Loading 223 case how short ??
- Thread starter luv2shoot
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I think it would be ok. A friend of mine is using the RCBS X die to load 308 for his M1A. If I recall correctly he was telling me he needed to trim to 0.010 under the listed minumum at some point in his brass set up. You are saying your 0.008 under. I don't think that would hurt anything in a 223.
That's cause you fried them, should have baked.
.008 is a insignificant number, try to measure something that thin.
tappedandtagged
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Load away! Trim them back to 1.750 when they grow longer. You may be able to get two or three loadings out of them (depending on your rifle) before they need a trim.
I load my .223 brass once and scrap them after, but that's only because I can get my hands on just about as much as I want.
I load my .223 brass once and scrap them after, but that's only because I can get my hands on just about as much as I want.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
You have so much .223 brass you can throw them away after only one reload?
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I believe the specifications are 1.740" to 1.760", trim to 1.750".
I haven't seen anything that short once it's been fired (or even when new). You should set your resizing die using a case gauge that checks both the OAL (empty) and shoulder length. The shoulder is responsible for headspace, and is hard to measure any other way. The case will be too short if you over-form the shoulder.
0.008" is NOT too small to measure, it's just within specifications. It's more than the thickness of a paperback book cover, it's more than twice the thickness of heavy laserjet paper (20#), and about 3 RCH's. If you don't know what an RCH is, I'm not going to say on a PG rated website.
If you throw away brass after the first reload, you are tossing a lot of prep time too. I guess time is cheap if you're young enough with nothing else to do.
I haven't seen anything that short once it's been fired (or even when new). You should set your resizing die using a case gauge that checks both the OAL (empty) and shoulder length. The shoulder is responsible for headspace, and is hard to measure any other way. The case will be too short if you over-form the shoulder.
0.008" is NOT too small to measure, it's just within specifications. It's more than the thickness of a paperback book cover, it's more than twice the thickness of heavy laserjet paper (20#), and about 3 RCH's. If you don't know what an RCH is, I'm not going to say on a PG rated website.
If you throw away brass after the first reload, you are tossing a lot of prep time too. I guess time is cheap if you're young enough with nothing else to do.
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This is of course assuming that the OP has a caliper that is capable of accurately measuring a .008 variance without breathing on it.
So yes it is about 2-1/2 hairs.
So yes it is about 2-1/2 hairs.
novalty
Member
I trimmed my .223 to 1.740" and use the RCBS X-Dies.
trim length??
How much your brass grows depends upon how much you pushed the shoulder back during resizing.
The more "Headspace" the case has ( the deeper it can go into the chamber), the more it will stretch when fired.
Too much will cause it to separate, bad things happen really fast then.
How much your brass grows depends upon how much you pushed the shoulder back during resizing.
The more "Headspace" the case has ( the deeper it can go into the chamber), the more it will stretch when fired.
Too much will cause it to separate, bad things happen really fast then.
DWalt
Member
The important factor for accuracy (at least one of them) is that case length should be trimmed to a uniform length. Within limits, just how much less than maximum the case measures is not very important.
MichiganScott
Member
You could buy an RCBS X-Die set and never have to trim them during their usable life.
Like novalty above, I trim mine to 1.740" before their first sizing in my X-Die.
Like novalty above, I trim mine to 1.740" before their first sizing in my X-Die.
marmax
Member
I noticed this too with Federal cases. I separate all of my 223 brass so it has nevered mattered. I have shot very tight groups with this brass. As long as your loads are all the same, you will have no problems.
