Case length question.

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  • Texas Sheepdawg

    Case length question.

    I'm getting ready to reload some once fired brass. So I start reading the Hornady Vol. 8 reloading manual to see what my cases should be trimmed to, if needed at all. Now I find myself in a delima. Hornady book states case length as:
    Max Case Length 1.516"
    Trim Case Length 1.506"

    However, Alexander Arms data states:
    Max case Length 1.526"
    Min case Length. 1.520"

    To me, that's a big difference that could affect pressures, accuracy and case life. So what's the deal? Since I have an AA barrel, I want my brass dead nuts. Do I go with the Alexander Data or Hornady?

  • #2
    I went with AA data and trim mine to 1.520". I hope others chime in with their trim lengths.

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    • #3
      I trim to 1.520".. So far mine is as accurate as I could ask for

      Comment


      • #4
        do you size and then trim to get the most consistancy? or do you trim before any other reloading process?

        I have noticed, I get about .005" - ,006" length increase after sizing.

        Comment


        • #5
          I size, then trim. Too many things can happen if you trim first.

          Comment

          • Drifter
            Chieftain
            • Mar 2011
            • 1662

            #6
            I trim to 1.520 after sizing.
            Drifter

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            • bwaites
              Moderator
              • Mar 2011
              • 4445

              #7
              Lots of my Lapua cases are less than 1.520 to start, how do I make them longer? LOL

              I've never trimmed a single Grendel case, and I have some with more that 20 reloads. I know that LR1955 has similar numbers of reloads and doesn't trim his Grendel brass either.

              Comment

              • Texas Sheepdawg

                #8
                I always decap/resize, clean then trim if needed. It's not good practice to trim before you resize. Unless you like chasing your own tail. But that's another thread.
                Why the variance between AA and Hornady? Is Hornady a typo? AA? Seems like AA would know their own specs so that makes me wonder about Hornady data on the whole.

                Comment

                • rasp65
                  Warrior
                  • Mar 2011
                  • 660

                  #9
                  Dawg I measured my chamber length with one of these http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pi...er-Length-Gage
                  My chamber length is 1.540".

                  Comment

                  • Texas Sheepdawg

                    #10
                    Originally posted by rasp65 View Post
                    Dawg I measured my chamber length with one of these http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pi...er-Length-Gage
                    My chamber length is 1.540".
                    So, with that tool, you just have to shorten the neck to allow the tool to have a bit of travel?
                    However, I'm still wondering why there is such a difference between Hornady and the creator, AA.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by bwaites View Post
                      I've never trimmed a single Grendel case, and I have some with more that 20 reloads. I know that LR1955 has similar numbers of reloads and doesn't trim his Grendel brass either.
                      Can you measure your brass and see how long it is getting?

                      My Hornady brass is between 1.532 and 1.536 after 2 firings. The no-go gauge is at 1.527 if I recall correctly. I don't own one yet but I think that's what I read the spec is.

                      I'll drop a piece of unloaded and untrimmed brass in the gun and see if the bolt closes and is allowed to fire. I would assume it should not fire if the head space and chamber are correct.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Texas Sheepdawg View Post
                        I'm getting ready to reload some once fired brass. So I start reading the Hornady Vol. 8 reloading manual to see what my cases should be trimmed to, if needed at all. Now I find myself in a delima. Hornady book states case length as:
                        Max Case Length 1.516"
                        Trim Case Length 1.506"

                        However, Alexander Arms data states:
                        Max case Length 1.526"
                        Min case Length. 1.520"

                        To me, that's a big difference that could affect pressures, accuracy and case life. So what's the deal? Since I have an AA barrel, I want my brass dead nuts. Do I go with the Alexander Data or Hornady?
                        ok that is a big differance simple though to explain..... if one thinks about it AA has defined their reamer to 1.526" (?) trimming at this length keeps the brass from crimping the bullet while allowing as much neck as possiable. OTHERS whom chamber in this caliber or about the same thing ( all with sutle differances) have a little bit differances which is WHY Hornady is backing most reloaders down to 1.516" and under simply because they do not have Everybody's differant reamer specs and to provide safe limits they error to the safe side less neck.
                        SOOOOOO if I bought my barrel from AA I would trim to AA's max specs (or a thou under) if my brass made finally streatched that far. If my barrel was by someone else I would trim to Hornady's or my manufactuer specs that they recommend.
                        personally I want as much neck as possiable, as long as it did not pose a issue.
                        PS I have yet to trim annnnnyyy Grr brass just has not streatched to 1.516" yet.
                        Last edited by Guest; 12-29-2011, 05:20 PM.

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                        • #13
                          Here's the way I look at it. Hornady didn't design the Grendel ...... AA did.

                          Comment

                          • sneaky one
                            Chieftain
                            • Mar 2011
                            • 3077

                            #14
                            It's an old thread, but I trim all my brass to 1.515.( My goal was to trim once, then never again over the life of the brass, I thought 10-12 times would be all) Back then( 2008) the wolf brass would stretch to 1.560 on some. I used 1.515 as a standard. Now ( 3 yrs. later), I've measured some older AA brass= after 12-14 reloads, and it all chambers fine, I don't even measure them anymore, just toss them in the chamber to test function=(good to go, or not) ... although it's time to take up annealing those old brass, as they don't hold neck tension as before. That's not because of neck length. Rasp 65 explained long ago how to test your chamber, for brass OAL's. I tried it and mine is 1.536. IIRC. This is a low maintenance round , if it's not hot-rodded.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by sgt_murf View Post
                              ok that is a big differance simple though to explain..... if one thinks about it AA has defined their reamer to 1.526" (?) trimming at this length keeps the brass from crimping the bullet while allowing as much neck as possiable. OTHERS whom chamber in this caliber or about the same thing ( all with sutle differances) have a little bit differances which is WHY Hornady is backing most reloaders down to 1.516" and under simply because they do not have Everybody's differant reamer specs and to provide safe limits they error to the safe side less neck.
                              SOOOOOO if I bought my barrel from AA I would trim to AA's max specs (or a thou under) if my brass made finally streatched that far. If my barrel was by someone else I would trim to Hornady's or my manufactuer specs that they recommend.
                              personally I want as much neck as possiable, as long as it did not pose a issue.
                              PS I have yet to trim annnnnyyy Grr brass just has not streatched to 1.516" yet.
                              Ramshot and Accurate list a "trim-to-length" of 1.50, VV/Lapua lists a "trim-to-length" of 1.516. I was curious about the differences in case length between the powder guys and Alexander Arms, so I called em. I talked to Johan at Western Powders and asked him why his data was so much different than AA data. Without going into a lot of detail he told me "those are the exact specs supplied to us by Alexander Arms". My guess is if you contact Hornady you will find the specs they use were also supplied to them by AA.

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