.44 Mag Case Question

[Saint]

I have a question that has been stumping me for some time now so I figured it was time to put the question out. On the .44 Mag Winchester cases I load they have a constriction in the middle of the case that slowly starts to disappear as the cases get resized. My suspicion was that this was there to extend case life but then I noticed I had a batch of .22LR with the same band on the case. What is the purpose of this band and does it mean anything if I have brass that has been sized so many times that the band is gone?

[44man]

Let me see if I can spell it right. Cannelure --nope!
Anyway I think it was to keep bullets from moving back in the brass and never seen a use for it.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Yup c-a-n-n-e-l-u-r-e. Cannelure. I think that's right!?

[Blammer]

I could be wrong, but my understanding with the "cannelure" in the case is that when loaded at the factory it prevents the bullets from being seated too deep.

The factory machines move quite quickly and the momentum from seating the bullet needs to be arrested. Hence the cannelure in the brass.

Most if not all factory ammo I see with the cannelure, the base of the bullet is right at it.

that's my two cents, anyone care to make change?

[44man]

I could be wrong, but my understanding with the "cannelure" in the case is that when loaded at the factory it prevents the bullets from being seated too deep.

The factory machines move quite quickly and the momentum from seating the bullet needs to be arrested. Hence the cannelure in the brass.

Most if not all factory ammo I see with the cannelure, the base of the bullet is right at it.

that's my two cents, anyone care to make change?

Nope, you are right on.

[HammerMTB]

I have a canneluring tool. It will make the cannelure in brass or a bullet. On the bullet, it is a crimp groove.
Don't think I've used it much in 35+ years of having it, but the old gunsmith I was apprenticed to gave it to me, so it stays in the tool crib.

[subsonic]

I like a tackle box, but I guess a guy could fish with a can-a-lures.

I always heard it told that it was used with a round nose boolit that was crimped over the ogive and had no crimp groove to arrest reward boolit travel into the case, especially in tube magazines.

[Saint]

So here is a new question then. Why do my .22lr rounds have this band. They are heeled and the bullet doesn't go anywhere near deep enough to hit this line.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Factory ammo has the cannelure in the brass, brass purchased for reloading does not. The grand old man Mr. Elmer said that for this reason use brass purchased for reloading to reload with because the cannelure will weaken the brass over time at the resizing step. I've always taken his advise as golden and not questioned it. I shoot middle of the road pressures in .44 mag, .44 Special and .45 Long Colt and have never had a problem from the cannelure.