Trim then size, or size then trim?

Trim then size, or size then trim?

What's your practice, and why?

Books sometimes interchange the steps...which leads me to believe that this is not a high-criticality order of operations.

Clearly -- if your cases were too long to begin with, then you trimmed them long, and rezised, you run the risk of chamber-crimping and overpressuring your face.

BUT, assuming that brass length is of reasonable length after you fire it; trim then size, or size then trim?

Rich

Unanimity on an internet discussion board.

Now I've seen everything.

Thanks for the input -- I've always sized and trimmed, in that order. Two of my manuals have the operations listed in the reverse order, which led to my question.

Thanks,
Rich

Which ones?

Click to expand...

"Complete Reloading Guide" by Traister and Traister, published by Stoeger in 1996

Hornady "Handbook of Cartrige Reloading" Volume I

I thought this was at least confusing, and at most misleading -- and potentially dangerous.

Glad to see I'm not alone in this boat.

Have a good night,
Rich

Ah, it's easy to get confused when you're a bonehead like me.

I was referring to "Reloading Step By Step" starting on page 44, and continuing to page 55. On p. 46 they mention the trimming operation, chamfering and deburring on 47, lubing on 48, and resizing/depriming on 49.