Quick Tip: Is Case Trimming Necessary?

Just like E.F. Hutton, when Brownells Gun Tech™ Steve Ostrem talks, people listen. And today he's talking about trimming cases when you're reloading. Is it really necessary to trim cases? Reloading manuals include a specific "trim to length" for every cartridge, and some reloaders do religiously trim every case. Rifle cases typically need to be trimmed because rifle cartridges generate higher pressures, and their case necks tend to stretch. A case neck that's too long can cause excessive pressure, leading to catastrophic results. Handgun cartridges operate at much lower pressures and rarely need trimming. Steve admits he's never seen a .45 ACP case that stretched so much it needed to be trimmed. On roll-crimped handgun cartridges like .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum, you'll want to trim each case to exactly the same length so the crimp contacts the bullet in the right place. On lever action rifle cartridges like .30-30 Winchester that feed through tube magazines, the crimp really needs to be spot-on the cannelure of the bullet. No need to trim taper crimped rounds like 9mm Luger or .45 ACP. For medium-pressure rounds like .38 Special, Uncle Steve says just iron out the case mouth flare and you're good to go.