The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Questions about 45 ACP for 1911 case length

Sevens · May 31, 2011, 07:52 PM

Trimming cases is VERY important in bottle neck rifle rounds as the brass tends to grow... grows mostly with the first firing, then a little bit with each subsequent firing.

Most straight wall handgun rounds do NOT grow in length when fired. Some folks do elect to trim revolver brass, usually .44 Magnum or larger (heavier!) rounds and they do this not because the brass grows, but because having a very specific set length makes it easier to get a consistent crimp for heavy recoiling rounds.

.45 Auto? Almost nobody trims them. As you are just starting out, I'd suggest you don't trim them either.

Tumble your brass, then run them in to the carbide resizing die. It will decap as it resizes them. Use the next die to give them a light flare -- enough flare so that you can set a bullet on the case mouth and it doesn't fall off or tilt. Prime the case.

Then charge the case with the appropriate amount of powder and run them up in to the seat/crimp die with a bullet.

Don't make this harder than it needs to be. .45 Auto is pretty forgiving.

May 31, 2011, 07:52 PM	#3
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Trimming cases is VERY important in bottle neck rifle rounds as the brass tends to grow... grows mostly with the first firing, then a little bit with each subsequent firing. Most straight wall handgun rounds do NOT grow in length when fired. Some folks do elect to trim revolver brass, usually .44 Magnum or larger (heavier!) rounds and they do this not because the brass grows, but because having a very specific set length makes it easier to get a consistent crimp for heavy recoiling rounds. .45 Auto? Almost nobody trims them. As you are just starting out, I'd suggest you don't trim them either. Tumble your brass, then run them in to the carbide resizing die. It will decap as it resizes them. Use the next die to give them a light flare -- enough flare so that you can set a bullet on the case mouth and it doesn't fall off or tilt. Prime the case. Then charge the case with the appropriate amount of powder and run them up in to the seat/crimp die with a bullet. Don't make this harder than it needs to be. .45 Auto is pretty forgiving. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.