Do yo lu trim below spec to normalize a batch.

[AJC1]

I've been working with a set of Norma 308 brass and they started less than 2.000 inches some even others in the high 1.990s. Neck lengths were all over the map, so I decided to do a uniforming trim at 2.005 which is below normal trim length and I got only about 50% that had any material removed. Does anyone else trim to uniform brass while fire forming. The longest piece was 2.011 and a few at 2.008. I figure it's not perfect but I now have half the deviation I did before.

 

[Charlie98]

2.005 which is below normal trim length

No, 2.005" is the standard trim to length for .308. Max length is 2.015" (if memory serves me.)

I have some that are less than 2.005", for whatever reason, they work just fine, but I don't expect benchrest SD's out of them.

 

[goon]

I've been working with a set of Norma 308 brass and they started less than 2.000 inches some even others in the high 1.990s. Neck lengths were all over the map, so I decided to do a uniforming trim at 2.005 which is below normal trim length and I got only about 50% that had any material removed. Does anyone else trim to uniform brass while fire forming. The longest piece was 2.011 and a few at 2.008. I figure it's not perfect but I now have half the deviation I did before.

I’ve run into this with once fired and factory new brass both. I do usually trim it all as uniform as I can, but I have had to sort out brass that’s too short for a separate lot. Never had any safety concerns or signs of overpressure, but I also don’t load many maximum loads.

 

[AJC1]

I’ve run into this with once fired and factory new brass both. I do usually trim it all as uniform as I can, but I have had to sort out brass that’s too short for a separate lot. Never had any safety concerns or signs of overpressure, but I also don’t load many maximum loads.

IMR4064 seems to do its best work at max and so does varget.... aa4064 seems real close. I do load some target rounds with 4895 that aren't full throttle.

 

[Charlie98]

Well, for example, .308 brass... I don't crimp it, anyway, and just seat to a COL figure. Neck tension probably has more to do with it than a missing .005" or .010" of neck, with the understanding that both of those can be related at one point.

 

[AJC1]

Competitors don't shoot range brass period.... its not worth their time or barrel life to mess around.... I meander in the middle ground trying to understand both sides by experence. I could not afford the over 5000 pieces of 308 I have in good brass or just buying junk. I can absolutely pick them off the ground, sort them by headstamp, and shoot them to my hearts content.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Competitors don't shoot range brass period.... its not worth their time or barrel life to mess around.... I meander in the middle ground trying to understand both sides by experence. I could not afford the over 5000 pieces of 308 I have in good brass or just buying junk. I can absolutely pick them off the ground, sort them by headstamp, and shoot them to my hearts content.

For that type of shooting, I trim to .001 under max length.

 

[Show Me]

Competitors don't shoot range brass period.... its not worth their time or barrel life to mess around.... I meander in the middle ground trying to understand both sides by experence. I could not afford the over 5000 pieces of 308 I have in good brass or just buying junk. I can absolutely pick them off the ground, sort them by headstamp, and shoot them to my hearts content.

OK ,so the question pertained to salvage brass. Okie dokie

 

[AJC1]

OK ,so the question pertained to salvage brass. Okie dokie

Oh it didn't, but I was appreciating this particular exercise is probably most applicable to us brass hounds that are dealing with pickups from multiple guns. I've not see huge irregularities in my bought batch brass...

 

[Show Me]

Oh it didn't, but I was appreciating this particular exercise is probably most applicable to us brass hounds that are dealing with pickups from multiple guns. I've not see huge irregularities in my bought batch brass...

I like to trim a little shorter and fewer times unless I'm crimping then more often. So the shorter part is what interested me in the conversation. Seems a done deal.

 

[Pivot Dr]

Sometimes, depending on various conditions.

 

[AJC1]

I like to trim a little shorter and fewer times unless I'm crimping then more often. So the shorter part is what interested me in the conversation. Seems a done deal.

I like to trim most cases every time. It's easy in 223 and my other 308 I set it to .2.010 and the Winchester, rp, and federal seem to cut almost always after the first loading.... I think Norma starts off much shorter.... I've not played with my pile of nosler yet.

 

[JFrank]

I would suggest one could easily trim cases .020 short of max length with zero issues. 308 cases grow quickly, I wouldn’t worry about any difference in performance either.

 

[Bazoo]

What I would do with 308, is segregate all the short brass and load and fire them so that they'll grow, then trim them.

I trim some of my straight walled pistol brass, like 44 special/44 magnum, shorter than standard so that starline brass will clean up, as it runs a few thousands short.

 

[bullseye308]

I’d trim to 2.00 and any that don’t trim separate from those that do. You now have two batches. If you are not crimping, it shouldn’t matter. Either way, the shorter cases will stretch in a load or two.