case oal ?

Share information about reloading the 204 Ruger.
fredbeer
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:40 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: none

case oal ?

Post by fredbeer »

I can't find any info on max case oal. Only found total cartridge oal and trim to length 1.84. What have you all found to be max before you trim?

I'm using new Rem brass that I've loaded once. Running between 1.848 and 1.854

Thanks
acloco
Senior Member
Posts: 1708
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:53 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: 12FV, 12BVSS -S
Location: Nebraska

Re: case oal ?

Post by acloco »

I run up to 0.010" long...and trim after that.

BUT, I know exactly, how much free space I have in the bore.

You don't want to find out the hard way...chamber pressure gets in the super ugly range...but quick!
WrzWaldo
Senior Member
Posts: 745
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:34 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington XR-100 / Savage-Douglas-Richards

Re: case oal ?

Post by WrzWaldo »

The Hornady manual says the max case length is 1.85", that is for a SAAMI spec. chamber.

To find your true max case length you will need to measure your chamber with a chamber length gauge.

WW
skipper
Moderator
Posts: 1404
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 3:32 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington XR 100, Custom build Lilja/Panda/Shehane/Jewell
Location: Cypress, TX

Re: case oal ?

Post by skipper »

Here is a picture of a chamber length gauge:
Image
Make sure your cases don't exceed that length and you are good to go. That being said, when you first fire virgin brass some cases will become longer and some will actually get shorter so you wouldn't want to shoot virgin brass at the maximum safe length. That probably won't be the case since most brass is way short of what you will measure. You do want to have your brass fill your chamber so the bullet is supported as it enters the rifling. You don't want it long enough to get pushed into the free bore section, which is a smaller diameter, and clamp down on the bullet. That would cause a dangerous increase in chamber pressure.

Without the gauge, hold them between 1.840 and 1.850 if you can find brass that long.
Image Hold 'em & Squeeze 'em
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