Do you trim

[azcoyhunter]

My question is

For 45 ACP

do you trim every case every time you reload?

Midrange loads,

I trim every case every time, but I do not know If I need to or not.

Thanks for any info.

Clint

[Stevejet]

Honestly, in over 30 years of reloading both .45's and .38/.357, I've never trimmed a straight wall case! I am conservative in my powder charges (usually mid-range) so I have never felt that case stretch in my revolvers was an issue.

Now you have got me thinking......"maybe I should measure some cases, say ....every 20 years." Thanks for the reminder!

P.S. You trim your .45 ACP cases after every firing? To what dimension? Just curious.

[twidget]

I tried it for a while years ago, but quickly found that most .45 ACP cases are shorter than the trim-to length. They don't grow much on firing so I don't trim them any more. Instead of trimming use the time to make boolits!

[trickyasafox]

I always thought that straight pistol cartridges did not require trimming.

[Stevejet]

This is America gents....anything is possible!

[NVcurmudgeon]

I started out loading .45 ACP about 1960 and haven't yet seen a case that was even close to needing trimming. I trim .38s and .357s for target quality revolvers. All .44 Magnum cases are trimmed extra short for feeding in a Marlin 1894 when loaded with a Keith style SWC, and it doesn't seem to bother the S&W 629. All other pistol and revolver cases are never trimmed, I hate trimming unless there is good reason.

[Dale53]

I, like NVcurmudgeon, have never found a .45 ACP case that was as long as the trim to length. In a five year period shooting IPSC, I fired 75,000 loads and never trimmed a case. During that time, I had exactly (1) failure to eject that caused me points and that was caused by operator error. When loading for the .45 Auto (as opposed to revolver) I headspace on the bullet and taper crimp using the barrel hood as the gauge (adjust the OAL so that when the cartridge is dropped in the barrel, the case head is flush with the hood (or just slightly below - say a .001" or so).

My preference for cases go to the military cases as they are typically heavier (thicker case mouths) and have much less tendency to allow deep seating of the bullets when chambering. Thin wall cases (Remington's come to mind) often do not have enough case neck tension and oftimes allow the bullet to deep seat when the bullet strikes the barrel loading ramp.

Dale53

[azcoyhunter]

Stevejet

"P.S. You trim your .45 ACP cases after every firing? To what dimension? Just curious."

I just use the LEE Trimmer for 45 ACP


twidget

I think you might just be right
I will shoot some I made last night (without trimming)



Thanks for all the replys

Clint

[76 WARLOCK]

I noticed last week that when crimping 45 acp that once in about 10 rounds I got wrinkles in the cases. Then I checked oal and found some as much as .92 caused the wrinkle. Now I have blisters on my hands form measureing and trimming 1000 empty cases.

[shooting on a shoestring]

I don't reload or own a .45acp, but for my revolvers .45 Colt, .357 & .38, I trim to establish a consistent crimp. I don't trim often, but I measure often. When I sit down to load a group of brass, I measure about 10% of them first to see what the spread is. Then I decide on trimming considering what purpose and loading. Slow powders are more critical on crimp and hence length. Typically for casual practice on dueling trees, clangs and paper, shooting unsupported, 0.005" variation in length is fine with me. But if I'm going to shoot rested, looking for groups, I trim to just clear up the shortest case. That removes one variable in the equation.

[JimL]

I dont for 45 acp. Once in awhile i have some stretch for the 454 and 475 cases and require trimming. Much higher pressures though.

[tommyn]

I don't for 45acp but found it necessary for my 357 max and 32 mag in contender barrels. I was amazed how much trimming was necessary for them.

[Stevejet]

You fella's who have trimmed the straight wall's have put the bug in me to measure my cases next time as 35 years of shooting them may be an appropriate, if not curious, thing to do. Thanks for the unexpected responses!

[rmb721]

I have never trimmed any straight wall case that I reload for: 38 spl, 357mag, 44mag, 9mm,and 30M-1 carbine. Maybe there were a few that needed it. They never showed up.

[Stevejet]

I would only be concrned with straight wall cases that headspace on the case mouth and READING the Manual notes and narative for that cartridge will inform you of that important consideration. Even then, the manuals are usually concerned with heavy crimping that would degrade the mouths capability to headspace.

There normally isn't enough powder capacity in straight wall handgun cases to cause the brass to flow and therefore grow in length.

[Ken O]

You should have a set of calipers to check. My .45s seem to shrink, not streach. I have never trimmed a straight wall cartrige either, but I check them occasionaly.

[tommyn]

The 357 max sure does lengthen. I guess pressures or soft brass are the reason.

[eka]

I'll trim a batch of 45 ACP, .38 Spec., etc. when new just so they are all the same length and that way I can get a consistent crimp. Once they are uniform, I never have to trim them for the rest of their service life. In fact I have noticed some of my auto cases, 9MM especially, actually shorten some instead of lengthen.

Keith

[Stevejet]

You need to measure case length AFTER resizing, not in the "short" after fired condition.

[Bret4207]

Not every time, but after the first sizing or when I see case mouths starting to look uneven. I ALWAYS check 32-20 brass, not really straight walled I know. 32-20 brass seems to shrink, and unevenly at that. Ken Waters mentioned it. I checked and my fliers and big groups disappeared. Just something to remember to check before you fling the gun in the crick!

[anachronism]

I don't trim handgun cases for production barrels, since it appears to me that most 45 ACP cases are actually headspacing on the extractor, in spite of how it should be done. If I had a high quality barrel, that I know for certain headspaces on the case mouth, I'd trim for it. 38 Supers come to mind with this statement, but not 45 ACP. I know a guy who trims 44 mag cases, and have told him that I consider him to be a nut, but that's a whole 'nother story.

[bobthenailer]

i trim all of my straight wall revolver brass for a constiant crimp 1 time when new or picked up range brass, i have checked & sorted 45 acp brass when i was accuracy testing with a ransom rest in my BE 45 but that was the only pistol i did this with. i think having the same lot number of brass is just as important in any revolver or pistol just depends what kind of accuracy you want ! for me i want the most accurate load combination for each gun and the rest is on you!

[MtGun44]

Yikes!

I have never seen a single .45 ACP case that was trim to length. I have loaded
somewhere around 300K or more of the .45 ACP in the last 28 years, never
trimmed one. Started out trying, but couldn't find one long enough.

Like others, I have trimmed .45-70 and .44 mag for a consistent crimp.

Bill

[mauser1959]

I have actually started to consider trimming .38 specials . I have a progressive piggy back , but I always load single stage ... because I enjoy it. Anyway on this last K rounds I could feel a slight bit of differnce in the length; but am not sure if it is enough to be trimmed. I was going to put a micrometer on it , but said hell with it, I will do it the next time that I have a thousand to reload... maybe.

[357maximum]

357max is a definate candidate for trimming...I have never seen another straightwalled round that required it or responded to it the way the max does. But than again I run the ragged edge with it 99% of the time, and I do not do that with my other straightwalled rounds..........that may be why.

Personally I would love to find some 45acp that required trimming,,,no dice as of yet. I do trim 38 spcl and 357mag brass but accuracy due to crimp uniformity is the only reason I do so. After trimming I do NOT use a traditional case mouth deburrerererer...I use a wad of 00 steel wool in a socket in my drill....more accurate/consistant that way....faster too.