What about too SHORT brass?

[Vitamin G]

I'll br firing all my 30-06 through just one rifle, a savage, so i picked up a Lee collet die set in addition to the full length die set. When i use the Collet sizer (yellow set, it only resizes the neck and punches out the old primer) sometimes the brass is shorter than the trim-to length. Is this safe to use or should i run it through the full length sizer, and when it gets longer, trim it back to the specified trim-to length? I'd like to get the most out of my case life as possible, and i heard using the collet dies significantly extend the brass life.

 

[Crosshair]

30-06 headspaces on the neck so as long as the case holds the bullet and you arn't using "balls to the wall" handloads you should be fine. How much shorter are we talking about? Brass gets longer with use so I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Ol` Joe]

sometimes the brass is shorter than the trim-to length. Is this safe to use or should i run it through the full length sizer, and when it gets longer, trim it back to the specified trim-to length? I'd like to get the most out of my case life as possible, and i heard using the collet dies significantly extend the brass life

I think if you check the cases are getting shorter when fired, not from the collet die. The case body expands outward when fired filling the chamber and shortens up a bit. They then "grow" when squeezed back down by your sizer and the brass flows foreward. Think of it as a balloon. Squeeze it in the middle (sizeing) and the balloon flows out on the ends lengthening. Pull the canter out or otherwise expand it in the middle and the ends come in "shortening" it. (fireing)

The cases are fine if they are a tad short. I trim mine 0.015" under max when I trim just to prolong the cycle. It won`t hurt them to go short as long as it isn`t excessive. The bottle neck cartridges, if rimless, headspace on a datum point on the shoulder of the case. You won`t change head space or endanger your self or rifle.

The collet die only sizes the neck and doesn`t work the shoulder or body of the case. That is the reason for the extended case life when useing them. Other types of neck sizers size the same area and leave the rest of the case untouched, aiding useful life also. I have found when useing a collet die on my cases I rarely need to trim after the first trimming and discard cases at 12-15 fireings "just because". The cases are not wore out yet in the sense they are damaged. I just feel they should be replaced before trouble occures not after.