German Jim Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 If/when you trim cases, are you supposed to do it BEFORE or AFTER sizing the case? Or does it matter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunder Creek Kid Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 After resizing. But in 38 years of reloading I have never trimmed a straight walled case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 Straight walled cases typically don't stretch. Tapered cases such as the .30 carbine will a little. Bottleneck cases will and need to be checked for length after every sizing. Be sure to chamfer the case mouth after trimming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatwater Monte Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 The only time I trim my straight wall cases is when I buy a lot of once fired brass at a gun show. Honestly, for as little as is trimmed it really is not worth all the labor involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lead Monger Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 I like to have all my cases the same length so I get a uniform role crimp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 10 hours ago, Thunder Creek Kid said: After resizing. But in 38 years of reloading I have never trimmed a straight walled case. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mongo, SASS #61450 Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 +2 on not case trimming. In my previous shooting life, I did trim straight walled cases and I separated my brass by head stamp. After 15 plus years of cowboy shooting and loading for two people, 3-4 matches a month, I don't bother with it anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 When I first started loading 45 Colt and 44-40 for CAS I bought a case trimmer. I dutifully measured my brass before and after shooting. I discovered that at the pressure levels we shoot, it does not stretch at all. That darn case trimmer is still taking up valuable space on my loading bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
German Jim Posted May 29, 2019 Author Share Posted May 29, 2019 Thanks all! I was just wondering if I should trim my 38W.C.F brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunder Creek Kid Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 8 hours ago, German Jim said: Thanks all! I was just wondering if I should trim my 38W.C.F brass. I only loaded 38 wcf for about 3 years. But in that time I never had to trim any. Been loading 44 wcf for a long time and have never trimmed any of it. I believe it will split before you will ever need to trim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go West Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I have found that low pressure pistol cases really don't stretch. However, after accumulating about 15 gallons of .38 special brass and having some case swapping from matches, there is some variation. I'm not inclined to trim it all to the same length, so a FCD makes it a non-issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 I too found my .45 Colt fired cases, loaded multiple times. have not stretched. I mainly use T.B. @ 5.5 gr. under a 250 gr bullet. I do find new brass needs to be trimmed and de-burred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 PLUS ONE ... or ... TWO to all those folks who said "Why Bother." Waste of time and effort. Never bothered with it. Won't ever bother with it. Nevermind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.D. Daily Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 When I started reloading I read a couple of reloading manuals & videos. What I follow is if bottleneck once fired or range brass I trim after resizing. I have collected a couple thousand 223 & 5.56X45 cases. Every one of the resized cases required some trimming. I haven't cleaned & resized any that I reloaded; so, I can't verify that the brass is drawn every time it is fired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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