I got a hard lesson in cartridge length a few years back when I tried loading Hornady 180gr. SSP for the .35Rem in .357Max cases for my newly improved HandiRifle. I ran them through a .357" sizing die to bring them down from .358" and seated to the cannelure with a light roll crimp. They plunked fine and seemed to be an ideal combo - especially since I got them at clearance pricing!
. I ran 10 up a short ladder using W296 looking for 2000-2100fps and the first one read a little under (don't recall how much) but wouldn't extract. I opened and closed the action a few times but it didn't budge. Took a knife tip to get it out and the neck was broken when I got it out. There were small chunks missing and it looked like some hungry critter had gnawed on it. WT...huh???? I shot another, same velocity - no target because I was just checking speed not accuracy with this ladder - but I did see a puff of dirt next to the previous puff of dirt so I know the bullet was flying fairly straight and level. same problem: wouldn't' extract. It took a while but I finally figured out with the bullet seated to the cannelure FOR A .35REM! in the .357Max case, I was running the ogive into the lead and creating too much pressure, especially for a hot burn powder like W296, and the necks were being brazed onto the chamber mouth. Primers looked fine, though. I trimmed the cases a little short for book (Hornady bullets - figured I'd have to trim the cases short!
) and switched to some "cooler" powders - IMR 4227 and 2400 - and it was all good. Great bullet for a quartering shot to the base of the rib cage. It goes though the deep tissue like a buzz saw - gets the job done but it's messy to clean out the carcass.