I would not class the specialty brass made by some companies for
use in older firearms as “Replicas” at all. They are simply cases of
a specific caliber made for the specific purpose of loading and shooting
rifles and handguns of that caliber.
Many old calibers have been resurrected due to renewed interest in shooting
them, either in old guns of those calibers, or newly produced firearms in those
calibers. The .44-40, for example, as a dead issue for years, as far as any new
firearms were concerned, although there were enough people using it to justify
ongoing production of that caliber, although in limited quantity. Sports like Cowboy
Action Shooting have caused new production of some older calibers that had been
completely discontinued. These are simply incidents of renewed production of that
caliber ammunition. They ARE the calibers used in the older guns, not replicas thereof.
It is a fine line of distinction, I admit, but in my view a valid one. These are not cases made
for collectors, but rather simply ammunition made for shooters shooting older guns. The
fact that they may be, of their own right, collectible to anyone interested in those calibers, is
pretty much irrelevant.
Just my view on this subject.
John Moss