What’s the best way to shorten the 357 max cases down to the 32  Miller Short length? Finally got the cases, have the dies but need to shorten them about 1/4”+/-

It was told to me that the max cases have a better case life than the 375 mag brass. I didn’t shoot my 32 Miller short enough to bear that out. It is now a 32 RKS soon to be joined by a new build 33 RKS.  If I want to shorten a case by quite a bit, I rough cut with a cheap Harbor Freight bandsaw. If I am doing more than my sore shoulder will take, I then use a flood coolant endmil in the lathe drill  chuck with a pilot turned to fit the case mouth and cut to within a couple of thousands and finish with only a few turns in my Lyman trimmer.  One day when I find a case holder like the Lyman I will mount that in the 3 jaw chuck so I can eliminate the Lyman trimmer. I am not sure which someday that is though. I have quite a few on my calendar. 

Jack

Bob259 wrote on May 7^th, 2025 at 5:33pm:


Here's what I use.  Just got my shipment of brass yesterday. I can't stand to do more than 25 or 30 at a time so I pace myself... Case difference between Mag and Max is significant, do a volume test or at least weigh a Mag case sized and trimmed the same as the Max.  The max case is heavier and will last a bit longer, or that's what I'm told.
GT

one note (probably obvious): you need a hefty press to size/form the cases down.  I broke my Forster CoAx...twice!! making 500 cases.  First one Forster covered by warranty and sent new arms.  Second time I did not even ask just ordered new ones.  Went with a redding big boss and got them done but that sucker was flexing a bit too.  Best to just go with a 2, 5, 10 ton hydraulic press in my opinion.  That was my experience take it for what it is.
mike

I also use the Harbor Freight chop saw. Drilled out A piece of metal sock ,flattened the bottom.Mounts on saw. Slide in a case and cuts off at a few thou long. Fine tune on Lyman case trimmer.....

Annealed, lube...all of course....easy, tell that to my forster co-ax

I should preface my conversation here with the fact that my particular chamber did not allow sizing to be done with a shellholder, rather I sized down to a steel plate I cut to use in the press and for brass to chamber I had to run the sizer all the way physically possible to that plate.  Then I had to pound each piece of brass out of the sizer.  I thought that is what everyone had to do but maybe not.  I did quite a few cases before the Forster actually broke the first time but not near as many to break it the second time which leads me to believe my press is most likely compromised which is the whole reason why I chimed in to spare someone the frustration.  Everything was working until POP....ugh.  Been a while but I would guess I did close to 200 before the  POP.
mike

Wow lots of good info here to mull over thanks!