How short is too short?

[B-78]

I was given a bunch of brass from an estate. There is at least 1000+ 308 brass of mostly WW Super head stamp that is necked down to 243. Been a few years since I owned a 243 but thought I might as well pick one up as I was also given a bunch of components and powder I could load up and shoot.
I started measuring the brass and it varies any where from 2.021” to 2.029”. Hodgdon says to trim brass to 2.035”. I know it is not a lot but is the 2.021” brass to short to bother with.
Rifle I bought comes with a bunch of factory ammo so I could shoot and reload it. With all the snow and cold we are getting I am looking for projects in the reloading room to pass the evening. Jets don’t play every night

 

[boxhitch]

kiss answer, No, its not too short

There are so many other points to consider but I won't go speckl-ating

 

[RifleDude]

Should be perfectly fine. At least you'll probably never have to trim these cases

 

[Canuck65]

Not too short.

 

[Ganderite]

If the bullet does not fall out, they are not too short.

 

[jamesharrison]

You may want to check to make sure the neck walls are not too thick.
The reason the cases are so short is that the shoulder is now longer than before [what was the neck is now the longer shoulder to reduce the neck down from 0.308" to 0.243"].

 

[Dogleg]

At one time I was routinely necking down 7 Rem to 257 Weatherby. They would come up 50 thou short, and it didn’t make a bit of difference. Just meant you’d never have to trim them.

 

[Gatehouse]

The only down side is that you may have a tiny bit more carbon build up. I would load and shoot.

 

[B-78]

Thanks for the replies. I will sit down and sort a bunch by length, then throw in the Thumbler and clean them. The new to me rifle will not make it until Christmas, as I had to arrange a ride for it because of the postal strike. Then I can start to play a bit on nice days.
If I do 200 of the neck sized brass along with the 200 factory, should be all the 243 brass I will ever need. Thinking it will be my new deer rifle as I gave my 6mm Cooper to my daughter. I moved my deer blind and elevated it to a spot where I can see 250+ yds. Even though all my shots were well under 100yds this year the potential for longer is there and the 223 might not be the best choice.

 

[woodchopper]

might have issues if you have dies that roll crimp if all the brass is short and different lengths

but other then that you should be fine

 

[Hmatt]

4.17” according to the CFO and most women.