.308 case trim length?

[Campbell]

Please will you advise me re. the above.

Many thanks in advance

Cam

 

[SheepDog]

The "book" trim to length is 2.005" but if you measure the distance from the face of the bolt to the end of the neck cut in your chamber you will likely find that it is longer than the SAAMI maximum case length of 2.015". You can safely trim your cases to .002" under your chamber length. It all depends what you find works for your rifle and loads. If you are using your loads in more than one gun then find the shortest chamber and use that dimension. You can also separate your brass for each rifle, which is what I do.

 

[Richard Jones]

Hope this helps. http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2015/06/how-to-craft-your-own-chamber-length-gauge/

You can make your own on a lathe, by using the neck of another case, or purchase one of the Sinclair inserts.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

I have always trimmed to the 2.005" length. It works fine in every rifle I have owned, from a DPMS to an HBR tight neck, to various sporters, etc.

 

[SheepDog]

I am sure you are not alone. As long as the necks are a consistent length there is little difference in accuracy as long as they are not so long that they run into the end of the chamber. (at least in my short 45 years of experience) Every gun being an individual your results might vary - considerably.

 

[Zero333]

I HATE trimming/chamfer/deburr.

I let them grow to within 0.005" of chamber's neck end and save a crapload of trimming this way.

All the 308win chambers I've had I been able to let them grow to 2.030" and still be 0.003" to 0.015" from chamber's neck end.

 

[Campbell]

Many thanks for your replies!

I have been trimming to 2.005 after doing a 'tinternet search, but a friend at the club has pointed out that this is the minimum length.

I have a question: Why do you all seem to prefer the 2.005" when it is at the minimum length?

 

[savageshooter86]

My sized cases are 2.011. I trim to 2.010. No issues. Prior I had been trimming to 2.005. But wasn't needed. So why over work the cases

 

[Zero333]

Many thanks for your replies!

I have been trimming to 2.005 after doing a 'tinternet search, but a friend at the club has pointed out that this is the minimum length.

I have a question: Why do you all seem to prefer the 2.005" when it is at the minimum length?

To be able to let it grow over a few firings and not have to trim it as often.

 

[SheepDog]

^^^ that was the reason I always heard. I decided that rather than running cases through a caliper i could just as easily run them through a trimmer. That's when I checked the length of my chambers and set up my bushings to trim just under the max chamber length. The cases don't always trim but they get run through the trimmer every time. Most of the time they just rub a little but I don't have to spend the time checking them with calipers any more.