308 Cases Longer After Resizing

S

SouthPaw700

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
105   0   0
Location
PE
Hi all, I realize that after a case resizing the case will be a little longer, but just wondering how much is normal? I resized once fired federal brass last night and the length before resizing averaged about 2.012" after resizing most of the cases are 2.019-2.022, does this seem like a normal amount? This was my first time ever resizing and decapping cartridges of any kind, so I'm not really sure what I should be expecting.

Thanks for your input!
 
Sounds about right.

Soon you will encounter my least favourite part of reloading - trimming.

Got to get me an electric one.
 
Haha yeah, I was going to order a trimmer, but cabelas had the Lee ones that you use with a power drill on back order, so who knows when those will come in. I'm not sure where else I could get one in a relatively short amount of time, anyone have any ideas? I live in PEI by the way :)
 
there was a rcbs trimmer on here if im right , i have my friends rcbs trimmer here and i use a adapter looks like a external drill chuck that clamps onto a bolt that is screwed into the trimmer then i put my rigid drill on the end and drill away , send me your email if interested and i will send pics ive trimmed thousands of brass in the last 2 years much quicker than using a cordless screwdriver,
 
GSoD said:
Sounds about right.

Soon you will encounter my least favourite part of reloading - trimming.

Got to get me an electric one.
Click to expand...

Buy a Giuard Power Trimmer. Your least favorite part of reloading will be cured forever. I actually look forward to trimming now!

.223 is a great round, Remington and Savages have a good following, don't think you could go wrong with either.

Like others said, make sure you get a decent twist so you can shoot the heavy 69gr and up bullets.

I shoot a Rem 700P in .308 and love it.

Good luck!
 
gushulak said:
Buy a Giuard Power Trimmer. Your least favorite part of reloading will be cured forever. I actually look forward to trimming now!

.223 is a great round, Remington and Savages have a good following, don't think you could go wrong with either.

Like others said, make sure you get a decent twist so you can shoot the heavy 69gr and up bullets.

I shoot a Rem 700P in .308 and love it.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Where can you get a Guard Power Trimmer?
 
SouthPaw, that seems like an excessive amount of stretch. I haven't reloaded rifle cartridges for a while (cranked out lots of .40 S&W though) but if I recall when I was loading them last, my cases grew by about .002''-.003'' max. I understand that some expander balls can cause excessive neck stretch during resizing. Try lubing the inside of your case necks with a non oily lubricant and see if it makes a difference. Depending on the die manufacturer, a more eliptical expander ball may be available.
 
SouthPaw700 said:
Hi all, I realize that after a case resizing the case will be a little longer, but just wondering how much is normal? I resized once fired federal brass last night and the length before resizing averaged about 2.012" after resizing most of the cases are 2.019-2.022, does this seem like a normal amount? This was my first time ever resizing and decapping cartridges of any kind, so I'm not really sure what I should be expecting.

Thanks for your input!
Click to expand...

Read a very good piece on Accurate reloading .com about chamber measuring. This guy states that a lot of guys do unnecessary trimming because they have never accurately measure the length of their chamber. Apparantly many factory chambers are a little larger than say a custom chamber and therefore can handle some what longer brass. FS
 
Fassteel said:
Read a very good piece on Accurate reloading .com about chamber measuring. This guy states that a lot of guys do unnecessary trimming because they have never accurately measure the length of their chamber. Apparantly many factory chambers are a little larger than say a custom chamber and therefore can handle some what longer brass. FS
Click to expand...

I couldn't take issue with this but from what I've read the consequences for being wrong can be severe. Being a chicken #### myself I'd opt for trimming to within manual limits and leaving the intended safety margins as they are.
 
Take a spent case, measure the neck diameter and the shoulder diameter, also, you can measure the appromative length of the neck. Then, do the same for a resized case and compare the readings.

If the shoulder and neck of the fired case is bigger (wider) than the resized one, then a part of the "stretching" goes there. Nothing to worry about if the cases were trimmed, reformed and measured after one firing and are still the same once reformed. If the case stretches between the reforming, then you have a hot load. maybe should you back a bit (estimating you resize to close fit the chamber, and not full lenght resize to minimum dimensions).
 
I didn't trim the case before the FL resize, and measured the neck and case on one before and after resizing. Here's the findings:

Before
Neck: 0.344"
Case: 0.465"

After
Neck: 0.337"
Case: 0.459"

I measured the case part half way down, more or less as an avg measure just to illustrate my findings. So i guess this explains my longer cases. Now the questions is, before I prime and charge, should I trim to the 2.015" or would it be better to take it down to something like 2.010"? These are all just once fired cases, mostly federal.
 
i hear giraud power trimmers can get pretty expensive, went to check giraud's website they quote 389USD:eek:
 
As mentioned ealier, lube the inside of your case necks. The ball expander is 'dragging' the case neck longer. Lubing inside the case neck reduces it.
 
I have some .308 wich are doing the same, and once reformed they are the exact same length as when trimmed.

Once fire them, and resize. Then, trim to close to minimum length. Fire, resize and measure. You should be fine.
 
HKMark23 said:
I couldn't take issue with this but from what I've read the consequences for being wrong can be severe. Being a chicken s**t myself I'd opt for trimming to within manual limits and leaving the intended safety margins as they are.
Click to expand...

Over past years there are some hunting rifles that have a reputation of short/tight chambers.
IIRC: Remington 788 (especially early made ones)
Browning Model 81 BLR
Savage Model 99 too, I think??

It goes without saying any match .308 should or would likely be short chambered as well.

On the opposite side, Winchester Model 70 Featherweight & most Mausers, were 'safer' choices in this matter.
 
SouthPaw700 said:
Haha yeah, I was going to order a trimmer, but cabelas had the Lee ones that you use with a power drill on back order, so who knows when those will come in. I'm not sure where else I could get one in a relatively short amount of time, anyone have any ideas? I live in PEI by the way :)
Click to expand...

I use a cheapo bench top drill press with the LEE case length gauge/cutter in the chuck and the holder and case in my hand. No need to turn off the dril press, very fast and consistent. I often clean necks with this drill press as well. On sale last week too, these little gems have 1001 uses.
32068BrassTrimming_004.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom