357, 38 special: trim?

[dakotasin]

just wondering if anybody feels compelled to trim their 357 or 38 special brass?

if you trim, do you reset the dies to chase cannelures?

 

[esheato]

I don't feel the need to trim any pistol brass, from 9mm to 45 Colt.

Admittedly, I load for plinking or gun games...both requiring quantity rather than extreme quality.

FWIW...

Ed

 

[The Bushmaster]

Most .38 Specials I have a devil of a time just getting them long enough to meet specs. .357 magnum? Yes...I keep them trimed to a particular specification to insure that they are crimped the same every time....357 magnum do tend to grow...And I trim them after the resizing/decapping operation...

 

[HSMITH]

I don't bother trimming, unless the brass has been roll sized a couple times. 357 seems to stay the same or get shorter for me, but I have enough of it that I really haven't paid close attention.

Bushmaster, get a case pro rollsizing machine. 38's will get plenty long after a few firings.

 

[bakert]

Never had a problem with .38s but do trim all .357 after sizing fired factory cases and check all from time to time.

 

[SASS#23149]

I do because I shoot mostly cast bullets with a crimp groove,and some of them are tiny and allow little variance.If taper crimping,no.

 

[Arch]

I check the length of 10 out of every hundred of my .38spl cases after resizing each time, and find that I never need to trim them. Though I am shooting very soft loads.

The only time I need to trim, is on the first loading, because all my brass is winchester once fired brass, and comes from security companies who are using +P factory loadings.

 

[joneb]

Can cannelured bullets be taper crimmed ?
Is there a die that seats and taper crimps ? does it work for magnums ?
my RSBS dies roll crimps, and I'm thinking of trimming to ensure consistant tension on the bullet.

 

[dakotasin]

jibjab-
1- yes, cannelured bullets can be taper crimped.
2- yes. most rcbs dies for autoloaders will have, on their label, 'tc', which means taper crimp. the die seats and crimps simultaneously.
3- by 'magnums' i assume you mean 357 mag, or 480, or 454? if so, those cartridges require a roll crimp to hold the bullet in place. i suppose you could probably find dies that would tc a 357 mag, but not sure the end result is what you would want or expect.


fellas... thanks for the input... taper crimp cartridges are near-universal 'no trim', and it appears this one is split, w/ most trimming 357's... interesting, and thanks for the input.

 

[JNewell]

Yes, I trim them the first time they're reloaded so that they crimp uniformly. After that, I periodically check them but they seldom lengthen.

 

[StrikeEagle]

No, I never trim Handgun Brass.

95% of my loads are in the 750-850 fps range, I guess. Easy on me, easy on my guns, easy on the brass.