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case length
- Thread starter cptjack
- Start date
For typical hunting ammo, you probably won't see any difference.
Shooting bench rest where you expect groups of 0.3" or less, possibly.
Not sure why you brought up your expander.
I check trim length at every reload with one of the Lee case length gauges.
It's just part of my routine.
Shooting bench rest where you expect groups of 0.3" or less, possibly.
Not sure why you brought up your expander.
I check trim length at every reload with one of the Lee case length gauges.
It's just part of my routine.
Most accurate ammo typically comes from full length sizing without expander balls. Die neck is honed out to about 2 thousandths smaller than the loaded round's neck diameter.
.010 inch spread in case length doesn't matter. It's more important that the bullets are a few ten-thousandths larger than the barrel's groove diameter.
.010 inch spread in case length doesn't matter. It's more important that the bullets are a few ten-thousandths larger than the barrel's groove diameter.
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Sounds like bottleneck rifle cases. When you don't have a honed die, removing the standard expander that pulls up on the neck as you withdraw the case and instead expanding to the final neck I.D. with the downward insertion of a mandrel has less tendency to tip the neck off-axis. If you are going to go to the trouble of using a separate expander, I prefer to use a Lyman M die to get the little step that lets you start bullets into the seating die straight which further improves on neck runout.
As Bart B. said, a case length spread of 0.010" won't make any discernable difference. The only exception that comes to mind would be if you are crimping you might want more consistency.
As Bart B. said, a case length spread of 0.010" won't make any discernable difference. The only exception that comes to mind would be if you are crimping you might want more consistency.
Yes, and straight ones, too.I presume bottle necked rifle?
lets assume that .200 of the bullets bearing surface is in contact with the inner surface of the neck. We will also assume that all loaded rounds have the same base to ogive measurement. The third criteria is that all cases have the same measurement from shoulder datum to base.
In this situation if case X's neck were .001 longer than case Y's neck then case X would have .5 % more neck neck in contact with the bullets bearing surface than case Y.
For those who have perfect repeatable holds and shoot in windless tunnels it might be noticeable at 1000 yards. For the rest of us mortals learning to read the wind and practicing is probably a better use of out time
In this situation if case X's neck were .001 longer than case Y's neck then case X would have .5 % more neck neck in contact with the bullets bearing surface than case Y.
For those who have perfect repeatable holds and shoot in windless tunnels it might be noticeable at 1000 yards. For the rest of us mortals learning to read the wind and practicing is probably a better use of out time
I prefer to use a Lyman M die to get the little step that lets you start bullets into the seating die straight which further improves on neck runout.
I followed my brother into the M die. I hated the yank on the case from the die exapander.
I now have two presses setup side by side, size on one, expand on the other and then polish and trim if needed.
I trim in bathes, I don't worry about variation at all.
Once I do trim they are all back to .003 variation or so.
Either I can shoot, I can't re-load or my gun won't shoot any better than sub .5 MOA and I am happy with that. At 65+ I am not going to Camp Perry!