case size

I have been sizing 223 casing . my load manual says to trim the cases to 1.750 and the max case length is 1.760. now here is my question I have a lot of brass that mikes out at 1.735 to 1.749 can this brass be used say in a bolt action riffle or any other kind of gun ???? or is it junk ?? D Crockett
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
Paper patch was a learning experience about chamber length .
Fire forming an unknown chamber shorter than 06' was an enlightening experience also .

There are always remarks about Ruger chambers being full but never overly long in 45 Colts . This is sketchy at best and not recommended . I damaged necks and couldn't stand the idea of just scraping 303 to 410 so I sized it 40 cal down to about Colts length and stuffed a paper stack wad and shot charge in it . The annealed case swelled right out to show the true chamber length in a Rossi M92 45 Colts at 1.305 . In terms of precision that's a long ways from nominal trim at 1.285 . It's only .02 but even the .484 Ruger BlackHawk is only 1.92 long .
The Arisaka sisters are both over .07 longer rim to mouth than called out . If there were a case readily formed with a long under sized neck to COW fire form I'm sure we would find lots of slop in most if not all chamber lengths along with a handful that max called length borders on mouth jam .
 

quicksylver

Well-Known Member
I have been sizing 223 casing . my load manual says to trim the cases to 1.750 and the max case length is 1.760. now here is my question I have a lot of brass that mikes out at 1.735 to 1.749 can this brass be used say in a bolt action riffle or any other kind of gun ???? or is it junk ?? D Crockett
ihave been told that a lot of pepole trim their brass 10 thou under suggested trim lenght so they will never have to trim again , that would put the lenght at 1.40, IMHO I think just making them all the same length is more important shoot
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
I'm with Dan mostly... LOL
i usually shoot for the max length in everything i own, not usually possible but something between TTL and MAX is.
i'd prefer max, and if i gotta cut a case down [270 to 25-06] i will do a pound and measure and trim to my TTL, not what the book says.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
it's usable.

here's something to think about.
do you really think your chamber stops dead at 1.761?
yep, all your brass is short.
I don't know this from actual evidence, but I have had a sense that this was indeed the case. That said, I am pretty religious about keeping my cases at their SAAMI trim length.

One quirk I use is to trim my 25/20 cases to 1.275" in order for Lyman #257312 to fit in the short abrupt throats in both of my 25/20 rifles. The late Bill Coderre (NV Curmudgeon) and I both had Marlin 1894CL rifles that didn't get along with SAAMI-length cases and Lyman castings. This slight mod made things mesh for us.
 

Tomme boy

Well-Known Member
I just try to keep my 223 cases under max length. I use a trimmer called WCT worlds cheapest trimmer. It bases trim length off the shoulder. And the final trim can be from 1.7485"-1.7515" I put the trimmer in my lathe and crank it up. The speed really makes a difference with the carbide end mill. You don't get much of burrs this way. When it had the hardened steel bit it would leave burrs and would have to be removed.

But if I want truly accurate trim lengths to be really anal about it I do them on my RCBS trimmer. But for reasonable to very good accuracy the WCT works fine in my AR15 rifles.
 

TomSp8

Active Member
When I get a batch of fired brass, I'll measure several of them, after sizing, and trim all to the shortest one (unless its grossly short). A little less neck tension though, if that matters.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I agree with all above and to elaborate on Tom above,
The difference it will make is neck tension its going to be "different" so possibility for difference is high. NOT A SAFETY but a consistency issue.

So if your loading plinkers NO WORRIES.
IF your loading for ultimate precision. Save these cases for Plinking.

CW
 
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glassparman

"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
The only real problem you will have is if you are seating jacketed bullets with a cannelure.

Load & shoot!
 

Tomme boy

Well-Known Member
The only real problem you will have is if you are seating jacketed bullets with a cannelure.

Load & shoot!
Only if you are crimping. If you are not then the only limiting factor is your chamber length as to trim length. I really like to keep my cases as long as possible. Just not too long where you create a interference. This is another reason to have an angled bore scope to see how long you can actually go by looking directly at the case in the chamber. Just load a empty case and see where it falls in the chamber.
 

popper

Well-Known Member
All specifications have a tolerance. SAAMI is no different and reamers wear. Trim the too long (after sizing) to fit your gun.