Cutting down 44 mag cases

Can you do it? Sure.

You will expend a lot of time and energy for little real return, since .44 Spl. cases are available and aren’t a one-off wildcat or totally obsolete round. Honestly, instead of dulling up your cutter heads just order them direct from Starline.

When it says backorder ok, it usually doesn’t take very long to get them. I placed an order for 500 .44 Spl and 500 .32 H&R brass two weeks ago and the box showed up yesterday.

Stay safe.

I've cut down .454 Casull to load .45 Colt "Ruger only" loads and I've cut down .460 S&W brass to .454 Casull length because I wanted a set of cases that took large primers. I used a Lee trim die for rough cut and an RCBS trimmer to finish.

For me it was labor intensive and not something I will do very often.

I’ve cut 450+ hornady 44 mags down to special length. They were short length anyways so I figured they didn’t have much interest in selling.

I used a Lyman universal drill press trimmer. Set on the highest speed, it did well. Otherwise it chattered and grabbed cases. However, it made short work of it. Much more better than a crank trimmer with a drill attachment even.

I happened to have all required so it made sense for me. I would probably not do it if I had to acquire new gear to make it happen.

One thing I’ll mention is, I trim my 44 brass for consistency though already. So it didn’t seem like that much extra to me.

Is the case capacity the same for a cut down 44mag as a 44spc?

savagelover said:

Anyone cut 44 mag cases to make 44 special cases? How did you make out doing it. Is there any change in the brass doing this?

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Riomouse911 said:

Can you do it? Sure.

You will expend a lot of time and energy for little real return, since .44 Spl. cases are available and aren’t a one-off wildcat or totally obsolete round. Honestly, instead of dulling up your cutter heads just order them direct from Starline.

When it says backorder ok, it usually doesn’t take very long to get them. I placed an order for 500 .44 Spl and 500 .32 H&R brass two weeks ago and the box showed up yesterday.

Stay safe.

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What he said ^^^^

If you’re on a budget here’s a place that sells range brass. $20 per 100. Cheaper with more. I have bought brass from them 3 times now and have not been disappointed.
https://www.nobulltactical.com/product-page/44-special-unprocessed-brass

Ohen Cepel said:

Is the case capacity the same for a cut down 44mag as a 44spc?

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.44 Special, loaded per published data, is a fairly low pressure cartridge. I wouldn't worry about it.

Ohen Cepel said:

Is the case capacity the same for a cut down 44mag as a 44spc?

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Well yes.?
Same as trimmed 357 Mag and 38 spl.

The only difference is the length so if they are trimmed to the same they are the same.

I do not understand the OPs question. The only reason to make a 44 Mag brass into 44 Special is if the gun only is chambered in 44 spl

If it is a 44 Mag just use Mag brass and lower allowed powder charge,

savagelover said:

Anyone cut 44 mag cases to make 44 special cases? How did you make out doing it. Is there any change in the brass doing this?

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I haven't done that, but I have done something similar with a different cartridge. I trimmed once fired 9x19 to make 9mm Makarov brass. Trimming and deburring any reasonable amount of pistol brass in that fashion is an enormous pain in the, um, "you know, the thing".

I wouldn't bother to do it unless .44 Special brass was absolutely unobtainable. If I had a .44 Magnum to shoot it through, I'd rather be experimenting with light magnum loads, and Trail Boss powder.

Never have cut down brass, but I think I'd check the volume of a cut down .44 Mag as compared to a .44 Special. Unless you're pushing the .44 Special to max, it really doesn't matter.
But yeah, just buy the brass.
Moon

Rule3 said:

Well yes.?
Same as trimmed 357 Mag and 38 spl.

The only difference is the length so if they are trimmed to the same they are the same.

I do not understand the OPs question. The only reason to make a 44 Mag brass into 44 Special is if the gun only is chambered in 44 spl

If it is a 44 Mag just use Mag brass and lower allowed powder charge,

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Not always. One can not cut .357MAX to .357MAG due to the web of the case and wall thickness. It is not safe to assume making it shorter makes it the same case. You can create a real pressure issue in some cases.

I've cut 454 cases to 45 colt length, it was also for primer reasons. Didn't have many large pistol primers and wanted to shoot a specific revolver . it worked fine but if it's just for fun I'd skip it and just buy what you want.

Ohen Cepel said:

You can create a real pressure issue in some cases.

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You can create a real pressure issue in some "cases?" Pun?

savagelover said:

Anyone cut 44 mag cases to make 44 special cases?

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Savagelover, like some of the others here, I'm wondering why you'd like to make 44 Special cases out of 44 Mag cases. Do you have a 44 Special?
Probably 95% of the loads I run through my 44 Magnums are just 44 Magnum cases loaded down to 44 Special, or 44 Special +P levels. Same with my 357 Mags (357 cases loaded to 38 Special levels) and my 41 Mag - if there really was a "41 Special."

.308 Norma said:

Savagelover, like some of the others here, I'm wondering why you'd like to make 44 Special cases out of 44 Mag cases. Do you have a 44 Special?
Probably 95% of the loads I run through my 44 Magnums are just 44 Magnum cases loaded down to 44 Special, or 44 Special +P levels. Same with my 357 Mags (357 cases loaded to 38 Special levels) and my 41 Mag - if there really was a "41 Special."

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I never would cut down .41 Mag cases, so I bought 500 .41 Special cases from Starline, too.

My plan was to have a GP 100 .357 made into a 6 shot .41 Spl., but I found out they can only be made into 5 shot revolvers. Kinda a waste since I have a 5 shot .44 Spl. GP.

So, I now use the .41 Spl. loads in my 4” Model 57.

Stay safe.

Not exactly an answer to your question but I have shortened .45 Colt brass to make my ".45 Xtra Short" or .45 S&W Special. How?
I cut a short block of hard maple and drilled for the cases:



Run them through the bandsaw. No metal cutting blade is needed:



The shortened cases are slightly over length, then trim with a case trimmer to specified length.

And, before the flak starts, these Colt cases had neck splits and would have therwise been discarded. My result? These are fired in the .45 ACP cylinder.



Bob Wright

Well folks. I got something for y’all.

I scoured my stash. I found I had both special and magnum brass from Remington, hornady, starline. So I got all energetic and whooped the hacksaw off the nail where it was hanging.

I will post pictures tomorrow after I take some in good light.

I did it when I got my 1st 44 special. Had 6-700 pieces of 44 mag brass stashed so decided to trim about 50 down to special spec. Worked fine, just took a but of time to do it.

By the way, the Ruger I showed withn the short .45 cases:



Does not look like that anymore. Looks this way now:



Changed out the grip frame (to the XR3-RED) and fit stag grips.


Why? Just because. And those grips are now on one of my Super Blackhawks.

Bob Wright

Ohen Cepel said:

Not always. One can not cut .357MAX to .357MAG due to the web of the case and wall thickness. It is not safe to assume making it shorter makes it the same case. You can create a real pressure issue in some cases.

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Well who said anything about 357 MAX? No Assumuntion made.
There is no difference other than length between a 357 MAG and a 38 Special.

I've done it.

Chrono results - same day - 3 long steps from muzzle - 70 deg f - 3 1/8" S&W M396

259gr Keith

13.0gr A2400
Rem 44 special - 924fps
Trimmed 44 Mag - 964 fps

10.0gr Blue Dot
Rem 44 special - 807fps
Trimmed 44 Mag - 863 fps

Results could have been entirely due to different make of brass.

Paul

savagelover said:

I really appreciate all of your replies. Not going to cut the brass. Just wondered if anyone has done it. Doesn't look like anyone has. Thanks for the replies.

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What do you mean it “doesn’t look like anyone has”? I said I have trimmed 450+ pieces of hornady magnum “short” brass to 44 special length.

Here is the three makes of brass I have both special and magnum brass. Some of the magnum brass was already cut to special length. I don’t know the vintage of any of this brass except that the starline 44spl was bought new in 2021.

You can see magnum RP brass has a stronger web and will cause pressure increases over its special counterpart.

Starline appears to have a different taper between the two.