223 trimming question

[motodog]

howdy im just resizing a shit pile of 223 cases tonight and was wondering if you guys trim before the case length reaches 1.760.almost 5000 hornady once fired brass and so far none of it is over 1.758.will be shooting it from an ar.would prefer the accuracy over anything.thanks fellas

 

[sawgunner2001]

Re: 223 trimming question

I trim to 1.750", the "trim to" length provided by most manuals. I have no idea how or why your cases are less than 1.58".

 

[TexIndian]

Re: 223 trimming question

All the new brass I've ever bought is shorter than the trim-to length so I run into the same issue when loading it. I hate to make it any shorter than it is already but for accuracy loading I try to make them all consistent in length. I set my trimmer to just barely touch the rims of the shorter cases (just based on a measurement of a random handful). It doesn't take any off the shorter cases but it does put a chamfer on them (my trimmer chamfers/deburrs at the same time it trims).

As they stretch out with use, I don't try to take them all the way back to the trim-to length. There's nothing magic about that measurement and no need to cut away more brass than needed. I typically trim to a length halfway between max and trim-to. Again, just making them all consistent is the key to accuracy.

 

[ZiaHunter]

Re: 223 trimming question

That is bunch of cases! What trimmer are you using? I trim mine on a Dillon 1200.

 

[motodog]

Re: 223 trimming question

all by hand,was gonna get a little crow trimmer but the new safe put a dent in my funds for now.thanks for the answers it will come in helpful.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: 223 trimming question

Monty,
You'll probably be fine for the first firing, then have to trim.
A RCBS x-die recommends trimming to "1.740", so over trimming isn't that big of a deal.
Question, where the hell did you get 5000 Hornady cases?
Miles