Trimming Question, Any Downside To...

[Redhouse]

Trimming a little shorter than book minimum case length?

Here are the facts:

-it's a 260AI but with no available data I'm assuming regular 260 data is correct
-Nosler brass, fireformed then once fired after that
-of 45 cases, not a single one is even as long as the trim to length of 2.025"
-the shortest one is 1.999"
-in the interest of having them be consistent, I'm trimming all to 2.000" plus or minus .001"

As they have shot fine to this point, and as noted are below 'trim-to' length, I am assuming there is no risk or potential for problems with this very minor deviation (.025 underlength). But I hate making assumptions in something that I am relatively new at, reloading. I also recognize that there is *some point* at which they would definitely be too short, but logic tells me I am nowhere near that point.

Your thoughts?

 

[Canuck223]

Reformed cases tend to be a tad short.

I'd be tempted to fire them twice while working up a load, then trim them.

Not that I did a huge amount of rifle loading compared to some here, but I always started out with 120 cases, so after fire forming and trimming, I'd have more than 100 to use.

 

[Silverado]

Other than making sure the neck is long enough to properly hold the bullet under tension at your loaded COL, there should really be no problem.

 

[denydart]

Neck length really only becomes a problem at the long end of the scale. You're going to be fine with what you propose as long as you're ok with a smaller contact area between case and bullet.

As far as Ackley Imp. loads go, I think the rule is a 5% increase but you can check the Hodgdon site stickied up top and compare all the normal vs. Imp. chamberings to confirm.