Case trim length variances

Big Caliber · July 4, 2013, 08:50 PM

I've been using an RCBS case trimmer 2 for close to 20 years. I recently bought a trimmer made by Redding that has a micrometer built into it thinking that this would help to make my cases more consistantly uniform in length. I load for 308, 25-06, 45-70, and have now started loading 223's. I find I can generally get my cases to the same length 90% of the time. The rest are usually +- 0.001". I think my problem is that I can't apply the same amount of sideways pressure consistently as I turn the crank. Obviously, having all the cases of a given caliber the same length is the ideal. How much case length variance is allowable before downrange accuracy begins to suffer, assuming I'm doing everything else right? I'm using Lapua brass and Berger bullets. It hasn't really been an issue with the larger calibers, but I'm wondering about the smaller 223 cases.

July 4, 2013, 08:50 PM	#1
Big Caliber Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2006 Location: S. CA Posts: 421	Case trim length variances I've been using an RCBS case trimmer 2 for close to 20 years. I recently bought a trimmer made by Redding that has a micrometer built into it thinking that this would help to make my cases more consistantly uniform in length. I load for 308, 25-06, 45-70, and have now started loading 223's. I find I can generally get my cases to the same length 90% of the time. The rest are usually +- 0.001". I think my problem is that I can't apply the same amount of sideways pressure consistently as I turn the crank. Obviously, having all the cases of a given caliber the same length is the ideal. How much case length variance is allowable before downrange accuracy begins to suffer, assuming I'm doing everything else right? I'm using Lapua brass and Berger bullets. It hasn't really been an issue with the larger calibers, but I'm wondering about the smaller 223 cases.