Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

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Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by juststarting » 14 May 2016, 10:37 am

I have 100'ish .223 PPU cases. Now, before we get into how much we hate PPU, my .308 batch is on the fifth cycle of reloads and looking fine. Brass is fine, though it is sh@$y quality ammo (more on that in Tumbling thread). Which brings me to my question.

The SAAMI spec says that .223 min case length should be 44.70mm. However, after measuring this PPU batch, once fired, I am getting length of 44.60 - 44.65ish after neck-only resizing.

Measured using digital varnier callipers and sampled with mechanical varnier calipers to confirm. Never had this issue with .308 PPU brass.

Wondering if it's okay to reload them at this case length?

In case question comes up, they will be used in Browning X-Bolt.
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by on_one_wheel » 14 May 2016, 11:16 am

.1mm too short won't cause you any dramas.

The brass won't take long to grow a bit.

That kind of eye for detail and your willingness to follow fine tolerances will have you loading some fine ammo.
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by Apollo » 14 May 2016, 11:18 am

The maximum length for a .223R Case is 44.71mm (1.760") and the minumum suggested trim length is 44.45mm (1.760") so you are fine.

I don't work in mm for reloading measurements so 1.760" is you maximum you should ever let a case length measure. The standard is to trim cases 0.010" below max so that gives you 1.760" and if you use the likes of a Lee Case Trim that is what it will cut them too.

I prefer cases to be longer than minimum and I use a case trimmer I can set the length, usually all cases are as long as possible and to be all a consistant length as long as they are under maximum.

You'll be fine.
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by <<Genesis93>> » 14 May 2016, 1:23 pm

nothing wrong with PPU....they make quality brass.

The 44.70mm is a case maximum... not minimum.
Reason being - the chamber has a minimum set of dimensions to which it must be cut allowing an 'envelope' of tolerance (so ammo, all ammo, will chamber).

Min Chamber to the neck is 45.01mm (CIP) so provided the chamber is cut to absolute minimum, and brass is sized to absolute maximum - there will be a minimum 'clearance' of 0.31mm at the neck-to-chamber.

Note CIP provides the case length as an absolute Maximum of 44.70(so anything less effectively),
while Mr SAAMI provides a tolerance of 44.70mm-0.51, so therefore 44.19 to 44.70 are 'acceptable' (or 1.760-0.020 for imperialists)
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by Wes » 05 Jul 2016, 12:55 pm

juststarting wrote:Now, before we get into how much we hate PPU


Ha ha.

It's alright, a bit dirty but always hunting accurate when I've seen it used.
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by Berper » 06 Jul 2016, 3:17 pm

<<Genesis93>> wrote:(or 1.760-0.020 for imperialists)


Don't encourage them, leave it unexplained so they have to convert :lol:
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by huccl » 12 Aug 2016, 12:52 pm

The necks will stretch quite happily to fill a slight shortfall.
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by superkel66 » 19 Aug 2016, 9:12 pm

<<Genesis93>> wrote:nothing wrong with PPU....they make quality brass.

The 44.70mm is a case maximum... not minimum.
Reason being - the chamber has a minimum set of dimensions to which it must be cut allowing an 'envelope' of tolerance (so ammo, all ammo, will chamber).

Min Chamber to the neck is 45.01mm (CIP) so provided the chamber is cut to absolute minimum, and brass is sized to absolute maximum - there will be a minimum 'clearance' of 0.31mm at the neck-to-chamber.

Note CIP provides the case length as an absolute Maximum of 44.70(so anything less effectively),
while Mr SAAMI provides a tolerance of 44.70mm-0.51, so therefore 44.19 to 44.70 are 'acceptable' (or 1.760-0.020 for imperialists)


never had any problems with PPU in my 308.it all reloaded fine too.
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by juststarting » 19 Aug 2016, 9:51 pm

I haven't had an issue with PPU either. In fact some cases are on load number 5 (neck only), in my 308. I just know some people don't like it, so I preempted that...
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by tom604 » 19 Aug 2016, 10:20 pm

all brass grows when you fire it,must of been shorter the first time ;) i cant understand why you didn't check your ammo before you fired it :twisted: :lol:
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by juststarting » 19 Aug 2016, 10:24 pm

tom604 wrote:all brass grows when you fire it,must of been shorter the first time ;) i cant understand why you didn't check your ammo before you fired it :twisted: :lol:


Me? Those were factory rounds, I shot them, then checked cases during prep - hence was asking, so there, ha!
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by tom604 » 19 Aug 2016, 10:53 pm

sorry mate i should of put the sarcasm icon instead of the evil smile :oops: :twisted: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by juststarting » 20 Aug 2016, 12:37 am

it's all good :)
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by Bourt » 25 Aug 2016, 12:00 pm

tom604 wrote:sorry mate i should of put the sarcasm icon instead of the evil smile :oops: :twisted: :lol: :lol:


Geez learn to emote properly will ya :lol:
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by sandgroperbill » 25 Aug 2016, 12:25 pm

FWIW I hate PPU for reloading. I've tried it a couple of times for both .30-06 and .303, and had problems with both. My FL dies just don't like it. I've had no issues with other brands (winchester, remington, hornady) though. I know other people love it for other cals, and I wonder if perhaps different cals come from different factories? Could explain the love/hate it gets
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by duncan61 » 18 Sep 2016, 10:23 pm

I used to buy .222 highland AX by the 100 in factory ammo as the load replicated my own load of 23.2g of 2208ADI with a 50g win psp projectile as it was costing about 42 cents a reload and the brass was excellent quality.This is the same as PPU and is military grade with waterproof primer.At the time other shooters were saying it was no good but I think that must of been based on price as I was culling in the gascoiyne region and never had a misfire or flyer in 5 years and I am still reloading that brass.In .243 I went through all the 2000 cases I had and only kept the PPU stamped brass as it was more uniform and the cases weighed a similar amount.Regards your question.I believe unless you are loading match ammo case length should not be a problem
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Re: Is it okay to reload cases that are under min length?

Post by sungazer » 21 Jan 2018, 5:56 pm

This thread is pretty old but I was just doing a search on some brass questions that I had read on here and saw this and had a laugh. One of the many mistakes I have made was to overtrim about 40 308 Lapua cases. I was using the lapua case length gauge and cutter and I thought it indexed off the change in diameter of the mandrel that i thought effectively gave the length. So I wanted to automate the process a bit as that tool is pretty hard and slow work. so I put the cutter and length gauge in the lathe and then just held the cases in my hand and pushed them onto the cutter. it was working a treat. Then I measured them and they were only 49 mm long. What the F oh s**t. Then I started to look at everything to see what and why things went wrong. It turned out that the length gauge actually used the tip if the mandrel the part that exits the flash hole and needs to have the shell holder and the special adapter thing screwed to the shell holder.
Anyway I have been using the brass for practice shoots rather than comps and not really found any difference. I dont have the problem with the bullet just being seated in the very last few mm of the neck. It might effect concentricy but I dont think so I can see the difference so all good other than a long reminder of the time I F up. :oops: :D
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