O A Length

nazier · January 24, 2012, 10:24 AM

Hi.
Bi how much can i trim my rifle casses below the maximum O A Lenth

AllenJ · January 24, 2012, 10:32 AM

All the reloading manuals I have used give this information and it's always been trim .010" from the max for the cartridges I've loaded for. I would suggest checking your manual though for your specific cartridge.

**Unclenick** · January 24, 2012, 12:14 PM

Nazier,

The way SAAMI specs on cases work is they specify a maximum with a minus tolerance. The tolerance is different for different cases, but for most rifle cases it is -0.020". The trim-to number you see in some manuals is simply in the middle of that tolerance to give you the most room for error either side of it.

SAAMI allows free access to their specs published in 1992. A number of cartridges have been added since then, but the common standard rounds are in the old information. You find your cartridge in the lists in the first half of the document and those drawing have the cartridge on top and the chamber below. The second half of the document includes pressure and velocity test barrel information.

All that said, for some cartridges you can trim below SAAMI spec. A lot of service rifle match shooters used to trim to -.035 to -.040 below SAAMI maximum when a case was new just so they could trim once and never trim again before they wore them cases out, which happens faster in a semi-auto gas gun than in a bolt gun. That practice is not best for consistent neck tension and is not useful in cases that will be crimped, but for non-crimped match loads for offhand and the sitting and prone rapid phases, the accuracy is fine.

nazier · January 25, 2012, 02:53 PM

Thanks for the info.. i seem to have lost my hornady manual while moving house and cant find one in my side of the world

January 24, 2012, 10:24 AM	#1
nazier Junior Member Join Date: January 9, 2012 Location: cape town south africa Posts: 5	O A Length Hi. Bi how much can i trim my rifle casses below the maximum O A Lenth

January 24, 2012, 12:14 PM	#3
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,061	Nazier, The way SAAMI specs on cases work is they specify a maximum with a minus tolerance. The tolerance is different for different cases, but for most rifle cases it is -0.020". The trim-to number you see in some manuals is simply in the middle of that tolerance to give you the most room for error either side of it. SAAMI allows free access to their specs published in 1992. A number of cartridges have been added since then, but the common standard rounds are in the old information. You find your cartridge in the lists in the first half of the document and those drawing have the cartridge on top and the chamber below. The second half of the document includes pressure and velocity test barrel information. All that said, for some cartridges you can trim below SAAMI spec. A lot of service rifle match shooters used to trim to -.035 to -.040 below SAAMI maximum when a case was new just so they could trim once and never trim again before they wore them cases out, which happens faster in a semi-auto gas gun than in a bolt gun. That practice is not best for consistent neck tension and is not useful in cases that will be crimped, but for non-crimped match loads for offhand and the sitting and prone rapid phases, the accuracy is fine. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

January 25, 2012, 02:53 PM	#4
nazier Junior Member Join Date: January 9, 2012 Location: cape town south africa Posts: 5	Trim lenth Thanks for the info.. i seem to have lost my hornady manual while moving house and cant find one in my side of the world

January 24, 2012, 10:32 AM	#2
AllenJ Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,766	All the reloading manuals I have used give this information and it's always been trim .010" from the max for the cartridges I've loaded for. I would suggest checking your manual though for your specific cartridge.