the street and at least two of them will be a**holes. It's just human nature.

Moreover, there is no basis for believing that the shortage(s) will abate and things will get better. I'm 70 and I've only ever seen things get worse. Things getting better happens in the movies.

 

[jambrdly]

Also you might try necking .450/.400 3" brass back up to .45. This is a super simple operation with an enlarging die from Buffalo Arms or CH4D. The die costs under $30.

The .450/.400 3" Hornady or Bertram brass both have a heavier rim than the Kynoch .450 or .450/.400 3 1/4" brass. The three-inch brass was a Jeffery pattern which was created with a thicker rim to facilitate easy extraction. You might have to swage the base a bit.

The .450-120 is a big gnarly looking round but it is low pressure and you can reload it a bunch of times. if you got 40 or 50 cases together, you might have a lifetime supply.

 

[RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION]

Doesn’t raven rock precision import it? They are sponsors , send them a message and ask if they can help
Gumpy

Yes, it's one of the calibers on order, but no ETA on it. We expect 45 Basic first (norma, sometime in the next couple months I supposed). Working a few other sources to get the folks the really niche stuff, but it's definitely not cheap.

Plenty of 45-70 in stock at the moment just FYSA. Both Starline and Winchester at the moment.

Norma 7x57 should be here next week in good numbers.

 

[Pritcher]

@Pritcher
You can get it in Australia for 200usd for fifty.
Bob

Which retailer sells it? And do they ship to the states?

 

[Pritcher]

The .450-120 is a big gnarly looking round but it is low pressure and you can reload it a bunch of times. if you got 40 or 50 cases together, you might have a lifetime supply.

Yeah, I figure that once I get a decent stock it'll last for a while. I just need to get some to begin with haha.

 

[Pritcher]

Just a thought, you can shoot any of the 45-70, 90, 100, or 110 brass in that until you can locate some 120 cases…

I have looked for 110 cases as a potential substitute, but they're expensive and frankly I would prefer just to get a stock of proper cases going.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Which retailer sells it? And do they ship to the states?

@Pritcher

If they don't send to the states I have sent brass, barrels, projectiles and parts to members without any issues
Bob