Is there any pistol case REQUIRED trimming?
- Thread starter luckey
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I've had to trim some 44 mag before but that's because they came from the factory at maximum length and after one firing were slightly above max. I most likely didn't HAVE to trim them but I did just for good measure. Any case that's too long would need to be trimmed but straight wall cases just grow so slowly compared to bottle neck the cases usually fail before they need to be trimmed.
Luckey: Lutnit pretty much sums it up, when it comes to straight wall case trimming. There are a couple of sources for 44 Special components....brass....which may be of use to you. Rusty Wood Trading Company. Has Starline .44 Special brass listed as currently in stock. The other is Higginson Powders. Higginson usually stocks Winchester brass. May have some in stock. Ellwood Epps is usually another good source. Epps might even have loaded ammo. There are likely a few more, but these should get you started.
I load quite a few 44 special loads but just use 44 mag brass since it's easier and you don't get dirt rings in your chamber from the short brass. I keep them in boxes that are clearly labelled but if if they got mixed up, they'll only chamber in a 44 mag anyway so there is no real concern.
I have seen 44 special brass around here and there in small stores but it isn't as common. I've heard of people trimming 44 mag down to 44 special but other stories talk about issues with case wall internal taper/thickness. I've only seen factory ammo in 44 special a few times but I don't really keep an eye out for it. At $1/round for 44 mag it's an excellent candidate for reloading.
If your firearm is chambered for 44 mag and you want 44 special, just use 44 mag brass. For me it's somewhat easy to keep track of as my cast SWC's are 44 special only while my RNFP and all jacketed bullets are magnum.
I have seen 44 special brass around here and there in small stores but it isn't as common. I've heard of people trimming 44 mag down to 44 special but other stories talk about issues with case wall internal taper/thickness. I've only seen factory ammo in 44 special a few times but I don't really keep an eye out for it. At $1/round for 44 mag it's an excellent candidate for reloading.
If your firearm is chambered for 44 mag and you want 44 special, just use 44 mag brass. For me it's somewhat easy to keep track of as my cast SWC's are 44 special only while my RNFP and all jacketed bullets are magnum.
I load my 44 magnum to about the range of max special. It's a bit of a guess since I refuse to buy a chrony and the differences in case capacity mean you need a bit more powder in the magnum case for the equivalent special load.
I just get it to the point where it's interesting, accurate, but not painful ;P
Oh...I don't trim pistol brass. But the only one I have that isn't straight wall is the 44-40
I just get it to the point where it's interesting, accurate, but not painful ;P
Oh...I don't trim pistol brass. But the only one I have that isn't straight wall is the 44-40
Maybe .44-40. It's sort of bottle necked.
It's more than straight walled cases rarely need trimming than don't at all.
.44 Special is hard to find because none of the major U.S. manufacturers is loading it. Midway's site(good for finding out what's being made, but nothing else.) is a sea of 'Out of stock, No backorder' for all of 'em. The brands they can get don't come here.
It's more than straight walled cases rarely need trimming than don't at all.
.44 Special is hard to find because none of the major U.S. manufacturers is loading it. Midway's site(good for finding out what's being made, but nothing else.) is a sea of 'Out of stock, No backorder' for all of 'em. The brands they can get don't come here.
I've been reading Keiths Sixguns book and his quest for a "magnum .44 special" is interesting.
Seems the 44 specials of his time were balloon head cases (or of that ilk, with the protruding primer pockets). He wanted a solid head case made that was a bit longer, so it would not chamber in the older guns, and it would have the same internal capacity of the special brass.
So if todays 44 Magnum is like the 44 Special of yesteryear in case capacity, then I wonder how 44 Special loads of today compare with ones from 60 years or more ago? In my manuals they run barely above 44-40.
Ramble aside - it makes the case for using the magnum brass to load 44 Special
Seems the 44 specials of his time were balloon head cases (or of that ilk, with the protruding primer pockets). He wanted a solid head case made that was a bit longer, so it would not chamber in the older guns, and it would have the same internal capacity of the special brass.
So if todays 44 Magnum is like the 44 Special of yesteryear in case capacity, then I wonder how 44 Special loads of today compare with ones from 60 years or more ago? In my manuals they run barely above 44-40.
Ramble aside - it makes the case for using the magnum brass to load 44 Special
thanks. I am eyeing on a 629. so, yes i could do this and sure it's ok as you are the living proof. 
having said that, as a newbie, I would like to keep things as "clean"/simple as possible which is why I would rather to get the 44 spl brass separately. down the road, when I am getting better, I may try this method.
having said that, as a newbie, I would like to keep things as "clean"/simple as possible which is why I would rather to get the 44 spl brass separately. down the road, when I am getting better, I may try this method.
Fair enough. I do have to warn greatly against doing the opposite though. Some guys like to hotrod the smaller 44 special cases because they have them and want near-44mag loads but that can be very dangerous if they accidentally get chambered in a 44 special only firearm. Of course 44 special is somewhat rare (at least compared to 38 special) so it isn't critical but I still wouldn't do it.
The Bullet Barn is showing Starline 44 Russian, Special, and Magnum brass as in stock. All $20/50 and $37/100.
Starline brass is quite good. I use a bunch of it for 44 mag and 45-70 and it holds up very well.
44 Russian is essentially the same cartridge but even shorter than 44 special. It can be fired in most guns chambered for 44 special or magnum but has feeding issues in some lever rifles because of its length.
The Bullet Barn is showing Starline 44 Russian, Special, and Magnum brass as in stock. All $20/50 and $37/100.
Starline brass is quite good. I use a bunch of it for 44 mag and 45-70 and it holds up very well.
44 Russian is essentially the same cartridge but even shorter than 44 special. It can be fired in most guns chambered for 44 special or magnum but has feeding issues in some lever rifles because of its length.
Thanks again. again being newbie and kind of occupational hazard as a computer guy, I will definitely try to make some strict fool proof rules about the procedure so that I won't make any mistakes because it could mean that I won't live to make another one. I am sure to be mindful of that.
Hi Alex, LUTNIT, roughly how many times I can reload the brand new brass for 44spl/44mag/357mag/38spl if I just do the medium load for target shooting? this is purely for my math on calculating the rough cost. in reality, I will always inspect each case for safety. Thanks.
