.223 advice

[Encoreman]

I was trimming some .223 brass and noticed some that were short, I stopped and measured them and some were 1.738-1.740 which is below trim to of
1.750. Is it okay to load them for plinkers or what? I don't know how many there are, but I sure hate to throw away any brass. Thanks for your input. Mac

 

[NRA-Highmaster]

They will be fine. Occasionally, you will find factory cases a little under length too.

 

[Hondo 60]

For plinking, ya, they're not the best, but they're OK.

What I might do, is put them on the side & group them with others that are short.
Especially if you have a bunch with the same headstamp.

 

[Huckelberry75]

Shoot them a couple of times in a separate batch, and let them stretch up to spec.

 

[Encoreman]

Thanks gentlemen, I just like a 2nd or 3rd opinion when it comes to my reloading. Mac

 

[LotI]

FC (Federal) brass is always short after the first firing; right about 1.740". I have thousands and I just use them for plinking. They probably won't need to be trimmed until the 5th firing and then the primer pocket is loosening up and neck tension is getting light.

 

[BrokenWheel]

Very true about Federal city - they are notoriously short. I just toss the ones that measure 1.745 or less.

 

[Afy]

I somehow have found better accuracy with brass under minimum with the 6 BR, .22-250, 222 RM and .260 rem. Then again I jam into the lengths by degrees that would make people uncomfortable. Lets just put it this way, if I have to unload a ccartridge it comes apart in the chamber more often than not.

 

[Steve in PA]

If you were to use the RCBS x-die, they recommend trimming .020 under the length of 1.760, which would be 1.740".

 

[GLOOB]

I've tossed cases for being under 1.740." But only because they're so rare. I don't want 1 short case mixed in with the other 1k. Just in case a batch of my reloads turns out to be super accurate through no fault of my own.

One case I'm glad to have discovered was a fired IMI case. It sized really easy. I dropped it in my case gauge, and the head dropped out of sight (exaggeration). The shoulder was set back at least 5 hundredths of an inch too short. Possibly closer to a tenth. Can anyone explain that one?

 

[kelbro]

Don't sweat it for 223.

 

[243winxb]

223/5.56 Minimum usable case trim length is 1.730" see SAAMI Drawing.

If the case is longer then 1.760" after sizing, you should trim off .010" This is the basic rule. SAAMI lists a minimum trimmed length of 1.730" After full lenght resizing.

One case I'm glad to have discovered was a fired IMI case. It sized really easy. I dropped it in my case gauge, and the head dropped out of sight (exaggeration). The shoulder was set back at least 5 hundredths of an inch too short. Possibly closer to a tenth. Can anyone explain that one?

The brass may have been sized that way in a small base die. Not all dies and shell plates/holders automatically give the correct amount of sizing. They can be defective. Then firing a light load, in a tight chamber may not have stretched the brass to fill the chamber. Your FL die made very little, if any, contact with the case body. Thats my guess.