Case OAL Questions

[Michael White]

I just purchased some surplus 308 marked lc10. Good quality. I tumbled cleaned and now sizing. I have the new Lyman 50th edition reloading manual and I see something U never noticed before. It gives a diagram of the loaded round with a case length of 2.015. But down below in test components it shows a trim-to length of 2.005.
I thought this was rather odd so I checked other calibers I load for and found the same thing.
I used to find the shortest case and if in speck trim all to match. This is not bolt action ammo. Will be shot out of my FAL.
I also used to trim length after sizing but no more, especially on a progressive press .

 

[Willie]

It's better to establish the true length of your chamber and set a trim length for that rifle. Some rifles have very long chambers and by trimming to specs, you can have trouble with carbon rings forming.

 

[Michael White]

It's better to establish the true length of your chamber and set a trim length for that rifle. Some rifles have very long chambers and by trimming to specs, you can have trouble with carbon rings forming.

Chamber cast time. Thanks

 

[retired]

actually sinclair sells a flat slug to go in a shortened case, to measure
chamber neck length, and then you can trim based on that.
it will typically be a lot longer than the case trim "spec" numbers.

Chamber cast time. Thanks

 

[Sniper338]

^^^^^^^ This!

 

[dcali]

Just trim it to minimum spec (what the manuals call the “trim to” length) after sizing every couple firings and forget about it. Especially in a FAL.

 

[pirate ammo]

I just purchased some surplus 308 marked lc10. Good quality. I tumbled cleaned and now sizing. I have the new Lyman 50th edition reloading manual and I see something U never noticed before. It gives a diagram of the loaded round with a case length of 2.015. But down below in test components it shows a trim-to length of 2.005.
I thought this was rather odd so I checked other calibers I load for and found the same thing.
I used to find the shortest case and if in speck trim all to match. This is not bolt action ammo. Will be shot out of my FAL.
I also used to trim length after sizing but no more, especially on a progressive press .

I don't know about your FAL,but mine will eat anything you feed it,and in a hurry

 

[MrBottleneck]

Pirate and Damon are correct find a trim to length anywhere between the Max CAOL and Trim To Spec. and go with it. That "Right Arm of the Free World" will feed just about anything you throw at it. Keep in mind they also are not the most gentle on brass either. Its a battle rifle afterall.

 

[Bart B.]

You can make a 308 Win chamber length gauge by full length sizing a 30-06 case in a 308 FL die, then trim it to about 2.25" long.

Strip the bolt sans extractor, slide that case into the bolt then gently chamber it.

If the bolt doesn't close easy, eject case, trim .002" less then repeat. If bolt does close, the chamber is too long so make another resized 30-06 case .020" longer.

The chamber length is about halfway between bolt close/not-close length +/- .001." It'll have a small spread caused by case neck diameters and chamber mouth angle.

I would trim to 2.000" then again when at 2.015" if chamber length is within SAAMI specs of 2.025" +.015". A minimum case mouth clearance to chamber mouth is about .010" but that is seldom mentioned. You don't want the firing pin impact driving the case forward too far into the chamber setting its shoulder back too far and crimping the case mouth into the bullet by the 36 degree angle chamber mouth.

In a test, a new 308 Win case was trimmed to 2.0000", loaded with Fed 210 primer, 43 grains IMR4895 and Sierra 165 SBT bullet, fired, measured, FL resized with about.002" shoulder bump, measured, reloaded then fired again; 47 times. Case length shortened about .0020" each time after firing. It lengthened about .0027" after resizing. Case length increased about .0007" each time. When case length grew to 2.010", it was trimmed back to 2.0000".

View attachment 1035273

 

[pirate ammo]

Pirate and Damon are correct find a trim to length anywhere between the Max CAOL and Trim To Spec. and go with it. That "Right Arm of the Free World" will feed just about anything you throw at it. Keep in mind they also are not the most gentle on brass either. Its a battle rifle afterall.

it is true FALs will eat brass up,every case that mine ejects has a big V in the neck, don't matter how I set the gas.

 

[retired]

trimming to min spec is a waste of good brass and your time.
excellent for a "reloader" not for an ammo crafter.

 

[dcali]

"Crafting ammo" for a FAL is a waste of time.

 

[Zero333]

Most of the chambers I have and had allow for at least 0.020" longer than max case length.
So for example if say 308 Winchester Max Case Length is 2.015", I can let it grow to 2.030" before I need to trim them. Giving myself 0.005" room to spare.

Some of the Chamber I have and had allow for an extra 0.030" before having to trim.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...-chamber-length-with-home-made-modified-case/

I HATE TO TRIM, CHAMFER & DEBURR !!!

 

[FatOldMIHunter]

I just purchased some surplus 308 marked lc10. Good quality.

Be prepared to anneal that brass. The LC .308 is harder brass and it is thicker, so the case capacity is a bit lower and the necks have to be softened to tolerate resizing.

 

[Michael White]

Be prepared to anneal that brass. The LC .308 is harder brass and it is thicker, so the case capacity is a bit lower and the necks have to be softened to tolerate resizing.

So far I have resized about 20. With a small base die. I tried my Hornday new dimension die and got a case stuck, but got it out. Then I tried the regular Hornday fl die, worked for about 3 cases and then stuck a case that will not come out. It will tomorrow though. I think I'll need your advise and aneal these first.
Thanks

 

[retired]

my guess is you are way "over" sizing the brass.
size to cycle in your rifle, and no more.
my guess is your chamber is large and your brass does not need much sizing.
again enters the diff between reloading and ammo crafting.

So far I have resized about 20. With a small base die. I tried my Hornday new dimension die and got a case stuck, but got it out. Then I tried the regular Hornday fl die, worked for about 3 cases and then stuck a case that will not come out. It will tomorrow though. I think I'll need your advise and aneal these first.
Thanks

 

[FatOldMIHunter]

So far I have resized about 20. With a small base die. I tried my Hornday new dimension die and got a case stuck, but got it out. Then I tried the regular Hornday fl die, worked for about 3 cases and then stuck a case that will not come out. It will tomorrow though. I think I'll need your advise and aneal these first.
Thanks

I'm just using a basic RCBS die. So far, no stuck cases using Imperial Sizing Wax on the case body and Imperial Dry Neck Lube (graphite) on the inside and outside of the neck. But I bought loaded ammo from Atomic that was reloaded into once-fired military brass (Lake City). The necks are split on about 5% of them after the second firing (first by me) and before the first resizing by me. I just annealed 50 that passed inspection with the drill-socket-torch method for 7 seconds.

 

[msinc]

Sticking cases in a resize die is never a matter of "sizing too much" at least not unless the die is defective. Stuck cases are the result of one thing...improper {or no} use of a suitable sizing lube. If using Hornady spray lube you have to let it dry for a minute before proceeding or you will definitely get cases stuck in the die.

 

[pirate ammo]

the bigger question here is who made the FAL,,century,I hope not,home build,yuc,DSA o.k. they have the prints,,I got mine from the braslian military when I worked there..

 

[Michael White]

the bigger question here is who made the FAL,,century,I hope not,home build,yuc,DSA o.k. they have the prints,,I got mine from the braslian military when I worked there..

I had a German parts kit with a new German barrel. Receiver is a Canadian one. I have sat on these parts for a long time. Mine does not destroy brass. Wood butt stock and pistol grip and early metal handgaurds with a nice bipod. I had it assembled by Jeff at Hillbilly firearms. He does great work. Chamber is right where it should be. I had him engraving the Belgium drunken lion on the receiver, looks nice. He has had to repair bunch of other "professional " assemblers work.