gnappi
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,611
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Post by gnappi on Aug 15, 2023 20:31:38 GMT -5
On straight wall cartridges I've never segregated my brass by head stamp or weighed them or done any special case prep (I have needed to trim on occasion though) unless I was training or preparing for long range or precision rifle shooting. My Dillon 550 has been a joy to own because I have a sufficient number of tool heads to not worry about diddling the Dillon (say the 10 times fast, I can't) to get setup and go. This last week I grabbed a bunch of .44 brass, adjusted the powder measure, picked up a hundred primers and on the fourth pull of the handle CRUNCH the case in the crimp die wrinkled down. Oh well, merely a blip. Pull handle 5 or 6 more times, and CRUNCH!!! Now that's definitely NOT a blip. So I measured some of the brass in my ready tray and several were .005"+ over the max case length! So get the vernier, measure them all, cull the long ones and go forward for now. All of the longer cases were Starline and not by any "stretch" :-) would I consider them old or showing lots of use. Is Starline having an issue with keeping brass under the max case length on straight walled cartridges with all of the demand for brass? Anyway here's a pic of my 550 tool head storage :-)  |
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Post by bigbore5 on Aug 16, 2023 17:47:37 GMT -5
I've noticed Starline brass varying in lengths in the same lot in 45 Colt, 32 H&R, and 357 max recently.
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gnappi
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,611
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Post by gnappi on Aug 17, 2023 6:32:03 GMT -5
I've noticed Starline brass varying in lengths in the same lot in 45 Colt, 32 H&R, and 357 max recently. Ordinarily with say an automatic I'd adjust my crimp die to the longer cases and be done with it but in my heavier recoiling revolvers backing off on the crimp die for longer cases may give me insufficient crimp on shorter cases. Oh well now to dig out my case trimming stuff. |
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Post by bradshaw on Aug 17, 2023 8:34:19 GMT -5
I've noticed Starline brass varying in lengths in the same lot in 45 Colt, 32 H&R, and 357 max recently. Ordinarily with say an automatic I'd adjust my crimp die to the longer cases and be done with it but in my heavier recoiling revolvers backing off on the crimp die for longer cases may give me insufficient crimp on shorter cases. Oh well now to dig out my case trimming stuff. ***** I have just about never trimmed revolver or auto pistol brass. I make exception for experiment. No control of brass consists of loading by HEADSTAMP, and by LOT for silhouette. Exceptions include loads for fast & dirty shooting, .45 ACP, etc., sub-top loads with cast bullets. I would not mix brass for top end loads, where consistency is more paramount. If a variation is encountered, analysis is a mess. Whether straight wall, tapered, or bottleneck, case mouth or crimp must not wedge against the chamber LEADE, thus prevent proper bullet release. David Bradshaw |
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Post by x101airborne on Aug 17, 2023 15:44:48 GMT -5
I have to check brass length on straight walled pistol and rifle brass often. I just set a caliper to what length I want, then sort brass into two buckets. One bucket holds acceptable length brass and the other the rejects. I have found some brass to actually get shorter the more times they are loaded. I hate trimming pistol brass; I really do.
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gnappi
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,611
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Post by gnappi on Aug 17, 2023 19:49:52 GMT -5
I have to check brass length on straight walled pistol and rifle brass often. I just set a caliper to what length I want, then sort brass into two buckets. One bucket holds acceptable length brass and the other the rejects. I have found some brass to actually get shorter the more times they are loaded. I hate trimming pistol brass; I really do. +1 I can't find either my Lee trimmers or my Forster pilots... come to think of it, I don't remember ever trimming 44's so I'll have to buy both. |
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Post by Encore64 on Aug 17, 2023 19:52:47 GMT -5
Buy a Lee Collet Crimp Die for 44 Magnum and forget about it...
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gnappi
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,611
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Post by gnappi on Aug 17, 2023 20:18:23 GMT -5
Buy a Lee Collet Crimp Die for 44 Magnum and forget about it... I bought one for my .480 (91242) and it self destructed in less than a dozen pulls on the press handle. I sent it to them without a return address. |
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