.45 Colt Case length
- Thread starter dos0711
- Start date
Mike Irwin
Staff
How much shorter?
If only a tiny bit, no they're not trash.
The trim length is, in most cases, really an arbitrary figure.
As long as your cases aren't too short, and are all the same length (to promote consistent crimping), they should be good for a long, long time.
If only a tiny bit, no they're not trash.
The trim length is, in most cases, really an arbitrary figure.
As long as your cases aren't too short, and are all the same length (to promote consistent crimping), they should be good for a long, long time.
Ok, I found out what the problem was...some Hornady cases mixed in with the Winchesters. Now, my question is this...if the case length max is 1.285 and the trim length is 1.275 does that mean that anything in between those two figures is "usable length" brass? Is the difference going to affect crimping much?
Mike Irwin
Staff
Yes, and possibly.
I should have been more exact in my original answer, though.
I should have said case length is less critical in revolver cartridges, which headspace on the rim.
In a semi-auto case, they normally headspace on the mouth so length is far more critical.
Now, back to your cases...
One good, quick, and cheap way to get all of your cases the same length is to get one of the Lee trimmers. It uses a cutter with a rod that bottoms out on a base into which you put the case. Does a nice job at quickly uniforming a bunch of cases.
As for how important it is to have all of the cases the same length, it really becomes more important when you start needing more crimp to hold a bullet in place against heavy recoil.
If you don't have all of the cases the same length, you can get quite a bit of crimp variation.
I should have been more exact in my original answer, though.
I should have said case length is less critical in revolver cartridges, which headspace on the rim.
In a semi-auto case, they normally headspace on the mouth so length is far more critical.
Now, back to your cases...
One good, quick, and cheap way to get all of your cases the same length is to get one of the Lee trimmers. It uses a cutter with a rod that bottoms out on a base into which you put the case. Does a nice job at quickly uniforming a bunch of cases.
As for how important it is to have all of the cases the same length, it really becomes more important when you start needing more crimp to hold a bullet in place against heavy recoil.
If you don't have all of the cases the same length, you can get quite a bit of crimp variation.
Edward429451
Moderator
It looks good. You could prolly get away with less crimp though.
I've never trimmed any handgun brass and never had a problem. If you find short cases and it concerns you...that's what starting loads are for.
I've never trimmed any handgun brass and never had a problem. If you find short cases and it concerns you...that's what starting loads are for.
Mike Irwin
Staff
The only time I trim handgun cases is when I'm wanting them to all have the same degree of crimp.
That's normally only with .357 and .41 Magnum.
I agree that you can probably back off on your crimp, it does look heavy.
As for filler... generally no.
What powder and what charge weight are you using?
That's normally only with .357 and .41 Magnum.
I agree that you can probably back off on your crimp, it does look heavy.
As for filler... generally no.
What powder and what charge weight are you using?
Mike Irwin
Staff
No filler with Trail Boss.
The recoil with TB should be light enough that you should be able to get away with just a very light crimp.
I use Universal in my .45 Long loads for my Smith & Wesson revolver. It's a pretty stout load, but I only use a relatively minor amount of crimp and I don't have problems with bullet set back.
The recoil with TB should be light enough that you should be able to get away with just a very light crimp.
I use Universal in my .45 Long loads for my Smith & Wesson revolver. It's a pretty stout load, but I only use a relatively minor amount of crimp and I don't have problems with bullet set back.
Mike Irwin
Staff
I added some more information in my previous post.
As for the short brass...
Hell yes. Load them and shoot them.
Load a couple up and see what kind of crimp you get on them. You may get enough that it's of no concern at all.
If you don't, keep them separate, and load them with the crimp die down a quarter or half a turn.
Or, trim the other cases to match and load them all the same.
If that fails, send them to me, I'll give them a good home.
As for the short brass...
Hell yes. Load them and shoot them.
Load a couple up and see what kind of crimp you get on them. You may get enough that it's of no concern at all.
If you don't, keep them separate, and load them with the crimp die down a quarter or half a turn.
Or, trim the other cases to match and load them all the same.
If that fails, send them to me, I'll give them a good home.
Mike Irwin
Staff
It sounds as if it's around 1/100th of an inch difference, which isn't much at all, really.
Whoa!!!
If the Hornady brass is headstamped ".44 Magnum" and is only 1.225" long, then it is 0.050" shorter than normal .44 Magnum cases at 1.275". It probably comes from the new Hornady "Leverevolution" ammo that is loaded with their "Flex-Tip" bullets, which have a pointed tip and are longer than standard from the crimp groove to the nose.
While not as short as .44 Special brass (at 1.150"), this brass still could use some charge weight adjustment for near max loads.
For example, QuickLOAD thinks that a charge of 2400 under a .240 grain Hornady XTP bullet that gives the SAAMI max pressure in a regular .44 Magnum case will give an additional 5,000 psi in the shorter Hornady case.
This seems like a new and potentially dangerous wrinkle that Hornady has added to reloading the .44 Magnum. While 5,000 unexpected psi is not likely to break a gun by itself, it is added to (and compounds the effects of) the other multiple-thousand psi variations that can come from different powder lots, substituting primer brands, substituting bullets, etc. In some of the .44 Magnum guns that are not built like tanks, this might be the issue that pushes the situation to the point of a blow-up in the hands of an unwary handloader.
At least, it is a hard variation to not notice.
SL1
If the Hornady brass is headstamped ".44 Magnum" and is only 1.225" long, then it is 0.050" shorter than normal .44 Magnum cases at 1.275". It probably comes from the new Hornady "Leverevolution" ammo that is loaded with their "Flex-Tip" bullets, which have a pointed tip and are longer than standard from the crimp groove to the nose.
While not as short as .44 Special brass (at 1.150"), this brass still could use some charge weight adjustment for near max loads.
For example, QuickLOAD thinks that a charge of 2400 under a .240 grain Hornady XTP bullet that gives the SAAMI max pressure in a regular .44 Magnum case will give an additional 5,000 psi in the shorter Hornady case.
This seems like a new and potentially dangerous wrinkle that Hornady has added to reloading the .44 Magnum. While 5,000 unexpected psi is not likely to break a gun by itself, it is added to (and compounds the effects of) the other multiple-thousand psi variations that can come from different powder lots, substituting primer brands, substituting bullets, etc. In some of the .44 Magnum guns that are not built like tanks, this might be the issue that pushes the situation to the point of a blow-up in the hands of an unwary handloader.
At least, it is a hard variation to not notice.
SL1
Mike Irwin
Staff
Whoa!
That is going to give you problems crimping if you don't adjust the die.
How many do you have?
If not that many, I'd simply scrap them.
That is going to give you problems crimping if you don't adjust the die.
How many do you have?
If not that many, I'd simply scrap them.
Sounds like a good plan to me .
Yes, that is a really heavy crimp for Trail Boss loads. For case mouth life, I'd back off quite a bit. You just need to 'turn the corner' so to speak!
FYI,
Trail Boss .45 Colt 255g SWC tests
Trail Boss .45 Colt 250g RNFP tests
.Yes, that is a really heavy crimp for Trail Boss loads. For case mouth life, I'd back off quite a bit. You just need to 'turn the corner' so to speak!
FYI,
Trail Boss .45 Colt 255g SWC tests
Trail Boss .45 Colt 250g RNFP tests