.223 trimming - acceptable tolerances?

Lilswede1 · November 8, 2011, 11:11 PM

Prepping 600 LC .223 brass.
After depriming and sizing, used the RCBS Trim Pro.
Most (90+%) measured 1.750" - 1.751"; a few were 1.749" and 1.752".
What, if any, is the generally accepted tolerance for OAL?

ejhc11 · November 8, 2011, 11:21 PM

They all look fine, unless you are match shooting. Just don't get anymore below the 1.749. Regular plinking will be fine, if you are shooting out of a semi-auto its gonna stretch out the next time anyway.

jepp2 · November 9, 2011, 12:08 AM

Unless you plan to crimp, I don't worry too much about exactly hitting the min spec on trimming without going below. If you were using and RCBS X die, you would trim to 1.740" initially. At worst you are losing a very tiny bit of neck tension. The minor variation you see is common when trimming.

Yurko · November 9, 2011, 01:13 AM

I'm with jepp2.
The variances you're seeing are normal.

dsr30 · November 9, 2011, 01:22 AM

IIRC min length is 1.740" and max is 1.760".

Jim243 · November 9, 2011, 08:44 AM

Should work without a problem, but I would be more concerned with where the shoulder came to.

Jim

November 8, 2011, 11:11 PM	#1
Lilswede1 Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2008 Location: NW Wash State Posts: 216	.223 trimming - acceptable tolerances? Prepping 600 LC .223 brass. After depriming and sizing, used the RCBS Trim Pro. Most (90+%) measured 1.750" - 1.751"; a few were 1.749" and 1.752". What, if any, is the generally accepted tolerance for OAL?

November 9, 2011, 08:44 AM	#6
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	Should work without a problem, but I would be more concerned with where the shoulder came to. Jim __________________ Si vis pacem, para bellum

November 8, 2011, 11:21 PM	#2
ejhc11 Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2010 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 110	They all look fine, unless you are match shooting. Just don't get anymore below the 1.749. Regular plinking will be fine, if you are shooting out of a semi-auto its gonna stretch out the next time anyway.

November 9, 2011, 12:08 AM	#3
jepp2 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,476	Unless you plan to crimp, I don't worry too much about exactly hitting the min spec on trimming without going below. If you were using and RCBS X die, you would trim to 1.740" initially. At worst you are losing a very tiny bit of neck tension. The minor variation you see is common when trimming.

November 9, 2011, 01:13 AM	#4
Yurko Junior Member Join Date: January 20, 2010 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 13	I'm with jepp2. The variances you're seeing are normal.

November 9, 2011, 01:22 AM	#5
dsr30 Junior Member Join Date: October 28, 2011 Location: VA Posts: 5	IIRC min length is 1.740" and max is 1.760".