223 Case Trimming

[let'sshoot 11]

Hi, I have neck resized brass which was fired from my rifle, I understand that I should now trim the case. Back to the maximum trim length of 44.70mm??

 

Also I have fully resized brass from another rifle, so now I will go ahead and trim that back to 44.70mm also?

 

Let me know if I should be doing something different.

 

Thanks

[let'sshoot 11]

Also I should add that the brass from my rifle which I have neck sized ranges from 44.50 up to 44.73

[charlie caller 3,654]

Buy a Lee case length gauge and cutter(very inexpensive) and a Lee or other chamfer tool so you can take off any burrs after cutting, and finally do yourself a massive favour and spend a tenner or so on the Lee factory crimp die, it will make your loads as consistent as they can be in terms of starting pressure, and will shrink those groups.

[let'sshoot 11]

got a lyman universal cutter (orange one), got the chamfer tool, got the factory crimp die.

 

Just wondering what length to trim to

 

Thanks

[dicehorn 38]

Provided you load your cases at sensible velocities you will find that most .223 cases do not grow that much (some new brass will actually shrink length wise) and some even struggle to get to the min of 44.45mm. My advise would be with cases where the min is 44.45 and the max is 44.70mm is to select a length between these two figures but nearer to the max than the min - say 44.63mm. That way you will give the shorter cases a chance to catch up, after all you should be looking to make each case the identical twin of the last one.

 

You should bear in mind that the max and mins quoted in reloading manuals are SAMMI specs (Guidelines for the industry to ensure safety and assurance that the rounds will fit any production rifle) I reload for a guy with a 30.06 his case length is .67mm over the max - the rifle is for shooting baboons in Africa with ranges out to 500 metres and his cases are filled up near the max. Letting cases grow that long would not usually be my recommendation - it just so happens in the chamber he has, it shoots sub 50 mm

 

At the end of the day it is about consistency - it matters not what length between min and max you decide upon but once selected keep to it.

[let'sshoot 11]

Great info, thanks dicehorn

[dicehorn 38]

Meant to add to the sentence ........'it just so happens in the chamber he has it shoots sub 50 mm at 350 metres - yet to take it out to 500 metres' (sent it before I re read it doh!!)