Do you trim 223 every time

Do you trim 223 every time even if when put in a LE Wilson case gauge after resizing they still check ok?

 

No. Maximun length is 1.760" when brass gets this long, trim back to 1.750" Some factory fired brass, after sizing may be shorter. This is ok to use.

 

I measure every case each time it is resized but only trim the ones that exceed the maximum length.

It seems at each reloading cycle, I have to trim only about 25% of the cases.

In reality, I made a "Max Length Gauge" that is cut to about 1.758". It is a "go-no go" gauge. Anything that does not fit the gauge, gets trimmed.

Then, my WFT trimmer is set to trim to about 1.753".

This just gives me a little wiggle room accounting for measurement and cutter tolerances.

 

Me too. Some grow faster then others. I only trim ones longer than max.

 

Due to the time it take to measure I just run them all through the Trim-It II trimmer every time. In most cases it does not trim but some do. I have my trimmer set to trim at 1.755" which is in the middle of the range. But you only need to trim when they exceed the Max length of you chamber. Some chambers can handle 1.770"

 

Yes, but simply because I have an XL650 with the RT1200 so everything gets run through it. The neck is opened up on the die so it doesn't size.

Also, brass doesn't necessarily grown in length. My experience so far is that an AR15 with a 20" rifle length gas doesn't seem to stretch brass.
https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=189714

 

Ive never trimmed .223

 

Everytime!

I batch trim on a WFT2 so I just run every case thru, some get trimmed to 1.750 some are short already. Better safe than sorry IMHO

 

Trim every time. I like my cases close to maximum at 1.760". Makes by crimps better with just this .010" extra length from recommended trim lengths at 1.750". Some cases the cutter just touches the neck and many others it just cuts a couple thousandths. At least measure fired sized cases to make sure they don't exceed maximum.

 

I use the Lee case trimmer with a cordless drill and I can definitely run all through it faster than measuring all first. Some get a very slight trim while others get a good cut on them, but they are all the exact same length.

 

This is smart. I trimmed after every firing until I remembered that 1.75" is the minimum, not the maximum.

 

Yes, I trim every time.

The two case trimmers I have used both have ways to set the trim length. I set it for whatever the manual says the "trim to" length is (usually 1.750" for .223). I run each case through the trimmer, as it seems to take more time to stop and measure them than to just run them all through. Also, I have a power drill adapter for my Lyman case trimmer, which makes trimming cases much less of a chore.

On a side note, often my case trimmers will have a little error, and so can come out as 1.748", or 1.752". Just so long as they areen't approaching 1.760", I'm okay with it. I have had to pry my AR bolt open with a screw driver when I started reloading because I was not aware of how important trimming was... You know what they say, "once bitten, twice shy."

 

It is not the minimum. 1.730" is the minimum per the SAAMI drawing.

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

 

I check length with a trim die and a Crow WFT trimmer for .223. I do it the first time I reload a .223 round (we are talking once fired brass) and I do it the 2nd time I reload the same case. For the most part on the 2nd reload trimming is more like a touch up and less like a hard trim. Also on the 2nd reload I only need to trim about 1 in 5 cases. Most were trimmed at the 1st reload and don't need anything else at the 2nd. I do not check 3rd reloaded cases.

At least with .223 if you use a taper seating die, if your cases are different lengths, you are going to squash shoulders on the case. I trim mine to 1.755. This is just short of max trimmed length.

kwg

 

I have a Hornady LnL AP Progressive with the Dillon RT-1200.
I do the same.

 

Yes. Like most, for me it's faster to trim them than it is to measure them.

 

After sizing all my .223 brass is dropped into a Lyman case gauge. The ones that show to be too long are trimmed. The ones that won't drop in are sized again or (more likely) the extractor burrs are filed from the rim. No case makes it to the next reloading step without passing my case gauge checks.

 

I have a press mounted trimmer size/deprime then trim, if it needs it material is removed if not, nothing happens. I can run through up to 1800 an hour, much faster than handling each case.

 

Not exactly.

When I buy once-fired brass (or at least brass that is new to me), I set the trimmer up at 1.750 and run every cartridge through it. Some, the cutter head doesn't even touch while others seem to go on forever.

Once that brass has been reloaded, past experience teaches me the brass will "grow" by about 0.002 on each firing, so I set the trimmer to 1.753 and run all my "twice fired" cases through it. Generally, none actually get trimmed on that pass through the trimmer.

I don't crimp my .223 loads and minor variations in case length don't seem to matter to my Mini-14.

I recently started reloading .223 for a Savage Axis which appears to have a much tighter chamber than my Mini-14 and for those loads, I am going to trim the brass to 1.750 each time until I gain experience with what needs to be done and what doesn't.

 

Or a guy that buys already prepped brass.

 

Is that because you don't reload your brass a second or third time?

Or is it because you don't see a reason to trim the brass?