45LC case trimming questions

[GunNut1977]

Ok, So i am getting myself started in reloading, have read most of the lee modern reload book and hodgon data. Have not been able to get powder or primers yet because of all the craziness going on right now so decided to clean and prep a bunch of my empty cases. I am using a Lee 4 hole turret press, deluxe die set and trimming with the lee case length gauges.

So Far I have:
Deprimed/re- sized the cases
Had to flare the mouth on three cases so the length gauge would fit into the case ( is this normal?)
I have trimmed three case so far as a test

What I found is the cases now measure 1.277" yet the info online and in the Lee manuals say the case length should be 1.285 - 1.29" in length. Yet when I measure fired untreated cases they measure 1.28"

Is this another issue of old sizes vs. modern sizes like with bullet diameters?

 

[mr surveyor]

I think you will find the Lee manual shows maximum case length. I believe the recommended trim length for .44 mag brass is 1.275. As long as your brass is all the same length, and does not exceed max length, you'll be fine. Same length is a good thing when trying to get consistent seating and crimps.

 

[Cholo]

I use a LEE hand trimmer for all my trimming. I had to put a 45 ACP trimmer shaft in a drill and make it .100-.002 smaller in diameter in the head area. I also had to take a small diamond sharpener and file a 40 S&W pin a bit to get the length I was wanting. Is your brass all the same headstamp? Some brass brands are thicker/thinner than others. Did you clean the inside of the brass?

I only checked one Speer manual and it says to trim 45 Colt brass to 1.275 so you're good to go. 1.285 is the max. length. 1.277 is close enough :wink:

 

[6gun]

In 35 years of reloading revolver ammo I have never trimmed a single case yet it's a un-necassary waste of time, I find there has never been enough variance in length to be concerned with, I do trim bottled neck rifle case's when needed, not all of them need to be either.

 

[mr surveyor]

In my above post I said .44 mag when I meant to say .45 Colt, but I think they are the same length spec anyway.

In revolver rounds, I reload .38, .357 and .44, and have never had an issue with "needing" to trim brass. I do have a cutter guide for the .44 mag and may start trimming as I go now to get them all uniform. Still haven't had any issues to speak of.

 

[slippingaway]

If all of your (straight walled pistol) brass that you are reloading is the same length, then trimming usually isn't necessary. However, if you're like me and accumulated a bunch of brass from different sources before finally starting to reload, you might find that the mixed brass is also mixed lengths. In that case, trimming is necessary to get them all the same so that bullet seating/crimping is consistent.

 

[GunNut1977]

ok, Thanks for the info everyone. since this is brass I have collected from my buddy and myself and different manufactures I guess I will trim it all this time and then just measure it from now on.

 

[mr surveyor]

unless you're really gonna push em hard, I bet you wear them out before they grow. I've got 8-10 reloads out of .357 mag brass (loaded on the low-medium side of the chart), and never had the need to trim any.

 

[slippingaway]

yep, once you get them all the same length at the start, you'll probably never have to worry about them again. Even if they grow a little, more than likely they'll stay pretty close to each other. The length isn't all that critical, but the consistency in lengths between all of them is.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

If you are crimping into a lead bullet with a big crimp groove the length isn't as important as when you are crimping a copper plated bullet without a crimp groove. With the plated bullets you want a consistently light crimp that doesn't cut the plating.