Straight walled revolver cases.......................

[markp]

  Many moons ago when I was a young buck  I reloaded for my .357, 41, 44spl and 44mag revolvers.
  Mostly I shot ruger blackhawks. I probally never used the same brass more than 3 or 4 times.
  I never measured or trimmed these cases. I did load fairly hot but within the data the manuels suggested. After being off of reloading for years. I  am ready now   to load again. With these same empty cases.  I shoot open sights off hand at 5 to 20 yards informal so   the differnce IN accuracy or   point of impact caused by slightly differnt case lengthes will probally never be known by me as I will never shoot as well as my gun does under these circumstances.  The question I have is do I need to measure case lengths and trim because of safety issues.

If I need to measure and trim for saftey reasons what equipment would  I need and what might  be the aproximate cost. I dont  plan on going terribly far into reloading. I have a rock chucker  and I measure powder with the scoop and measurement table . Pretty elementary I know .  My concern here Is safty not necessarily moving on to the next level.

[mjbgalt]

i would spot check them. if you run into a few that are too long then i would measure the whole lot.

i shoot .45 colt and load it hot sometimes and i do check occasionally. honestly though, i have never found a need to trim yet.

cases for .45 are great in that they take very little prep, don't need to be lubed to be sized if you have a carbide die, and can be loaded many many times.

-Matt

[Tom W.]

Once, when I was recuperating from surgery, I trimmed fifty .44 Mag cases. I was bored. That was the first and most probably the last time that I'll ever trim a straight walled pistol or revolver case.

[Luckyducker]

The only problem I have ever encountered with staight walled postol case length is some manufacturers have slightly different lengths than others and when seating and crimping if the dies are adjusted for a shorter case when loading a longer one the case wall will sometimes be bulged to the extent that it will not chamber in my gun.   A loader really should use one brand of brass or measure and trim to one uniform length if mixing headstamps.   When loading with carbide sizer dies it is easy to get lazy and just load them "as is" especially when loading on an auto-progressive press.  I know this from personal experience.

[bilmac]

You might check a few every once in awhile. I have been loading 38s and 357s since Adam and Eve were kids, who knows how many times some of my cases have been refilled and never had a problem. The cases just don't stretch much especially with the mild loads you are shooting. The main problem with different length cases is that they crimp differently so it's hard on accuracy, in theory, I don't know that I shoot well enough to notice variable crimping.

[wncchester]

I got my Lyman trimmer some 35 years ago.  Trimmed a few .38/.357/.44/.45 cases to see if it was a needed chore.  Pistol cases rarely stretch it seems so it isn't needed, at least not for me.   Have never trimmed another. 

[the jigger]

When I started handloading it was for revolver ctgs. After 25 yrs or so I have never trimmed a case nor have I had any COL issues.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

[woods]

     I trimed only about 50 cases for my 44 mag these are for hunting. A good tight roll crimp in the same location is the only reason I trimmed them. I'm shooting a 300 gr flat point. so A nice uniform crimp location makes reloading them easier. This is my only trimmed box of 44's I own. The other  600 or so have never been touched.

woods

[markp]

  The consensus seems to be no need to trim. This is music to my ears.
  I like how easy straight walled cases are. Carbide dies and the livin is easy !


 Thanks