Still waiting on bullets to arrive, but playing around with a few different projects. Reading manuals, it says that the trim length for 32-20 brass is 1.305", but all of my new Starline is right at 1.280", will this cause me any issues with crimping, should I trim some of my other brass down from 1.305", to 1.280" to have everything the same?
32-20 brass question
- Thread starter toad67
- Start date
You definitely want to trim all of your brass to the shortest length. This will prevent you from buckling the longer cases during the crimping process. I absolutely hate trimming brass but it keeps me from wrecking cases. I recently loaded a thousand 32-20 rounds without single case failure.
gwpercle
Well-known member
I would segregate the new Starline from the older once-fired ...
keep the new seperate from the old .
Being a bottle neck case ... a firing and reloading or two will lengthen the cases ... The shorter will need die adjustment at first to load / crimp ...
Should cause no loading problems .
After shooting and reloading the new Starline a time or two ...
You can then trim them all to the same length ... but wait , don't get all trim happy right now ... it's easy to make em shorter but a real bear to make em Longer !
Load Safe,
Gary
keep the new seperate from the old .
Being a bottle neck case ... a firing and reloading or two will lengthen the cases ... The shorter will need die adjustment at first to load / crimp ...
Should cause no loading problems .
After shooting and reloading the new Starline a time or two ...
You can then trim them all to the same length ... but wait , don't get all trim happy right now ... it's easy to make em shorter but a real bear to make em Longer !
Load Safe,
Gary
There's a good article in the current Handloader Magazine about reloading for 45 Colt Rifles. It mentions that there are quite a few rifles that need to be at, or below SAAMI specs to chamber a round. Maybe Starline is taking that approach with their brass.
Alk8944
US Veteran
In .32-20 brass there are two different lengths depending on manufacturer.
Remington is 1.315"
Winchester and Starline are 1.275"
I am not aware of any other company making .32-20 ammunition or brass for loading anytime during the past 50+ years!
Original length was the 1.315" that Remington is. I have been loading .32-20 for over 60 years, and the differences in length from different makers has always been the same within no more than .005" when new. I prefer Remington, but that is just that, a personal preference that really means nothing! The trim-to-length in most manuals is based on the original 1.315" length.
As long as you either sort your brass by length, trim to the same length, or separate by brand as above, you will have no issues with crimping. Simply adjust your crimp die according to the length your cases are.
Far too much weight is given to cartridge cases being a specific length. As long as they are the same. Think about it. The case mouth of most handgun cartridges is only .008-.010 thick! This is the same as the normal trim-to-length difference. Not very much.
Remington is 1.315"
Winchester and Starline are 1.275"
I am not aware of any other company making .32-20 ammunition or brass for loading anytime during the past 50+ years!
Original length was the 1.315" that Remington is. I have been loading .32-20 for over 60 years, and the differences in length from different makers has always been the same within no more than .005" when new. I prefer Remington, but that is just that, a personal preference that really means nothing! The trim-to-length in most manuals is based on the original 1.315" length.
As long as you either sort your brass by length, trim to the same length, or separate by brand as above, you will have no issues with crimping. Simply adjust your crimp die according to the length your cases are.
Far too much weight is given to cartridge cases being a specific length. As long as they are the same. Think about it. The case mouth of most handgun cartridges is only .008-.010 thick! This is the same as the normal trim-to-length difference. Not very much.
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