How do you keep track

[Pwc]

I have never seen this question addressed. After you trim your brass, how do you keep track of those that are trimmed?

I am speaking primarily about bottlenick rifle cases.

Say in a lot of 50 there are 10 that need to be trimmed. The other 40 are somewhere between min and max. After you trim the 10, how do you mark them to keep track of the number of times they have been trimmed? If you don't mark them, the next time you shoot that lot, there are 8 that need to be trimmed; maybe they are first time trim, maybe second time trim how do you know?

For myself, at each trim I use a small triangular swiss file to file a small "nick" in the case head rim for each time the case has been trimmed. During case prep I check the heads and after 5 "nicks" if it needs trim the case goes to the recycle can and the lot size decreases.

Five is an arbitrary number I established for myself and it works for me.

I am interested in anyone elses method.

 

[JohnKielly]

Never trim until once fired, then I trim the batch.

At any time after I need to trim, I trim them all again. I figure that't the only way to keep my head around it.

 

[Richard Coody]

Never trim until once fired, then I trim the batch.

At any time after I need to trim, I trim them all again. I figure that't the only way to keep my head around it.

+1

 

[jepp2]

At any time after I need to trim, I trim them all again.

Same here. And I trim before any hit the max length. But I use a Little Crow WFT which makes trimming very easy. It is much easier to trim off several thousandths than ten thousandths.

When I ran my case life test (LC brass in an AR), I was surprised to find that after around the 10'th sizing, there was never any case material removed during trimming. I was always setting the shoulder back the same amount.

 

[ronemus]

I find that the chamfers need to be refreshed after each firing. I have a Gracey with a Giraud cutter that does both chamfers as well as the trim, so rather than waste time gauging the brass I trim every piece after every firing; I can trim as fast as gauging, so the net time spent is less than trimming only those cases that exceed maximum length. It should be the same when using any of the trimmers with a 3-way cutter (WFT, Giraud, Gracey, and others).

 

[Little Jimmy]

Never trim until once fired, then I trim the batch.

At any time after I need to trim, I trim them all again. I figure that't the only way to keep my head around it.

+2

 

[done111]

Ditto here. If I need to trim a batch (I generally keep them either in batches of 50 or 100), I trim all of them to the minimum and all of them will generally get touched up on length when I do. Then the whole batch is not only the same firing and lot number, but also trimmed at the same firing number as well.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

don't deprime them until you are ready to trim the batch.

 

[Puzzaz01]

+2

+3

 

[cw308]

This shooting season ImI using Three different types of brass 30 each , I trim every time , the trimmer is set to trim at a specific length . I keep a log book on brass , measurements , bullets , round counts for barrel wear , everything even weather.

 

[Pwc]

Jepp- your case life test is intriguing; wonder if the same happens for neck size only?

Done- I like your process. Run the whole lot thru the trimmer, some will get trimmed, some won't (this time). Inside inspection for separation will show individual case fall out from the lot. When the lot gets too small they become plinkers.

Thanks all for the input.

 

[Roach]

I run the WTF in all rifle calibers i shoot. It's faster to just see if they need to be trimmed by running them through the trimmer than by measuring.

Same here. And I trim before any hit the max length. But I use a Little Crow WFT which makes trimming very easy. It is much easier to trim off several thousandths than ten thousandths.

When I ran my case life test (LC brass in an AR), I was surprised to find that after around the 10'th sizing, there was never any case material removed during trimming. I was always setting the shoulder back the same amount.

 

[mongo chicago]

I have a Giraud set where I want it, so I trim new brass and every time I fire them. They don't all always need it, but there are many that have not lengthened evenly. I believe that uneven necks contribute more to inaccuracy than many of the other things shooters worry about.

 

[Fotheringill]

As above. BUT, if still confusing or hard to follow, use a Sharpie and make a small black dot in the same place on each that you have trimmed. If the second trim, put another small black dot near the first. It will not even come out with walnut or corncob tumbling media.

 

[mikecr]

I would see a constant need to trim as a reloading debacle.
And I'd remove the cause of it..

 

[Shooter13]

Never trim until once fired, then I trim the batch.

At any time after I need to trim, I trim them all again. I figure that't the only way to keep my head around it.

You can't load some guns unless they are trimmed.

 

[Texas10]

My brass is dedicated to one 50 round box and lives there it's entire life. I put a sticky note on the inside of the lid with trim and anneal dates, and the box is identified by lot. The cycles are noted in my loading notes. If one case needs trim, they all get trimmed with Worlds finest trimmer or Worlds cheapest trimmer ( I have both), and both index off the shoulder. I try to keep them within a few thou of longest dimension.

I don't shoot long range or competitively so I'm probably doing more than I need to, but it does seem to deliver the goods on the firing line.

 

[D-4297]

I've never seen any "new" .308 brass that had to be trimmed out of the box new , but I guess it could happen . Lapua always seems to be short to start with . I have chosen a dimension for my brass that is .005 longer than "Book" length , and .025 shorter than my chamber neck length . Shooting F-TR , a practice day and a single match will yield anywhere up to 130 cases to be processed . I'll randomly check five or six with calipers , and grab another five or six more . If I get more than half beyond "MY" chosen dimension , I run them all through the trimmer . More of a "touch-up" , than a Trim . Usually takes less than a hour for 130-150 cases .
Match case batches are kept separate from practice cases . But all trimmed to same length before loading . I believe in the K-I-S-S principle .

 

[JFrank]

I have never seen this question addressed. After you trim your brass, how do you keep track of those that are trimmed?

I am speaking primarily about bottlenick rifle cases.

Say in a lot of 50 there are 10 that need to be trimmed. The other 40 are somewhere between min and max. After you trim the 10, how do you mark them to keep track of the number of times they have been trimmed? If you don't mark them, the next time you shoot that lot, there are 8 that need to be trimmed; maybe they are first time trim, maybe second time trim how do you know?

For myself, at each trim I use a small triangular swiss file to file a small "nick" in the case head rim for each time the case has been trimmed. During case prep I check the heads and after 5 "nicks" if it needs trim the case goes to the recycle can and the lot size decreases.

Five is an arbitrary number I established for myself and it works for me.

I am interested in anyone elses method.

Myself I have a Wilson trimmer set for each caliber accompanied by a Wilson case gage.
If they stick out past the gage i trim the whole batch to the pre set length

 

[jpx2rk]

don't deprime them until you are ready to trim the batch.

Need to ask "why" on this ???