Sorting for Trimming-Brass

[Kracken McGraw]

I was just seeing how everybody sorts their sized brass for trimming.
This has been working for me lately on 223 brass. I set my calipers with headspace gauge on it to my trim length and lock it down. After sizing each piece of brass, I simply see if it drops down in the calipers or not and sort two ways. Obviously one batch doesn’t have to go to the trimmer!

 

[jpx2rk]

I do something similar, just don't use the HS gage part(s), not sure it saves any time with the extra step, but the extra step is easier/faster than trying to trim a piece of brass that doesn't need trimming. LOL

 

[Kracken McGraw]

but the extra step is easier/faster than trying to trim a piece of brass that doesn't need trimming. LOL

Yes that was what I was trying to do. I just put the anvil base and gauge on the calipers to hold it up a bit on the bench, so I never had to grab it itself.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I trim them all, every time. I use a Gracy. Freshens the chamfersat the same time.

 

[akajun]

I trim them all, every time. I use a Gracy. Freshens the chamfersat the same time.

Yeah, with my Giraud, it’s faster to just do them every time than check them and handle them twice

 

[K22]

I monitor the max case length with a caliper every reloading cycle to ensure my cases do not exceed max length. I set the caliper to the max length and check each case. It only takes a short amount of time but worth the effort to prevent a pressure surge from a case over max length.

With that said, a few years ago I purchased a Sinclair chamber length gauge. This measures the true max chamber length rather than relying on the SAMMI specs. Most of my rifles have max chamber lengths far in excess of SAMMI spec. Even applying Sinclair's safety factor, I have reduced the need to trim cases by well over 50%.

 

[TrapperBR549]

I just have a Forster with 3 way cutter but I agree that if you are going to pick it up and look at it or deburr it is just as fast or faster to give it a couple spins.
Then all my cases are the same length, or at least as close as the forster is capable of.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Yeah, with my Giraud, it’s faster to just do them every time than check them and handle them twice

ditto

 

[jds holler]

I'm with k22 above. First step for me was to relize that SAAMI specs have very little in common with almost every chamber I own.

After I determine my TRUE chamber length, I log that dimension, subtract .002", and trim any case that hits that length, and only .005" shorter. This has been working well, but don't ask to borrow my ammo. jd

 

[JFrank]

I have a pre set Wilson trimmer .015 short of the reamer print, also a case gauge.

Seems to work..

 

[D-4297]

Use a R.C.B.S. with a three-way trimmer head . Always set for my desired case length so if I find one or two that are getting close to my Max length , I just run them all through . Takes care of deburring the necks , too .

 

[J.d. Popkes]

Henderson. Every time. Because it doesn’t suck anymore. By the time I got done sorting I’d have ran them all through. Top five best tools ever. It does the measuring, and it knows what it needs to trim.

 

[TTE]

I have a Henderson .... I set it and run them all through

 

[Dave M.]

What’s the best power trimmer out? Henderson? Giraud??

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

What’s the best power trimmer out? Henderson? Giraud??

Both completely awesome.

The giraud can make your fingers/ hands sore if doing hundreds of brass.

The giraud also takes a little more time to adjust if swapping cartridges.

Giraud is faster by a little bit.

If only doing one cartridge i would probably do giraud.

 

[KMW 1954]

Have been shooting only 223 for 3 years in an informal short bench league. My loads fall in the middle to upper 3/4 of the charge data and have found my brass grows very little. I have been running my brass between 2.255" to 2.260" and have seen no difference in performance. I check brass before each loading and do not size until it gets to that 2.260+" then it gets trimmed back to the 2.255"

 

[Dave M.]

Both completely awesome.

The giraud can make your fingers/ hands sore if doing hundreds of brass.

The giraud also takes a little more time to adjust if swapping cartridges.

Giraud is faster by a little bit.

If only doing one cartridge i would probably do giraud.

What if you were doing 2-3 different cartridges?

 

[K22]

I'm with k22 above. First step for me was to relize that SAAMI specs have very little in common with almost every chamber I own.

After I determine my TRUE chamber length, I log that dimension, subtract .002", and trim any case that hits that length, and only .005" shorter. This has been working well, but don't ask to borrow my ammo. jd

Just so you know, Sinclair specifies a safety factor of .024" with use of their chamber length gauges. This means that you subtract .024" from the gauge measurement and that become your targeted trim length.

Whether that much safety factor is needed, I am not sure.

However, even with that amount of safety factor, I have been able to reduce trimming on most of rifles by at least 50%.

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

My 223 Gracy is set for just under max case length. Don't want to give that ole rascal "carbon ring" room to grow. As already mentioned already, I can run em all through the trimmer quicker than I can measure a couple. One and done.

Frank

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Have been shooting only 223 for 3 years in an informal short bench league. My loads fall in the middle to upper 3/4 of the charge data and have found my brass grows very little. I have been running my brass between 2.255" to 2.260" and have seen no difference in performance. I check brass before each loading and do not size until it gets to that 2.260+" then it gets trimmed back to the 2.255"

That’s exactly the length where I set my trimmer.