To trim your cases, or not

[ghh3rd]

I wonder if it's necessary to trim .44 brass to uniform length for my handgun. I was under the impression that keeping all of the brass the exact same length results in crimps remaining the same from one round to another, but have also heard that it's not necessary.

I haven't trimmed any of the .40 or .38 that I've reloaded, but I've just been plinking with those. I'd like to shoot the .44 for groups/hunting, where accuracy is more important.

What is the consensus?

Randy

[John Boy]

My vote is no trimming needed unless the cases will be used for match shooting

[Rusty W]

I trim .44, .45 colt, & .357. I only trim when I first purchase it when it's new or once fired. I find the shortest one of the lot and trim the others to that size just so the crimp will be consistent. I don't know if it makes a difference or not accuracy wise, I just like my crimp to be in the same place on each cartridge. I also load 38spl, 9mm, 45acp, 45AR and don't bother to trim those, mostly because I use a bullet w/o a crimp groove and just taper crimp.

[geargnasher]

Due to the heavy roll crimp you'll need to use on the .44 (Magnum??) you will need to trim the cases at first loading for best accuracy. Reason being longer cases will have more clamp load than the short ones (causing pressure variances and vertical stringing) and eccentric/uneven mouths can affect the squareness with which a boolit enters the cylinder throat.

Gear

[jforwel]

I have trimmed new brass in the past but since I started buying Starline brass the need has gone away. Starline brass is very consistent in length.

[armyrat1970]

Always will get different opinions about this. I trim to keep my cases as close as possible. Rifle or pistol. Especially if crimping. Want my cases the same length to ensure the same crimp. Necessary or not?

[Bret4207]

Certain cases need more trimming than others. The 32-20 for instance needs trimming after the first firing to uniform the cases and sometimes every couple firings after than for best acccuracy. It never hurts to measure 10 cases every 3 firings to see what's going on.

[Wayne Smith]

If you don't trim and have a long case the crimp will buckle the case or cause a buldge at the crimp. Especially in the light weight cases such as the 32-20 and 44-40, but also with the 44Mag. Don't ask me how I know this :oops:

[Tazman1602]

If ya' want uniform crimps (IF you have to use a crimp...) it's my understanding that you need to trim the cases to a uniform length. Several of my reloading manuals state this as fact.

Now if I don't have to use a crimp I just check the cases for maximum length on a case gauge. Once they get past the max (I keep them separated...) then I will trim them back. It's rare that I shoot my rifle cases more than 2-3 times without selling them off as used and buying new cases.

Art

[Shiloh]

I trim rifle cases for consistency. I think that my best accuracy is achieved with consistency in case manufacturer, case length, boolit weight, and close charge weights.

I do'nt trim pistol brass.

Shiloh

[largom]

I trim rifle cases for consistency. I think that my best accuracy is achieved with consistency in case manufacturer, case length, boolit weight, and close charge weights.

I do'nt size pistol brass.

Shiloh


+1 Shiloh, Consistency is the name of the game for accuracy. I also sort my rifle brass by weight. It may not be necessary for hunting, but I want all of my loads and guns to be as accurate as I can possibly make them.

Larry

[fredj338]

The handgun cases I do trim are the magnum cases. They wills tretch & if you use a good roll crimp, the crimp will vary quite a bit. So when A batch starts showing signs of varing crimp, then I'll check & trim as need. Never have trimmed a semiauto case, never.

[lwknight]

All 44 and 357 magnum cases should be checked for length periodically. Although 44 magnum cases usually don't live long enough to get extremely too long the crimp issue is the biggest thing. If you taper crimp you probably can go seveal loadings without worrying about trimming.
Shooting 38spl in a 357 mag? Never look back tlll you have crimp troubles. who cares about a few 1/1000ths when you have 100/1000ths left in the clear anyway.

[sheepdog]

I can't seem to get consistent OAL seating unless I trim

[mpmarty]

I used to be anal about case length on all my reloads. I measured 45acp and found that the cases got SHORTER with use and quit checking 45acp. I lose a few empties at the range and at matches but having a couple of five gallon buckets full of once fired Israeli brass I'm not too concerned.

That said, all my rifle brass is trimmed to length and chamfered (sic) every time they get processed. 7.5X55 7.62X51 and 45/70. I clean the fired brass in media and then deprime and clean primer pockets; then I resize them and tumble again to remove the sizing wax. Finally they get introduced to LEEs' neat case trim tool in my drill press and finally they get inspected as I prime them with a hand tool. Once processed they go into storage until I need to load up a bunch.

[beagle]

I trim .44 Mag cases as has been mentioned, the crimp tends to stretch them after a while. This is not consistent and seens to happen randomly in a given batch with the same headstamp.

About every two winters, I go through all my .44 cases with a set of calipers and segregate the ones that are past the trim to length and trim them.

I've noticed that many once fired cases will be under the trim to length so this leads me to beleive that the factory .44 cases in certain batches tends to run short.

I think it's winter time well spent.beagle

[rob45]

Certain cases need more trimming than others.

The need to trim will be dependent upon several factors, and all of those factors are application-specific. Safety, reliability, and accuracy are the topics at hand when discussing the need to trim.

1. Type of crimp is a determining factor. Heavy revolver loads need a heavy crimp so as to prevent bullet creep. Those cartridges requiring a roll crimp need consistent case lengths, or the crimping process becomes a nightmare. Think incomplete crimps (brass too short) or buckled cases (brass too long).

2. Type of cartridge and shape of the case are determining factors.
a. A cartridge that headspaces on the case mouth (most semiauto pistols) will very rarely grow in length; if anything, they will sometimes get shorter. This occurs due to the mouth sometimes getting peened from hitting the end of the chamber, but it is seldom a major concern. The inability of the pistol to lock up into battery will tell you if the case is too long. If you're that concerned about it, check it with a case-length gage (usually a caliper) to see if it is too long. If you have the rare occurrence that it is too short, the pistol probably won't fire because the headspace is so great as to effect a weak firing pin strike. Bottom line-I have never trimmed brass that headspaces on the case mouth. Due to the nature of how it headspaces, a taper crimp is used, so the only consistency needed is to fall within the headspace tolerances.
b. The rimmed straight-wall revolver cartridges need a roll crimp, which requires some level of consistent length for best results. Heavy loads will increase the tendency for the brass to lengthen. This same concept also applies to any case of such design (rimmed straight-wall or slightly tapered; e.g. 45-70) even if not used in a revolver. When using such cases in single-shot rifles, a crimp may not be needed, but brass that is too long can present chambering (and pressure) issues.
c. Bottleneck designs grow more than straight-wall designs. The primary concern is that most bottleneck designs also headspace on the shoulder. When we full-length size the brass, we are putting the body and shoulder back into spec, but the neck grows longer. A neck that is too long can pinch in the chamber and raise pressures. Sizing only the neck will reduce the tendency of the brass to lengthen (and therefore reduce the need to trim). But not everyone has a bolt action, and those shooting guns with less chambering and extraction ability (pumps, levers, etc.) will probably need to FL size the brass, resulting in the need to trim more often.

3. How often (and severely) the brass is worked has an effect on how much it lengthens. This concerns both the load level and the sizing process. High-pressure loads increase the need to trim. FL sizing, especially a bottleneck design, increases the need to trim. The primary thing to remember is that when brass is worked (either through firing or sizing), it has to go somewhere. It gets extruded lengthwise and becomes thinner. How much it is extruded once again depends upon the shape of the case and how much it is sized down.

4. Accuracy- if you're after ultimate accuracy, you do not need to question the need to have every aspect of the loading chain consistent.


Similar to every other aspect of reloading, the need to trim your brass will be highly dependent upon your application and needs.

[armyrat1970]

+1 Shiloh, Consistency is the name of the game for accuracy. I also sort my rifle brass by weight. It may not be necessary for hunting, but I want all of my loads and guns to be as accurate as I can possibly make them.

Larry

Little something wrong there. Shiloh stated that he does not trim pistol brass. You had his quote as I don't size pistol brass.
Look at post #10 and post #11. Something ain't adding up right.

[largom]

Little something wrong there. Shiloh stated that he does not trim pistol brass. You had his quote as I don't size pistol brass.
Look at post #10 and post #11. Something ain't adding up right.

Adds up for me. What I was attempting to stress was my agreement with Shiloh in trimming RIFLE brass for consistency in order to obtain the best accuracy. IF I were loading handgun ammo for the best accuracy [which I don't] I would trim for the sake of consistency.

Larry