223/5.56 Trim, measurment, Mental malfunction!

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Rule3

Rule3

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OK, I seemed to have messed up. I trimmed a bunch of 223/5.56 with my WFT. I have done many with this and all was well. Seems to have gone out of adjustment and my brass is now 1.737" OAL It was supposed to be 1.750.

It may not be the trimmer I may have pushed to hard on the power deburring bit and shaved off some with that? Well check with some untrimmed brass.

Regardless, is it OK to use this brass?. Just plinking loads with 55 gr BT FMJ bullets. (semi auto)

They may "grow" when resized again??

Thanks

:uhoh:
 
Thanks.

I have not checked yet, but is it possible (as in easy) to grind down that extra amount with a Wilson chamfering/deburr tool chucked in a drill??

Did a big batch all at one time so I may have gotten carried away!
 
When running under power you need just a very quick light touch to deburr or chamfer, but I don't think you took that much off with it. Trim another long case with the WFT and see what it measures. It may have gotten off. It's always a good idea to measure the first two or three cases trimmed each time you do a new batch. Stuff happens. Gremlins sneak into the reloading room and change things.
 
I just tested it with my "known" marked sample case.(done on a RCBS TRim Mate) I put it in the WFT until it touches the bit. It looks correct.

Then I trim a sized case and it comes out short? So I adjust the trimmer and it's a tad long. I readjust it and it's a tad short again. So I say, well you know, blank blank!:D

It's now about 1.747 depending on how the wind blows and the heat in the garage!! It's all the same headstamp. Just shot it yesterday, new ammo even (testing a new rifle)

Shoot the brass
Pick up the brass
Clean the brass
Size the brass
Trim the brass
Chamfer the brass
De burr the brass
remove the crimp in the brass
Clean the brass again
Load the brass

Man, I enjoy shooting 223/5.56 semi auto!:eek:

Back to the garage!

:D
 
1.747 is plenty close, but I know what you mean, adjusting them is a lesson in patience.
 
Your answer

Rule
your post #5

see - I told you its all about the brass.:D

seriously:
for 223 rem
SAMMI says 1.76 (- 0.02)
so 1.74 min.
and your 1.737 is only .003 off.:what:

How confident are you with your caliper measurements? hmmm:neener:
 
forestswin said:
Rule
your post #5

see - I told you its all about the brass.:D

seriously:
for 223 rem
SAMMI says 1.76 (- 0.02)
so 1.74 min.
and your 1.737 is only .003 off.:what:

How confident are you with your caliper measurements? hmmm:neener:
Click to expand...

I am confident in the equipment. I have a digital and a dial caliper plus a Wilson gauge. My ability to read or see correctly at times is in question!:D:D
 
I am also in the learning phase of reloading. It has been pointed out to me..."don't sweat the small stuff"

0.003 is pretty small stuff. If you were doing long range competition ammo you might start the sweating , but, plinking stuff, probably not.

I do not compete so I'll never be to the point of my reloads making it to the critical level. I don't try to "magnumize" my reloads so I'm with you on this. I want things to be as right as I can make it. Accurate enough to hit the paper and safe to shoot. Its all good...and fun.

Mark
 
Why not just buy a Lee case length gauge trimmer? They don't need to be adjusted, they always trim to the right length, can be operated on a drill, and they're very inexpensive. I've been using them since I started reloading, and haven't had to measure a case since.

GS
 
Yep. Been using a drill and Lee case length gauge trimmer for years on .223.
Assuming you already own a drill, a dinner for two at a fast food joint costs more.
But, I've never used a WFT, so I may be the one missing out.
 
forestswin said:
Rule
your post #5

see - I told you its all about the brass.:D

seriously:
for 223 rem
SAMMI says 1.76 (- 0.02)
so 1.74 min.
and your 1.737 is only .003 off.:what:

How confident are you with your caliper measurements? hmmm:neener:
Click to expand...
You must have a different SAAMI :) than My SAAMI. My SAAMI says 1.760 -.030 so anything between 1.730 and 1.760 is cool with my SAAMI and we typically trim to 1.750. The thing I stride for is uniformity within the specification range. Anyway, it won't matter, just choot em.

Ron
 
forestswin said:
Reloadron

yours? mine?
I'm just looking on their website

http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/publications/download/206.pdf

page 41

is there an update? or different website?
Click to expand...
Well I'll be damned. What's with that? If I look right here I get one drawing and using your link I get another drawing. Sure as hell each SAAMI drawing shows a different dimension for the same feature. OK, this is something I flat out don't get in my simple mind as both drawings are SAAMI of the same cartridge. Need to get my butt o the store but later will try and research this. Till then if anyone has any thoughts on this disparity please jump in. :)

Signed...
Clueless in Cleveland.
 
While I'm sure your ammo will turn out fine, I can't help but spot an opportunity here to bring up the problems associated with brass that is trimmed too short.

It happens more commonly to magnum rifle calibers due to excessive flame temp, but I'm sure it could affect others as well.

Inside the chamber you have that little space between where your case neck ends and the taper begins to start the LEADE of the rifling. If trimmed too short, this area can be pitted and "burnt" from excessive flame exposure. Heavy gas exposure and carbon pitting can build up a deposit that could cause a jam in an otherwise fully functioning device while hampering accuracy.

Anyone have any thoughts on this one?


Here is an article regarding this problem in a Magnum rifle:

http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/How+To+Break+In+a+Rifle+Barrel.html

SCROLL DOWN NEAR THE BOTTOM ----> 7MM RUM ARTICLE
 
Rule3 said:
This^^^^^^

Older is 1992 (up on the top)

New is questionable around 2001 per the index of updates.

Those wacky Engineers!:D
Click to expand...
Yeah, I can see and understand working to the latest revision level of a drawing. I also saw the date of '92 on the one but couldn't find a date on the other. So what it comes down to is a cartridge length of 1.760 -0.030 if we assume the link I was using is the latest rev. level?

Ron
 
I'm as picky as anyone, (probably more than most), .003", yeah, I'd try to improve, (just my nature), the difference probably has more to do with how long you hold the trimmer/brass, pressure, how much coffee you drank....003", about the thickness of human hair, CLOSE ENOUGH!
 
Rule3 said:
If you click here an and then cartridge drawings,(first section) then rifle. it pulls up the original and revised date with a ??

http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/index.cfm

Regardless I think we all can agree on the Max length and the trim length:)
Click to expand...
Yeah, I can agree with that. Just back from some shopping and thanks for doing the leg work. Really peculiar and something I never caught before. :)

Ron
 
There's even more

notice on the newer drawing they also reduced the minimum COL by 0.04"

but who knows what bullet that's for??

they're just adding to allowable slop!

a safety factor for those wacky engineers:D
 
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