Trimming Pistol Brass

[mdi]

I haven't been able to shoot much lately (rain and life), and my reloads have built up to nearly max. levels so I was bored and figgered I'd just process some brass. I sized and deprimed about 100, 45 ACP cases and with nuttin' else to do I figgered I'd trim them (haven't trimmed handgun brass in 30 years). I have a Lee trimmer in 45 ACP (don't remember when or how I got it), and set it up in my drill and trimmed a few. Not much material removed so I measured some that I had trimmed; .890". I grabbed some of the cases not yet trimmed; .890"-.8915". All the cases have been fired in my Ruger P90 and RIA 1911 and reloaded many times. Just reminded me why I don't trim handgun brass...

 

[Das Capitolin]

Flat-wall cases do not typically stretch with each firing, only bottleneck cases do. That's why you don't length trim (most) pistol cases.

 

[mdi]

Ummm, yep, that's why I don't trim handgun brass... Forgot to mention I started reloading 38 Specials in 1969, and have been reloading, off and on, and full time since '88 and don't trim handgun brass...

 

[Sunray]

.890" is shorter than the trim-to length of .893". Max case length is .898" -.010. The -.010 is tolerance to minimum case length of .888". You don't trim pistol cases or revolver cases because they don't need it.

 

[cfullgraf]

I also do not bother trimming hand gun cases except on ocaissions I want a good uniform roll crimp on some revolver ammunition.

I recently tried the special straight walled case holders for my L E Wilson trimmer and it took some of the drudgery out of trimming hand gun cases.

Not necessarily quick, but little or no futzing around.

 

[mdi]

.890" is shorter than the trim-to length of .893". Max case length is .898" -.010. The -.010 is tolerance to minimum case length of .888". You don't trim pistol cases or revolver cases because they don't need it.

I've noticed my brass shrinking in length after several firings. It shrinks in the extractor groove area from repeatedly being squeezed/compressed against the bolt...

 

[Arkansas Paul]

You have reinforced my decision to not trim pistol brass.

I've honestly never even measured one. lol

 

[Dudedog]

Never trim 9mm or ,.45.
.38 /.357 when I get an urge to trim. (which is not that often)

 

[dgod]

I don't time pistol brass. It doesn't stretch that much. Rifle brass is a different story..

Just my $0.02
Dan

 

[buck460XVR]

Pistol brass I have never trimmed. Revolver brass, it depends. If the ammo is for high velocity hunting type loads in my magnum revolvers, using a slow burning powder like H110/W296 or IMR4227, I generally trim new or once fired brass once to get them all the same length for consistent heavy crimp. This means less risk of bullet jump and better ignition/burn of those slow burning powders. Shooting paper @ 50 yards or more has shown me it makes a difference in accuracy that is worth the little bit of time it takes to do.

 

[entropy]

As I've posted before, the only time I trimmed pistol brass was when I had a 10,000 case lot of .38 Spl. GI brass that eventually had some split. I trimmed them back to make ".38 Shorts" 100 at a time. When they split again, then I'd toss them. I had an old set of dies I set just for those loads.

 

[Blue68f100]

The only pistol brass I have trimmed was for a 357Mag. Required to get a consistent roll crimp. But I only do this if the AOL varies more than 0.005". Less than that I find I can get by.

 

[Walkalong]

My range brass in .38 and .357 was all over the place in lengths, so I trimmed it all, and still do when I find some. Same for .45 Colt, although it wasn't as bad. My .32 Mag brass is all Starline bought new and it is consistent enough I didn't trim it, but I did deburr and chamfer it. Same for .32 Long.

You can get away with not trimming revolver brass, and many do, but you won't get consistent crimps if the case lengths vary too much, and I like consistent crimps.

I never trim auto brass such as .32 ACP, .380 ACP, 9MM, .40 S&W, .45 ACP.

 

[Zendude]

Will using an undersize sizing die change the length of a handgun case enough to need trimming?

 

[Walkalong]

No.

 

[JO JO]

Will using an undersize sizing die change the length of a handgun case enough to need trimming?

I use a undersized U die for 40sw and never trimmed any pistol brass that I have reloaded , many thousands 40 sw and long time ago 9mm, with revolver I did trim at times and rifle definitely yes