Trimming brass?

[savageshooter86]

After FL sizing should I trim all brass the same length or only trim when it gets too long? In past I sized cases and trimmed brass to the shortest piece after sizing. Is that proper method?

 

[Shynloco]

Assuming you've fireformed the brass and trimmed AFTER that firing, I measure the length of every piece of brass and arrive at a length recommended by the various manufacturer's manuals. After that, I remeasure each piece of brass every time since I only FL resize my brass. One of the rules of accuracy shooting is CONSISTENCY. And that includes brass length measurement which are necessary for consistency. I've never been fond of the idea of trimming to the shortest brass length as that is usually only one or two pieces and now you are going to reduce potentially your best shooting brass to a shorter length???? Not a good idea in my book.

Alex

 

[savageshooter86]

Assuming you've fireformed the brass and trimmed AFTER that firing, I measure the length of every piece of brass and arrive at a length recommended by the various manufacturer's manuals. After that, I remeasure each piece of brass every time since I only FL resize my brass. One of the rules of accuracy shooting is CONSISTENCY. And that includes brass length measurement which are necessary for consistency. I've never been fond of the idea of trimming to the shortest brass length as that is usually only one or two pieces and now you are going to reduce potentially your best shooting brass to a shorter length???? Not a good idea in my book.

Alex

We'll that was my idea of doing it that way for consistency. So ones that don't come out FL die same length you just throw those out for fouled? I'll check next time to see how many cases are longer than my trim length I have been. Usually only trim about 0.001 at most off some cases to get my brass all the same

 

[Shynloco]

We'll that was my idea of doing it that way for consistency. So ones that don't come out FL die same length you just throw those out for fouled? I'll check next time to see how many cases are longer than my trim length I have been. Usually only trim about 0.001 at most off some cases to get my brass all the same

I save the shorter ones and used them as FOULERS. I've found that my starting length AFTER FIREFORMING gives me my best results and I'm able to keep my brass pretty much all the same length or within .01 in length.

Alex

 

[RonAKA]

I just trim my cases after every resizing with the Lee Case Length Gauge and Cutter as shown below. I don't measure lengths (after the initial check out a new gauge), and simply cut them all to the same length. I find if you cut after every sizing, you take little to none off. Is is as much of a check as a trim. If some are a little short (a couple of thou), I keep using them so they can stretch and catch up. If they are significantly short, I may set them aside and use them for sighters or warm ups. If I get into a neglected batch with a lot of trimming needed I put the holder in a drill.

 

[Catfish]

unless you are shooting serious bench rest with a tight neck chamber and turning necks there is no need to do more than keep them with in a few .001`s.

 

[gotcha]

We'll that was my idea of doing it that way for consistency. So ones that don't come out FL die same length you just throw those out for fouled? I'll check next time to see how many cases are longer than my trim length I have been. Usually only trim about 0.001 at most off some cases to get my brass all the same

Sav 86, Unless you're keeping the depth of your chamfer consistent, ala a K&M chamfering tool this may all be to no avail. ...... The depth and squareness of the chamfering cut, I think, would over power .002" or .003" in case length variation....... Have you ever gone to the range and gotten your smallest group from the cases that you deemed "foulers" ........ I have

 

[savageshooter86]

Sav 86, Unless you're keeping the depth of your chamfer consistent, ala a K&M chamfering tool this may all be to no avail. ...... The depth and squareness of the chamfering cut, I think, would over power .002" or .003" in case length variation....... Have you ever gone to the range and gotten your smallest group from the cases that you deemed "foulers" ........ I have

All mine should be same. Use the Giraud trimmer. So chamfer and cut should be same

 

[ireload2]

Your chamber is often considerably longer than the "trim to length" in the manuals. I have a couple of Steyr made rifles that have a chamber a full 1mm (.040") longer than the cases. I like to keep my brass square and even. I do not worry about the nearest .001 in length that much.
Many factory jacketed bullets are going to vary more in length of bearing surface than your case necks will vary.

Next
If you have a plunger ejector, it will push cases forward in the chamber. If you bump the shoulder back .002 then the neck (and case mouth) can move forward .002 under the pressure of the ejector. If your shoulder bump varies then the distance the case mouth can move forward can vary.
If you are shooting a range rifle (as opposed to a hunting rifle) then you might consider bumping the shoulder to as near .000 as possible.
Or you can remove your ejector and pick the brass out by hand.

 

[gotcha]

All mine should be same. Use the Giraud trimmer. So chamfer and cut should be same

My bad!!!! I should have known you'd have nothing but the BEST.