you could buy another .44mag. lee gauge, shortening the pin to the desired measure.
or do that with what you have now.
before that, could be interesting know the cutting depth of the .44spl. lee gauge: maybe can fit your need

 

The only reason for trimming revolver cases for an FTX bullet is so the cartridge (specifically the flex tip)won't protruded past the shortest length cylinder made in any given caliber/revolver.
I load a 140 grn FTX 357 without trimming the case at all because it fits in my 586 revolver. I use the load data for a 140 grn XTP bullet.
Load a dummy round with an FTX in an untrimmed case and measure the OAL. Measure the OAL of your revolver cylinder. If the cartridge fits you must aquit (trimming). If trimming is needed, only trim what is necessary to make the cartridge fit and use data for the trimmed case. Just be aware that if the case is trimmed but not as much as the length recommended, your velocities will be lower and I would not start at the lowest powder weight. Somewhere 1/3rd up on your data would be a good start.

 

Good info guys. Thanks!

DRSLYR

 

I take it you're shooting .357 mag and the bullet is long for caliber?

Inquiring minds want to know....?

Why not just use regular length brass and a Lee Factory Crimp Die? It won't be crimped in the groove, but the FCD doesn't need one, and will hold the bullet in just fine. Then there would be no need to trim the brass. The case capacity would still be the same, volume below the bullet would not change.

 

I'm shooting .44 Magnum.

DRSLYR

 

I don't know how high your threshold for pain is ($$$), but I think something adjustable like a Lyman universal case trimmer would work.

 

^^^^^^^Only one I own.^^^^^

 

I don’t shoot gummy tips but if you use the FTX brass you should be fine. They are not SAAMI spec 44 mag brass. Rim thickness is different too.

 

OK. Now I'm confused.
Isn't the 225gr FTX a shorter bullet than the (standard) 240gr? If so, it will protrude less than the 240 and result in a shorter OAL.

Why would the cases need to be shortened to use a shorter bullet?

The only thing I can think of is to reduce the powder's volume beneath the bullet in order to increase burning speed and pressure. But that could also be done by adding a grain or two more powder to the standard length brass.

This is speculation, not a recommendation....Seems to me you might be able to split the difference and load those in 44 special brass of sound construction--like Star. Jeff Cooper did all his initial load development for the 44 mag with 44 special brass. Of course he blew up a few Colt SAs in the process, but that was the revolver's weakness, not the brass. With a Ruger, I wouldn't be concerned about the strength of the revolver. But I wouldn't load them full house, either.

I'm traveling at the moment, so I don't have my manuals with me to look the loads up.

 

No, what matters isn’t the overall bullet length, but the length of the bullet protruding outside the case. Due to the flexible nose and the jacket needed to support it, that portion is longer than a cnc bullet nose. To meet the SAAMI loa value, cases need to be trimmed, it has nothing to do with trying to reduce case capacity.

BTW, it was Elmer Keith who “developed“ the .44 Magnum, not Jeff Cooper. The latter is more closely identified with the .45 auto and the 10 mm.



.

 

Whew, if I ever get some of the classic guys like Elmer Kieth, John Taffin or Jim Taylor confused with others please ban me. To me Cooper is second tier.
I don’t consider the ftx a pistol pill.

 

Yes, I confused Cooper with Keith. A thousand pardons, and I should have known better.

That was the missing info, that the 325gr is a gummy tip and longer than the 240gr.

Now it makes sense.

 

have thought of taking lee stud holder in lathe and drilling proper depth to compensate rather than shorten pin and keep it seperate from standard one. jsb

 

In my experience all of the Hornady 44 mag brass is short. I bought both the FTX and HTP rounds when I first got my rifle and that is how I found out. I traded the short brass off and got some Starline and never looked back.