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Posted: 5/1/2011 9:27:12 AM EDT
New to reloading. Manuals seem to indicate the pistol cartridges need to be trimmed.
Read a LOT of posts, and I decided I was going to splurge and get a Giraud, but I see they only have rifle trimmers 
My Lyman manual states (p. 37) "Note: Many handgun cases wear out long before any trimming is required." so does this mean trimming isn't a big deal for handgun loads??? If anything, I will probably be reloading small volumes of rifle, and can do them on my Lee Zip trim. I plan to eventually do high volume pistol reloading, and was hoping for something quick and easy. What do people use to trim pistol rounds in high volume? |
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Posted: 5/1/2011 9:43:37 AM EDT
[#1]
I've never trimmed any of the 1000's of pieces of pistol brass I've loaded, and probably never will. There isn't much need for trimming regular pistol brass.
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Posted: 5/1/2011 9:46:00 AM EDT
[#2]
Typically most every one does not trim straight wall & tapered pistol cases. There are a few bottle neck pistol cases that with enough firings, will need trimming.
Lyman book states the experience I & many others have had. Cases split & or primer pockets become too loose to properly hold primer & we trash them. Don't concern your self with trimming other than bottle neck pistol cases. There is slight case length differences in some new pistol cases. That variation matters if you use a "roll" crimp die. If using a taper crimp, not a problem. Don't over taper crimp as that reduces diameter of bullet. Quicker so on a cast bullet than jacketed. |
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Posted: 5/1/2011 10:41:16 AM EDT
[#3]
If you're into punching four leaf clovers at 50 yards then trimming brass might be for you. But your not going to do that with assorted brass. Ninety-nine out of a hundred on this board have never trimmed pistol brass and never will.
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Posted: 5/1/2011 10:48:16 AM EDT
[#4]
Ninety-nine out of a hundred on this board have never trimmed pistol brass and never will.
I think 1911smith is being kind and conservative, probably multiply that by at least 10x... i.e. 999 out of 1,000, LOL! |
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Posted: 5/1/2011 11:00:32 AM EDT
[#5]
I loose my pistol brass before it ever needs trimmed or wears out.
-Masta |
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Posted: 5/1/2011 12:00:34 PM EDT
[#6]
I trim my pistol brass.
It ensures my O.A.L and crimps remain consistent. |
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Posted: 5/1/2011 12:48:40 PM EDT
[#7]
Sure I trim pistol brass....the stuff shout of XP100......but that is the exception and not the rule. I can seen for heavy recoiling cartridges maybe.but having loaded up 44 Magnums I never have. And, I probaly never trim a straight walled cartridge. That includes, 9mm, 45, 38. 357, and 40 SW along with the 44.....never had a problem....
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Posted: 5/1/2011 5:36:30 PM EDT
[#8]
I don't trim pistol brass..........but then again, I don't shoot bottle necked pistol cartridges. And BTW.........I don't clean my pisol brass (under normal conditions).........they get processed through F/L carbide dies. Plus, I'm lazy.
Aloha, Mark |
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Posted: 5/1/2011 5:45:18 PM EDT
[#9]
I trim revolver cases the first time I load them.
Don't know how people get a consistant crimp on non trimmed cases. I have had to trim 45 ACP cases that were too long to gauge. I gauge every pistol round I load, that's how I caught that issue. Out of a 500 round batch I loaded, about 10 needed trimming. 
This is what I use to trim straight wall pistol brass. So that makes 2 out of 1,000 that trim pistol brass.
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Posted: 5/1/2011 6:03:45 PM EDT
[#10]
So that makes 2 out of 1,000 that trim pistol brass.
Wow! Hard core! I knew there was a reason why I only use range pickup brass! 
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Posted: 5/1/2011 6:09:24 PM EDT
[#11]
I will admit to trimming pistol cases when I was accuracy tripping, especially in the T/C. With my 357 Max, it made a difference @100 yards and beyond.
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Posted: 5/1/2011 7:44:03 PM EDT
[#12]
Let's see now, 45 years of reloading, never trimmed a single case. Shot competitive pistol for many years in the Master class and won a lot of guns and a lot of trophies in matches, my gun shoots 1" to 1 1/2" groups at 50 yards in a Ransom Rest, without ever trimming a single piece of brass, if it will do that, why......why would I trim the brass? BTW, that's without cleaning primer pockets also.
Almost without exception, whatever pistol you are using is capable of far better accuracy than the person shooting it. |
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Posted: 5/2/2011 5:29:43 AM EDT
[#13]
With the thousands of cases I have on hand between 9mm and .45, I'd be more inclined to crush the case and throw it in the recycle bucket. I started reloading for my pistols back in August and haven't had to trim one yet. Matter of fact, I don't even own a trimmer yet.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 5/2/2011 5:45:12 AM EDT
[#14]
I trim all of mine as I want the crimps consistent which in my mind makes my groups more consistent. For my handguns that headspace on the case-mouth I use the RCBS trim pro with the power drill attachment. I can trim about 30 cases before I need a short break. In a normal week's time I can trim 1000 during the commercials on my favorite programs and it only takes about twenty minutes to chamfer and deburr by hand after all have been trimmed. Also helps me feel more involved in the process and ensures the ammo isn't at fault when I miss
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Posted: 5/2/2011 5:47:54 AM EDT
[#15]
Only for the MOST OCD, and I thought I was OCD - looks like I am safe! LOL!
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Posted: 5/2/2011 6:17:20 AM EDT
[#16]
With bottle neck cases you do get some flow of metal that resulted in a longer neck when the case is resized, so that then leads to the requirement to trim cases.
However, straight wall cases have virtually no "growth" with repeated firings, thus no trimming is needed, and in my experience the case mouth will wear out long before the case needs to be trimmed. I have noted that some brands of brass in some pistol calibers are longer or shorter than others and I suspect that relates to the use of, lack of, or type of crimp that is used in the factory loading. But in most cases this is not enough difference to significantly effect the amount of belling that occurs in the loading process. That said, I also tend to use, and consequently reload, primarily cases that head space on the mouth of the case (.380, 9mm x 19, .45 Auto, etc) so they are probably more consistent in that regard than other types and tend to have littel or no crimp, and almost never use a roll crimp. |
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Posted: 5/2/2011 6:35:13 AM EDT
[#17]
There's no need.
ETA: If if you are a bullseye shooter and shooting at 50 yards just tracking brass by make and times fired gets you mostly the same affect and good consistency. |
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Posted: 5/2/2011 8:46:22 AM EDT
[#18]
I trim my brass, handgun or rifle. With handgun stuff, I only find it necessary once. After the initial trim, all of it should remain pretty consistent assuming it's loaded and fired the same number of times.
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Posted: 5/2/2011 9:57:22 AM EDT
[#19]
I make sure .44 Magnum brass is trimmed to the correct and identical length, and if I loaded the bigger magnums, I would treat them the same way.
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Posted: 5/2/2011 10:13:56 AM EDT
[#20]
Don't do it & never will. No need at all. My SV and STI guns are minute-of-A-zone accurate to 50 yards with NO trimming ever.
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Posted: 5/2/2011 12:28:50 PM EDT
[#21]
Quoted: There's no need. ETA: If if you are a bullseye shooter and shooting at 50 yards just tracking brass by make and times fired gets you mostly the same affect and good consistency. I quit keeping track of how many loadings on pistol brass over 30 years ago, I seldom have a brass case crack, I certainly lose more than I have to pitch due to a crack, which is the most common failure mode on pistol ammo. Separating brass by brand? The only sorting by brand I did was for match ammo, I used strictly Remington brass for match use, I used mixed brass for practice, however I never really saw any difference in accuracy between the two at ranges of 50 yards or less, it might make a difference in Hi Power rifle matches at 1,000 yards, but not at competitive pistol distances of 50 yards or less. |
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Posted: 5/2/2011 12:30:49 PM EDT
[#22]
Quoted:
I've never trimmed any of the 1000's of pieces of pistol brass I've loaded, and probably never will. There isn't much need for trimming regular pistol brass. +1 |
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Posted: 5/2/2011 7:18:59 PM EDT
[#23]
From the reccomendation of my Grandfather that's reloaded 10,000's of rounds and shot competitively, he said don't bother trimming handgun brass. He said he might get a piece of brass that flows or elongates on one side, but he just crushes them and tosses it in the scrap bucket.
He's never steered me wrong, so I don't trim mine. |
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