How short is too short?

[TX204FAN]

Well, I didn't get my case trimmer set up right and the set screw slipped a bit causing me to trim about 25 cases back to less than 1.45" they all vary in size as the thing was slipping ever so slightly a little at a time. So, my question is how short can I go on these cases? Can I use them with some longer length 50 grain bullets maybe until they grow back to 1.5" or so? This is my first round of reloads so I'm being careful on what I'm doing. Thanks for your comments.

[RAMOS]

Trim them all to the same length and keep them segregated from your 1.5's. See how they shoot and go from there. My 204 brass does not seem to grow much at all.

[Silverfox]

TX204FAN--Something just doesn't sound right with your statement:

I didn't get my case trimmer set up right and the set screw slipped a bit causing me to trim about 25 cases back to less than 1.45"

The maximum case length for a .204 Ruger casing is 1.850" and trim-to length is 1.840". If you trimmed your casings to 1.45" in length then you trimmed them BELOW the shoulder!!!!! The distance from the base of a .204 Ruger casing to where the case body tapers to start the shoulder should measure about 1.539", so if your casings are only 1.45" you can throw all those casings in the cull bin.

Let us know what the actual length is for those casings you trimmed back too far. My Nosler casings measure between 1.833" and 1.835" and they shoot just great, so you certainly can trim them below the trim-to length and still shoot them.

[TX204FAN]

You are right! I left off the 8... 1.845"

[Silverfox]

TX204FAN--since 1.840" is the trim-to length, then your 1.845" length should be just fine. Most chambers are cut so even if your casings do reach the 1.850" length you should still have ample room before the casing neck reaches the lands. I think it is Sinclair that sells a chamber length gauge and it is a nice tool for measuring how long you can let your casings grow before you absolutley have to trim them.

[stein]

i also trim to 1.835. it usually takes two cycles to get to 1.837 out of my ar.

[Joe O]

As stated,the Sinclair chamber length gage,is the best and cheapest tool out there.You should have one in each caliber that you load for.Virgin brass is always shorter than even the manual,"trim to length",in my findings.When fireforming virgin brass,I don't trim at all,unless the mouth is obviously out of square,then only lightly ,to square it up.After the brass is fired,I sort through for a shortest case average,and lightly trim to square up to a uniform length.I like as many cases to be at maximum average length.IF I ONLY HAVE A FEW SHORTER CASES,I SET THEM ASIDE FOR FOWLERS.I LIKE TO BE ABOUT .015 SHORTER THAN THE MEASURED CHAMBER LENGTH,(sINCLAIR GAGE).