.44 magnum sizing question?

[nattie]

Any need to full length size 44 magnum cases--any need to size at all?The reason I'm asking is I plan to load bullets sized to .430--or will I need to size to bullet depth?

[kyle663]

I've never reloaded mine without resizing. If you use a universal decapper i gues you could, but your still going to have to bell the mouth for the bullet. I don't see any advantage to not sizing.

[AlaskaMike]

By sizing the case down, the brass holds the bullet more firmly--this is commonly referred to as "bullet pull". It actually puts a stronger hold on the bullet than the crimp, and so is even more important with the slower burning powders.

When I first started handloading, I loaded up my first batch of brand new brass--some .45 Colt cases--without sizing them. I didn't have any problems because I was using fairly fast powder, but if I'd done the same with .44 mag cases using 296 I would probably have had somewhat inconsistent velocities.

Mike

[GeauxTide]

Bullet pull is very important in .357, .41, .44, and .45LC, especially with slow powder.

[snuffy]

Why in the world would you NOT want to size your cases? Sounds like someone who hasn't read much about handloading or been around someone else that loads.

Sizing cases is the most basic thing that HAS to be done to assure good reloads. But, I guess if the question went un-asked, we wouldn't have a chance to answer,,--would we?

Three things have to happen to get a revolver cartridge to work. The case needs to be sized down to under bullet diameter. Then it has to be expanded to just under normal bullet diameter. The it also has to be belled to accept the base of the bullet. In the case of a cast boolit, the belling has to be more pronounced because most of them are bigger than normal. Failure of any of these requirements could/will result in squibs or the cylinder getting tied up by bullets sliding out of shells under recoil of one that happens to fire correctly.

[nattie]

Hey Snuffy I asked a question because I'm shooting Black Powder and the difference between fired cases and sized cases is non existant. If you cant answere a question without being a smart A** then don't answer at all.

[James R. Burke]

I dont believe Snuffy new you where using black powder. He knows his stuff about reloading. I have never asked him a question, but I have learned alot from his posts, and reading them. They have helped me alot, so dont be to hard on the guy you took him the wrong way. Good luck, and keep it safe. Jim

[Russ5924]

Why didn't you say you were using Black powder or do we guess

[wncchester]

In Snuffy's defence, I don't know about a smart azz but I do know about dumb ones...like posting a question about a .44 mag with black powder without mentioning that part!

[wncchester]

1234567890

[snuffy]

Failure of any of these requirements could/will result in squibs or the cylinder getting tied up by bullets sliding out of shells under recoil of one that happens to fire correctly.

I stand by my advice. I don't care what kind of powder you're using, you STILL HAVE TO RESIZE. Even a case full of black will have enough recoil that the last shell will be slid out of it's case enough to keep the cylinder from turning. It's called inertia. The tendacy of an object to stay put unless acted on by an outside force. The flip side is the tendacy of an object to stay in motion unless acted on by an outside force.

The gun fires the one in the chamber, the other bullets tend to want to stay stopped, but the whole gun is moving rearward. So they slide out of the case a little each time another one is fired. No sizing, no bullet pull, bullet ties up the cylinder.

The question still is; why don't you want to resize?

BTW, thanks guys for the support!

[Unclenick]

Let's all take a deep breath on the name calling and sarcasm.

The question is a legitimate one once all the circumstances are known. I think the OP is saying his calipers tell him the fired cases are coming out truly the same size as when they were originally sized, as long as he is using BP? If that's accurate, technically, resizing isn't doing anything, so it isn't required. However, to avoid running the case into the sizing die, you will then need to use a separate decapper die, so it doesn't really save you any press handle pulls to skip sizing.

You will still need to flare the case mouth in an expander and use a respectable crimp to avoid the bullet bullet pulling that Snuffy mentioned. And the crimp is what really works the brass, so you're not extending case life by skipping sizing, either.

[nattie]

I Should have mentioned reduced loads of Black Powder and sometimes BP subs.And your right it wouldnt eliminate a step so consider this post ended. I will continue to full length resize like I've bee doing for the past 40 years!

[Sport45]

I Should have mentioned reduced loads of Black Powder and sometimes BP subs.

How do you do reduce BP loads? Just set the bullet deeper? I thought BP should always be compressed.

[Unclenick]

You just don't put as much powder in. The rule about compressing BP is not because it is required, but because it is generally agreed that BP will achieve its best performance potential when compressed. If you don't require maximum performance from it, then you don't require it to be compressed.

[snuffy]

How do you do reduce BP loads? Just set the bullet deeper? I thought BP should always be compressed.

Yeah, that thought came to me too. But nattie don't want to hear my comments, so I held back.

Not filling any case completely full of black powder, then compressing said powder, is asking for trouble. In other words, leaving an air space can result in rings in the chamber. Don't ask me why this happens, just know that it DOES happen.

I certainly would not ever fire black powder or any of the substitutes in a modern revolver. The clean-up would involve a complete strip down and bath in water based solvent. Failure to do that would result in rust, even with a stainless shooter.