How do you keep track

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PWC

PWC

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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.
 
Why track the number of trimmings? I just trim to an arbitrarily set length a few thousandths under max and call it a day. I don't even measure any more, just chuck up the WFT or Trim-It in the Milwalkee and get to work; some trim but some don't. My primer pockets wear out before necks ever split or headcase separation becomes imminent but that usually takes a few thousand primers to get there.
 
Agreed. But I’ll add “Inspect”, measure, trim, shoot. You won’t know your going to have a neck split, until it does. Don’t load to max and they will last a long time. Now, if you’re just anal about keeping track, knock yourself out. There’s certainly nothing wrong with it. Especially if it’s part of a safe routine. But if you're doing it out of a fear of neck splitting or separation, it really is just wasted time.
 
How did one find the "Long Ten" in the first place?

Brass will lengthen differently, even with the same loading. Marking the undone set won't necessarily mean they will need a trim next time.

I anneal and trim every cycle. The ones that need it will get trimmed, the ones that don't, won't. I don't need to measure them all, when I use my trimmer-gauge.;)

After five trimmings there still may be very little risk for head separation, depending on the sizing. Inspection is a great tool in itself.
 
If you are a benchrest shooter, looking for that last .001" of accuracy then you may want to buy another box to hold your trimmed brass, and keep 'em separated. My exper

Like Orcon, I just run them through the size die and then run them through the trimmer.
 
I think the latest Lyman manual states that if you trim your brass more than four times the the necks get too thin and you risk splits. The brass you are trimming comes from somewhere. They therefore recommend tracking the number if trims. I had never heard of this but, I have started recording trims per batch. I want to see if it is a predictor of case splits.
 
PWC said:
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. . .
Click to expand...

If you're loading for noise or easy targets, then keep on loading.

If you're loading for precision, then every piece gets exactly the same ride, except for the one or two variables you're experimenting with at the moment. If you only trim a few, you'll never know if that's what pushed that last flyer out and turned a .4+ group into a .7+ group.

Because I barely FL size to bump shoulders, I only need to trim every 2-4 lifecycles.
 
I've always just done it (34 yrs), as I said in the beginning, as part of the "case prep"; that includes all the normal inspection inside and outside the case and OAL. Didn't think I needed to say that.

I think it is a good predictor of case splits. I do have case lots that have 15-20 reloads, some in the lots with 5 trims. As Whiterook says "The brass you are trimming comes from somewhere." Next time it needs trim it goes to recycle.

I anneal every 5th reload and neck size for bolt guns and FL size for gas guns. Gas gun brass doesn't last as long. Demi, using your trimmer gage does in fact measure them all, otherwise how do you know which need trimming?

Varninterror, I understand what you say, and that is part of the case inspection and makes absolute safety / sense. Maybe my process is over-engineered, does work for me, not trying to influence anyone else. Just wanted to know if anyone else kept track of case trimming.

Thanks for all feedback.
 
Whiterook808 said:
I think the latest Lyman manual states that if you trim your brass more than four times the the necks get too thin and you risk splits. The brass you are trimming comes from somewhere. They therefore recommend tracking the number if trims. I had never heard of this but, I have started recording trims per batch. I want to see if it is a predictor of case splits.
Click to expand...

Work hardening your brass causes split necks. The brass flows up into the die, starting from the web and along the body of the case into the neck; the excess is trimmed and this can lead to head-case separation. That's where your trimmings are coming from.
 
PWC said:
Say in a lot of 50 there are 10 that need to be trimmed. The other 40 are somewhere between min and max.
Click to expand...
I trim them all to min. Then I don't have to keep track. It takes me so long to set up my power trimmer setup that I do it all in one go and make a big mess of shavings and trim all my calibers that need trimming in one session. Then I clean up and load and forget about trimming until I run out of brass.

I do keep track of how many times rifle cases are fired, and check all with paperclip test (I use a dental pick) before each loading. Haven't found any incipient case head separation yet but I'm only on my 5th loading.
 
223: I clean, inspect, paper clip, trim to length and record times reloaded, placing them in separate marked bin for that particular reload. I'm at 7 times on FC brass, but I'm also loading a softer round for paper punching. So may get a few times out of them than going near max possibly, but ever vigilent watching for signs of weakness.
 
I do not keep track of the number of trimmings done to a particular case. Historically, I've measured the case length with a home made "go-no go" gauge. The gauge is cut to approximately the max case length and cases too long get trimmed.

About 25% of the cases need to be trimmed at each batch resizing.

Here is an example of one of my gauges.

index.php


More recently, I've begun to not bother measuring the case and just run them through the trimmer. I use either a WFT trimmer or an L. E. Wilson trimmer. If the case is too long it gets trimmed, if not, it does not get trimmed.

Generally, many of my cases/cartridges are fired in semi-auto rifles, I have a number of AR-15 chambered in cartridges other than 223 Remington/5.56 NATO. Cases fail mostly due to expanded primer pockets before neck spits or case head separation becomes an issue.

(Side note, when I was shooting Service Rifle, after 4 or 5 reloads, I'd move the cases to "plinking" ammunition for my M4gerys and similar rifles)

I do keep track of the number of times a case has been fired and resized.

Presently, I do not anneal case necks but with moving into 22 BR cartridges, annealing may be in my future to extend case life in bolt rifles. Stay tuned.
 
If the case is too long it gets trimmed, if not, it does not get trimmed.
Click to expand...
My plan of attack as well.
I trim my .223 brass with a WFT, faster to just run them all thru the trimmer, if they need to be trimmed it trims them, if not is doesn't.

Faster than measuring them to see if they need to be trimmed.

If you wanted to mark them somehow, you could color the base with a sharpie.
 
If your trimming your brass so many times you need to keep track you probably need to buy a case comparator and figure out how much your moving the shoulder.
 
PWC said:
Demi, using your trimmer gage does in fact measure them all, otherwise how do you know which need trimming?
Click to expand...

My rotary style trimmer is the gauge. My attempt at humor meant this...

Orcon said:
I don't even measure any more, just chuck up the WFT or Trim-It
Click to expand...
MarshallDodge said:
I just run them through the size die and then run them through the trimmer.
Click to expand...
cfullgraf said:
More recently, I've begun to not bother measuring the case and just run them through the trimmer. I use either a WFT trimmer or an L. E. Wilson trimmer. If the case is too long it gets trimmed, if not, it does not get trimmed.
Click to expand...
Varminterror said:
Life is too short for what you’re describing. Paperclip check, trim, and be happy.
Click to expand...

I trim them every time because I run them long, one and seven hundred sixty six thousandths inches. This leaves two thousandths to the end of the chamber. This is plenty for my rifle and style of handloading.
It also reduces the frequency needed to clean a carbon ring from the end of the chamber.
 
I just measure and trim as needed then inspect every case carefully then reload them. Don't keep track of how many and which cases have been trimmed only keep track of how many times they have been fired and reloaded. That just tells me which cases I should keep a closer eye on. But I inspect them all every time.
 
I batch my 308 and 223 brass by 1000. Size them, trim, shoot them until the length gets too inconsistent to run a Lee auto drum properly. Then trim them all again. It’s a rare day when I trim anything that doesn’t run through the progressive.
 
I'm in the group that trims every time whether it needs it or not. Faster than measuring when using a power trimmer like the WFT or Trim-it II. Primer pockets fail before any thing else. I also anneal every time, for consistency.

Corrected my typo from being 1/2 a sleep.
 
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My method is very complicated and difficult to follow. I'll give it my best. Use a the Lee hand trimmers. The Lee is the one that uses cutter, lock stud and gauge. You can measure and trim, if needed, at the same time. Next, is use a Wilson type cartridge gauge that will tell if the case need trimming. Remember, that .010 less than max for a trim is a custom that is not carved in stone.
 
Orcon said:
Why track the number of trimmings? I just trim to an arbitrarily set length a few thousandths under max and call it a day. I don't even measure any more, just chuck up the WFT or Trim-It in the Milwalkee and get to work; some trim but some don't. My primer pockets wear out before necks ever split or headcase separation becomes imminent but that usually takes a few thousand primers to get there.
Click to expand...

What @Orcon says
 
Other than .223 and .308 (bulk stuff) I keep my rifle brass sorted in 50 rd boxes.

Each box contains a card that tracks times loaded, trimmed, how sized and when annealed. For the precision stuff that gets' neck-sized/shoulder bumped, trimmings are few and far between.

The bulk stuff gets run through a Trimmit 2 after sizing.
 
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