Cartridge length for .223

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Help! I am new to reloading and am finding numerous different answers online. I am using range pick up brass. I am not looking for crazy precision, just reliability for plinking/3-gun.
My questions are for the prep side of things

What is the minimum case length for .223 (I have some short cases)

What is the maximum case for .223 (I have seen 1.740 up to 1.760 from SAAMI)

How important is it to separate brass by manufacturer. I won't be loading to max. Again not looking for sniper like precision.

I have looked at the SAAMI specs, and the interwebby, and some of the reloading videos posted on here. I seem to be getting a bunch of different answers for the maximum length (or length to trim to) but nothing about minimum length. When I measure a factory case round it measures 1.740 and yet the Saami spec is 1.760.

Confused I am!

Thanks for the help
 
I'm looking at the SAAMI spec (at least their pdf version) and it gives me "1.760 - .030"

I take that as "max case length" is 1.760 inches with down to 1.730 as "acceptable".

I trim my 223 to 1.750" when I'm loading them.
 
Not to sound like a #### but you should seriously invest in a reloading manual, it will give you what you need. Id suggest a Berger manual. If you load your rounds shorter then OAL spec you can have issues with pressure.

Cheers!!
 
Galamb is providing the correct SAAMI spec. Depending on how short your cases are it may or may not be a problem. A few hundredths of an inch short of minimum wouldn't be a problem as long as you are not seating too deep.

Also, no need to sort brass for bulk loads as long as you are in the middle of the load range and your rifle shows no pressure signs across the range of brass used. I've found lately that it's worth out-sorting FC and Win brass (in addition to military 5.56 brass) since these seem to be crimped in more recent manufacture.
 
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scott_r said:
Not to sound like a #### but you should seriously invest in a reloading manual, it will give you what you need. Id suggest a Berger manual. If you load your rounds shorter then OAL spec you can have issues with pressure.

Cheers!!
Click to expand...

Reading and comprehension not so high with you? The OP is talking case length, not OAL. Case length has ZERO effect on pressure.
 
not sure that's correct. I could be wrong, but if you shorten the case, its capacity is reduced. stuff the same amount of powder in it and now you have more pressure. yes you could load to the same cartridge overall length, but if the case is too short you won't have enough bearing surface to hold the bullet correctly.

I do fully agree that the OP needs to invest in a or several good loading manuals. get the Lee Modern Reloading-second edition and the ABC's of Reloading. I am not sure you need anything from specific bullet or powder manufacturers to start out with as you will be using more than one powder or bullet, I hope.
 
Back to the original questions:

For plinking, non-precision loads, middle-range loads, sorting brass by manufacturer is not a high priority. This gets to be an issue when your loads are at max, or you need sub-MOA performance at 1000 yards.

The max case length according to a couple of reloading manuals I have is 1.760". I haven't seen a minimum length, but as mentioned earlier, SAAMI will have a spec for it. The only notes in regards to a minimum length is a trim-to length, usually 0.010 shorter than maximum.
Reducing the length of a bottleneck rifle case is not the same as bumping the shoulder, which would affect the case volume. Trimming 20 or 30 thou off the length of the neck will not change the powder capacity unless you are loading to the brim compressed loads.
 
I would check my manual and run with that.

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I trim my 223 cases to 1.75 if they get anywhere above 1.756. Ive had some brass as low as maybe 1.735 I think, and it shot fine.

I believe every chamber is a bit different, so to know for sure you would have to take a measurement of yours to know.
 
calvados.boulard said:
Asides from pressure, are there any issues with shorter cases? I mean, assuming there is enough grab to hold the projectile...?

Thanks,
Cal.
Click to expand...

if short means within reason, the only thing I can think of is accuracy.
uneven case lengths will yield a bit of spread in velocities.
but then again, since you're using unsorted cases, the spread of the "shorties" may very well blend in the overall case volume spread.

long story short, cases a bit under the spec are shootable.

PS: federal ammo usually has short brass from the factory.
 
calvados.boulard said:
Any advice on how much of an ES in case length would affect accuracy?

Thanks,
Cal.
Click to expand...

Any variation of any parameter in loading affects the accuracy. How much? It is difficult to tell given that so many other parameters influence accuracy as well.
Precision shooters are striving to minimize the variation of as many parameters as possible:
- case length
- neck wall thickness
- neck hardness (annealing)
- bullet runout
- powder charge (think of expensive 1/100grain scales)
- primer pocket shape and size
- primer quality (match)
- case volume
- bullet weight
- bullet shape (there are tipping dies available for match bullets)
- some even index the cartridge in the chamber
 
scott_r said:
Not to sound like a #### but you should seriously invest in a reloading manual, it will give you what you need. Id suggest a Berger manual. If you load your rounds shorter then OAL spec you can have issues with pressure.

Cheers!!
Click to expand...

I have many manuals........ With many different specs. Considering the Saami spec (which is sort of gospel) is completely different than the factory round I measured, I was confused. But thanks for actually answering my question.
 
Again.....I appreciate the help however all the loading manuals have the max length....but none have minimum length. So when I go and pick up range brass, and I measure something that is 1.25 (don't worry I am just exaggerating the shortness) as opposed to 1.770 (that needs to be trimmed) I need to know if I should toss the short case.....or load it.
 
calvados.boulard said:
Any advice on how much of an ES in case length would affect accuracy?

Thanks,
Cal.
Click to expand...

Case neck length is not the issue. Neck tension or the variation in neck tension is the factor. Gross difference in neck length could alter neck tension but things like work hardening of the brass and neck thickness or consistency are more likely to degrade accuracy.
 
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