Do you ever have to trim handgun cases? I have been hand loading for accuracy rifle for a few years now and am confident in it. But I have just started hand loading for plinking reasons with hand guns. Should I purchase a Wilson Cartridge trimmer for .45 acp? Or will the cases fail prior to that? Also, while on the subject. Does anyone anneal their handgun cases?
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Noob Handgun Case Question
- Thread starter RLinNH
- Start date
I will check the overall length on a few make sure they are close. Nickle cases are usually shorter but most other brass is close enough. I dont trim .45 ACP or 9mm. .357 mag and .44 mag. I check a little closer might trim if necessary.
The OP was referring to straight wall cases and I agree with what others on this post have stated. However, there are handguns that shoot rifle brass. XP-100’s and the many clones and similar actions, TC Contenders and Encores all can chamber bottle neck, high pressure rounds we typically think of as chambered in rifles. These need to be treated as rifle rounds and are length and annealing are all necessary.
....just remember that .45ACP headspaces on the case mouth. The "old school" method to check was to take a sized case and drop it into your barrel to check if it had sufficient case support and that the rim did not extend past the hood of the barrel (or was significantly shorter). You could also use this method to determine if the bullets you used were seated too long and jammed into the lands or were the wrong diameter (.451-.454).
...an absolutely exceptional tool to check your cases is available from Sheridan Engineering, because they are cut with a chamber reamer, one glance at the slotted version will identify what, if any, of the possible issues is present. https://sheridanengineering.com/product/45-acp-ammunition-gauge/
...an absolutely exceptional tool to check your cases is available from Sheridan Engineering, because they are cut with a chamber reamer, one glance at the slotted version will identify what, if any, of the possible issues is present. https://sheridanengineering.com/product/45-acp-ammunition-gauge/
If you want your handgun brass to last forever, your best tool is the NOE expander. I am able to expand half as much as I did with any other die, which means less crimping, less overworking brass. Really a great tool, great geometry. If you have to expand using a powder through, the Alpha dropper is close behind.
Clean it, size it, bell it, prime it, stuff it, shoot it. That's it. Absolutely none of the long range rifle fuckery is needed.
BTW, if you buy a sizing die with a TiN coating inside, you can skip case lubrication too.
...Carbide dies as well, no lube needed, but as with ANY die, clean cases before sizing...
Thanks to all for the replies. Much appreciated. I did buy Carbide dies, but I find I still need to use lube on the inside of the case mouth as if I don't, it gets stuck on the belling/powder die. So I just lube the entire case.
...are you tumbling/cleaning your brass beforehand? The flaring/belling operation rarely, if ever, should be "entering" the casing to a depth that would cause the case to become "stuck". Most of the dies/powder drops I've used over the years were designed with a bevel. The die should be adjusted so that at the top of the ram stroke it only flares/bells the case mouth enough to allow the base of the bullet to enter the casing without shaving or tilting. Too much flare/belling causes more effort for the taper/roll crimp to "smooth" the case mouth back out to normal.
...you may want to verify the depth adjustment of your powder drop die...
post-edit: May also want to ensure the diameter of the bullets you are using are the correct diameter (.451- .454) for your particular dies and barrel, especially if jacketed bullets. Plated or lead bullets will "swage down" easier as they run through the bullet seating die and your barrel.
Good Stuff!!! Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am tumbling prior to doing anything with my brass. I feel that I have my die set at the proper increment seeing as if I set it any less, I don't get the "bell". I am using a Dillon RL 550C. If that helps. It's the powder drop/bell in one die.
Also, please note. I am a handgun cartridge noob. I love handloading for my S&W 625 JM. I shoot it at 100 yards on a 12" plate. Which is what got me handloading for handgun cartridges. But, I want to shoot these 185 gr Hornady bullets through a CZ 97 BD for break in reasons. Why not as I got them at a great price...
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