[alca]

Hello, I would like to know if it is important for more precision to cut the length of the cases (38. special ) for the revolver? Because when i'm reloading i can see the little pieces of lead on my reloading machine. I'd say on 50 rounds, it may to have about 3 or 4 ammos shorter than the other.
Do I have to also weigh the powder and the bullets for more precision at 50 yards with a revolver?
Thank you for your advices.
Al

[Tom S.]

I have been shooting .38/.357 since 1971 and have never trimmed brass. However, all my brass is the same brand. The pieces of lead you are seeing are most likely being shaved off during bullet seating. Are you belling the case mouths? You don't need to go over board, just enough for the bullet to start. If you are using used brass of different makes, it is possible that your cases are different lengths, which would necessitate that you either segregate them and load them separately (adjusting the dies for each) or trim them to the same length before belling.

[FredT]

Also chamferring the inside of the case mouth at least one time in its life will help to prevent lead shaving. This goes with the right amount of belling.

[SASS#23149]

If you are shooting lead bullets and roll crimping them into that teeny tiny crimp groove,oal becomes more important.
I always seat and crimp with 2 dies...makes die adjustmant a lot easier,and eliminates shaved brass.
In a seat/crimp die,the lead is still being pushed into the case as the crimp is being applied.How can it not?crimping is done at the near-end of the stroke and the case is stillmoving upwards in the die as the crimp is being applied...and shaving lead and jamming it into the die.
Every step you take..weighking charges,and bullets and even cases CAN affect accuracy,but the gain can be miniscule and not worth the effort to you or someone else.
You pretty much only have to trim and chamfer revo brass once,then forget about it for almost forever with that batch of brass.

[something vague]

I trim all my 38spl brass the first time I reload for them as all my brass is usually about 3 different brands mixed together. I apply a light roll crimp on all these rounds, usually for a LSWC with a cannalure, therefore having all the brass the same length is pretty important. And listen to the rest of the posts as they have explained your shavings issue, nothing more to help you with there. BTW, usually for light 38spl loads you will not have to trim your brass more than once...thank god as it is a pain in the a**. Good luck.

[Walkalong]

Some of us do, myself included, and some of us don't. I do believe you will get a better, more consistent crimp if you do trim. I trim them once in the beginning, after they are fired once or twice.

It will work just fine without trimming, but you may bugger up a case here or there when crimping, depending on the bullet, type of crimp, and how heavy the crimp is.

[lordgroom]

I have never trimmed any pistol brass and I have never weighed each powder charge for pistols. My powder measure has a consistent powder throw but I do check it occasionally.

[buck460XVR]

Some of us do, myself included, and some of us don't. I do believe you will get a better, more consistent crimp if you do trim. I trim them once in the beginning, after they are fired once or twice.

It will work just fine without trimming, but you may bugger up a case here or there when crimping, depending on the bullet, type of crimp, and how heavy the crimp is.


I agree with Walkalong on this. I believe getting a good consistent roll crimp needed on magnum revolver loads is very dependent on consistent case length. Altho, the inconsistant OAL you mention is not because of a difference in case length......somehow your bullets are being seated to different lengths. Could be because the bullet itself is being deformed by excessive pressure needed to seat it(The advice of belling and chamferring is directed at this), or the profile of your insert in your seating die doesn't match the profile of the bullets being seated.......or both.