.223 loading

[au_prospector]

Hey I just finished the task of trimming up 250 .223 factory fired cases. Trimmed them all to about 1.748. Once done, I am left wondering how often will I need to do that chore? Every few loadings, or every loading? My only firearm shooting them will be an old mini 14.

 

[MutinousDoug]

Depends on your guns chamber, your loads and your dies. I trim to just less than max length and have to re-trim about every other firing. Trimming this way guarantees all my brass is approximately the same length. Trimming to min length would allow 2-3 shots between trimmings but you end up with brass that varies in length from min to max. This condition is perfectly safe and probably affects accuracy very little; I just don't like it.

 

[Jlr2267]

Once the length exceeds 1.76, you'll need to trim. How long that takes depends on the loads, brass type, etc.

I found myself trimming after 2 to 3 reloads. Then I changed my sizer to the RCBS X-die and I trim once and forget it.

 

[au_prospector]

Thanks guys,

 

[jwrowland77]

I generally run mine through a trimmer every time. I just like the consistency factor of doing so.

Generally the only time anything get cut off is during initial trimming, due to how I do my resizing. I use a Redding Body die and Lee Collet Neck die. With doing so, there's no expander ball being pulled through the neck to stretch the case, plus I just barely bump the shoulders back enough to chamber the case.

If it does trim something on the 2nd or so on loading, it's normally just barely shaving the brass off the top.

 

[loose noose]

I trim all my rifle casing right after resizing the cases, I'm a stickler for accuracy.