.223 Case OAL

[southwindva]

I just started to reload .223 for the first time. I am working with once fired brass . According to the Lyman specs , Case length should be at 1.760 after sizing. If this is correct ,how far can I deviate from that? I have some cases that are around 1.737-1.743. Do I toss them? How far the other way can I go? 1.765?
Sorry if this has been asked before. Thanks

 

[rcmodel]

1.760" is SAAMI Max length.

If they are longer then that, they need to be trimmed to 1.750".

Shorter then that will not hurt anything if you are not trying to crimp them in the seating die.

If you are, they all need to be trimmed the same length.

rc

 

[GLOOB]

Don't throw away any 223 brass for being too short, unless you have a reason. Poor neck tension, can't crimp, etc.

Do trim anything over 1.760" unless you want to start measuring your chamber and make reloads for your rifle, only.

What length you trim to is your preference. You can trim down to 1.740" if you want. You can trim to 1.760" if you plan to trim every time.

 

[matrem]

1.747ish works pretty well for me in the semi autos I load for.
I hate trimming any more often than I have to.
I've used them at 1.740 ish many times.
Edit to add: I'd not use one that was 1.761 though.

 

[southwindva]

Sounds good. I had about a dozen I can recover[in the first 100 out of the bag].
I have both cannelure and non cannelure bullets. So when I use the cannelure ones I need to make sure my cases are the same length for crimping,right?
Do I have to crimp a cannelure bullet?

 

[rcmodel]

No, you don't have to crimp at all, regardless of bullet type if you don't want too.

Case neck tension alone should be plenty enough to hold the bullet in place.

Just make sure the case neck tension is what it should be.

It should take over 50 pounds pressure to slip a bullet in the case, uncrimped.

rc

 

[southwindva]

OK,one last question.Maybe I am over thinking this. If I have different length cases and I seat the bullet to a set OAL, some bullets will be deeper in the shorter cases which raises the psi in those compared to the longer cases.
Makes me think I should trim to the shortest length case I have. That seems impractical.

 

[southwindva]

I meant the bullet would seat deeper in the longer case [oops]

 

[icanthitabarn]

I would trim to the shortest length, if its 1.740. If they are longer with a couple 1.740 pieces, scrap those and go a little longer.

 

[cag215]

223 rem SAAMI case length spec is 1.760 -.030

max length 1.760
min length 1.730

http://www.saami.org/pubresources/cc_drawings/Rifle/223%20Remington.pdf

 

[rcmodel]

I meant the bullet would seat deeper in the longer case [oops]

No, it wouldn't.

Case length has no bearing at all on where the base of the bullet ends up inside the case.
It will end up in the same place no matter what the case length is.
There just won't be as much case neck on the side of the bullet.

Seating is accomplished from pushing on the base of the case and the ogive of the bullet.

rc

 

[southwindva]

You are correct RC. Made sense when I sketched it out on paper.

 

[cbmax]

Uniform neck tension is everything when you are crimping rounds for a semi auto. That is where uniform OAL comes into play. In order to get uniform crimping, your cases should all be at the same length. Others may disagree, but I always crimp rounds that will be used in a semi auto with bullets that are cannelured or not. On non-cannelured bullets I just kiss the brass so I do not deform the bullet. On cannelured bullets, I crimp a bit more. The chambering of a round in an AR is pretty violent and I prefer a little extra insurance to help prevent bullet set back. This is especially true when loading rounds to maximum powder charge in an AR!

CB

 

[Suburban Redneck]

^ agreed

+1 cbmax
Maybe I'm a little neurotic with my reloading; but after seeing a few squeezed rounds from a friend (no connalure and no crimp at all ), that he made for his AR, I only use connalured bullets and crimp for myself for my semi-autos.

 

[plodder]

++1 on giving a kiss of a crimp for anything in an AR. I have had loosely seated bullets rattle out in the magazine or up the feed ramp. Fortunately, no catastrophy, just a jam.

 

[gamestalker]

If the neck tension is what it should be, in other words you are properly resizing the brass, and the brass isn't past it's life span, crimping is absolutely unnecessary. About the only exception to this for an auto loading rifle would be for a tubular fed magazine. I mean you can crimp, yes, but to do so for many reloaders will usually present more problems, than could ever be solved.
That said, I have been at this for several decades and have yet to experience bullet set back with any auto loading, rather, any cartridge or action, AR's included.

GS

 

[chris in va]

Crimping has been proven to marginally decrease group sizes. A fellow member did an experiment and proved it to be true.

 

[GLOOB]

Maybe I'm a little neurotic with my reloading; but after seeing a few squeezed rounds from a friend (no connalure and no crimp at all ), that he made for his AR, I only use connalured bullets and crimp for myself for my semi-autos.

It's important to feel for proper neck tension. You get two chances to feel for proper neck tension before deciding to press-test or fire a round. First is while pulling the expander through the neck. Second is while seating a bullet. If you have a piece of brass with bad neck tension, you will be able to feel it. Toss those cases before seating, if possible. You'll find they usually come from the same headstamps.

 

[dsb1829]

I started trimming at 1.750, but found a lot of my free-range brass was shorter. I now shoot for 1.745-1.750, load anything above 1.740, and sort out the stuff that is shorter for use later. This has been working well for me. I have a Lee FCD, but have yet to have good reason to use it. It is on my to-do list to check in my gun, but is of low priority.