case length question with .223

[jeager361]

I am just getting started loading .223. I bought some factory rounds which I shot. I am getting set up to reload that brass. I am inspecting the cases and I measured them for case length. The vast majority are measuring less then the 1.76 inches that my reloading manual calls for. I am assuming that will still be acceptable? Most of them are measuring in the 1.748 to 1.755 range. Just want to check on what a minimum tolerance would be before the cases would be unsafe to reload. Thanks for any input!

 

[Whip_McCord]

When are you measuring the brass? You should measure and trim after resizing. Resizing will change the OAL of the case, usually stretching it to a longer length.

 

[jeager361]

Ok. I had not yet decapped or resized them. That makes sense.

 

[jeager361]

After resizing, I measured again. I think they expanded a little. Most were now in the 1.750 to 1.759 range.

 

[straight-shooter]

I trim all my cases to 1.750. May be a little OCD but instead of measuring every case before trimming I just run all of them thru the trimmer and if it gets trimmed it goes in one bucket and if it doesn't trim at all it goes into another bucket. Then I chamfer the case mouth on the cases that trimmed.

 

[jbz400]

If your under the 1.760 after the resize, its good to go.

 

[Broom_jm]

The original question seemed to be asking what to do if your cases are shorter than specification. With bottle-necked cases, that isn't normally a problem unless you're planning to crimp each round. If that's true you want each case to be pretty close to the same length so you can set your crimping die properly.

 

[jbz400]

The original question seemed to be asking what to do if your cases are shorter than specification. With bottle-necked cases, that isn't normally a problem unless you're planning to crimp each round. If that's true you want each case to be pretty close to the same length so you can set your crimping die properly.

You are right. This is another reason to get a lee factory crimp die. As long as your under the 1.76 crimp and go.