I have been experimenting with different lead bullets for my 1911 and my 1873 lever action rifle.

I need to load lead bullets for an off-shoot of Cowboy Action Shooting called "Wild Bunch Action Shooting".

I've found a nice 235 gr. RNFP lead bullet that my rifle really likes. In the 1911, it is about 98%. Naturally, I'd like it to be 100%.

My gunsmith swears that because the 1911 headspaces on the case, it is critical to measure and trim each case.

Question:
Do you measure and trim each 1911 case before reloading?

Choices:
Yes, it is the only proper way.
No, Ain't nobody got time for that.

 

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rolan_Kraps,

Nope. Haven't loaded many 45ACP rounds, but the 4,500 I have loaded worked fine so far.

Every February 30th, is 45 ACP trimming day for me.

I voted no. But if your into Bullseye shooting you may want too. The experts say you want the case within 0.002"-0.003" of your match chamber. This makes the case seal off faster and more consistently, so they say. I'm not a good enough shot to tell the difference. So trimming them is out of the question since most are shorter than that when new. I did sort mine one time according to length. Out of 2000+ rounds I had less than 200 that were with in 0.002-0.003 of max length. Which is what you want, all others shorter.

quote:

Originally posted by Blue68f100:
Out of 2000+ rounds I had less than 200 that were with in 0.002-0.003 of max length. Which is what you want, all others shorter.

That is what I was finding in my brass too.

quote:

Originally posted by jmorris:
Every February 30th, is 45 ACP trimming day for me.

The 31 works better for me

I just did a batch of 357magnum...I use it in a Rossi 92 and a Python.

I've been bored and can't drive so I've been keeping busy around the house for the last month.

We will see if it makes any difference.

out of 200 cases...only about 30 were long enough to trim..

Nope, not in 35yrs loading & shooting a lot of 45acp.

Trimming pistol brass?!

LOL

No, what is critical is to find the COL that works in your gun—assuming that the 100% is feeding/chambering and not something else.
When your .45 Auto shoots less than 0.7 MOA, you "might" improve things very slightly with matching head stamps, but NOT making the cases shorter.
Accuracy is effected by head space, and all the straight-wall semi-auto cases that are designed to head space on the case mouth that I have had are already too short and need to be longer for better accuracy—you see, they head space on the case mouth and you've just increased the effective head space (though the actual head space from breech to start of chamber throat hasn't changed, the distance from the case mouth to start of the throat has increased).
You aren't shooting a bottleneck case that either stretches with each firing (so will need to be trimmed occasionally) or has a shoulder for establishing head space (so trimming does not HURT accuracy). Consider if you pushed the shoulder back as far as you would be trimming your handgun cases and tell me if THAT would increase accuracy. After all, the more consistent the shoulder to case head distance, the more accurate the round will be, right? Think about it.
So, if you prefer to lose accuracy in the name of OCD-required consistency, go right ahead.
I have tried trimming revolver cartridges (.38 Spl, .357 Mag and .44 Mag) and found in EVERY case that accuracy was either the SAME or very slightly better for the untrimmed cases (indicating that trimming is NOT making the roll crimp noticeably more consistently accurate) and isn't worth the time.
If chambering is an issue, paint the bullet and case with a magic marker and chamber. Remove the round and noter where the scratches are from not chambering.
If on the bullet, the COL is too long.
If right at the edge of the case mouth, you need a bit more crimp.
If just below the case mouth, you have crushed the case slightly and need less crimp
If right at the base of the seated bullet, you have seated by bullet crooked and need a better seating stem and, probably, a bit large expander plug (not case mouth flare).
If just above the extractor groove, you have a bulge that wasn't removed during sizing (not usual for .45 Auto) and you might need a Bulge Buster kit.

quote:

Originally posted by noylj:
If just above the extractor groove, you have a bulge that wasn't removed during sizing (not usual for .45 Auto) and you might need a Bulge Buster kit.

I do need a "bulge buster kit" but not for reloading.

Like the others, I have never seen a need for trimming any of my 45ACP brass.

I've never trimmed pistol brass.

quote:

Originally posted by Rolan_Kraps:

quote:

Originally posted by noylj:
If just above the extractor groove, you have a bulge that wasn't removed during sizing (not usual for .45 Auto) and you might need a Bulge Buster kit.

I do need a "bulge buster kit" but not for reloading.

Winner!

(I've never trimmed my handgun brass.)

flashguy

I don't measure and trim any pistol brass. Some of my 9mm and 40 brass has been loaded 8-10 times with no problems.

Hay'ell No!

Last time I checked nobody invented the 28 hour day yet. As it stands now, I barely manage to get any reloading done in these sadly short 24 hour days. The Last thing I need is to implement yet another step in the reloading process.

If you don't have one yet, get a cartridge gauge to check the loaded rounds. Also any time your 1911 fails with the 235gr. Rnfp, note the case brand. Perhaps there is a pattern?

Nope, never have and never will.

No, I never trim. Yes I measure the brass for max trim length. To long, scrap bin.

quote:

Originally posted by agony:
I've never trimmed pistol brass.

+1

Will this damn nonsense thing just die.