Brass Stretching

[Keith D]

I have mostly reloaded 44 mags over the years. Never cared much to size cases until recently when a few buckled. Got Lee case trimmer and found in my mixed brass that many Rem cases need it the most. Are Rems thinner than most?

[JimT]

I never measured them but it may not be thickness. Some brass is softer than others. I have had .357 factory loads that split full-length on the first firing. They were almost brittle. Some are softer and would be prone to stretching more. That may not be the cause in your situation, but it is a possibility.

[Walt]

In his early writings, John Linebaugh stated that Federal was the brass that he preferred and that in his high intensity loads, Remington and Winchester were not highly regarded. Starline brass is considered to be top notch by today's reloaders.

[GunnyMack]

I've noticed that nickle plated brass spilt more often than not, especially if it is older.

I can't say I've ever needed to trim pistol cases...

[Walt]

I do trim pistol brass when it's new so that crimp strength will be the same for all rounds. Recognizing that more frequently reloaded brass may be a bit longer than new brass, I am careful to not mix my ammo boxes of brass. I tumble only one box of brass at a time so that each box of brass is the same length.

[Keith D]

Does is make any sense to size new brass? I never have. I understand there may be variances, but I never cared to bother. And I rarely clean primer pockets. I clean my brass in a ultrasonic cleaner with hot water, some vinegar and little Dawn soap. Run couple cycles after with hot water and baking soda.

[Walt]

I figure that case mouths need to be chamfered on new brass anyway so why not make sure all the brass is the same length from the start. I don't clean primer pockets either with handgun brass and have never had an issue.

[Keith D]

I measured some brass using dial caliper (don't have micrometer) at the case mouth after chamfering. Not a good sample but for fun.

[Walt]

It's interesting that the Remington brass averaged .0121 in wall thickness and the others all averaged .014, but wall thickness doesn't tell the entire story. Proper annealing and brass alloy composition and consistency are also critical.

[Keith D]

Thanks for running the numbers, Walt. I can tell that my Remington brass needs trimming more than the rest just by using the trimmer on mixed brass. And I never cared to trim cases over 20 years. Maybe I'll throw the trimmer away and get back to business.