223 Case Length

[3jimbo3]

I recently acquired some 223 brass and finally got around to working some of it up. I washed it, deprimed it, resized it, and checked the length. I usually trim mine to 1.755. Works good in my AR's. I ran across quiet a bit that was shorter ( 1.740 - 1.749 ). Do any of you load cases this short? I think this is once fired brass. I load with 22.4 grains of IMR 3031. Am I just over thinking this? I just want to make sure that these would be safe to shoot.

[runfiverun]

they are safe to shoot.
but since you went through the trouble to sort them out I'd keep them in a separate batch.
but that's just me.

[fatelk]

I would think that the only problem would be getting a good crimp. 1.740 is getting a bit short but if crimp isn't a problem they should be fine. Personally if it's only a few that short I'd just toss them, as cheap and plentiful as 223 brass is. I might be pickier than most, though.

I think you might have a typo on your load data there, some transposed numbers maybe? :)

[3jimbo3]

I think you might have a typo on your load data there, some transposed numbers maybe? :)[/QUOTE]


Good eye fatelk, you made me do some sweating there for a minute. I even put my shoes on and went back out to the shop (in the rain) to check my scales. I thought for a minute I was going to have to pull a few hundred bullets. Luckily my scales are still set to 22.4 grains. That was the last thing I loaded ( 223 with 22.4 grains of IMR 3031) :happy dance::happy dance:

[CastingFool]

I recently processed a big batch of 5.56/.223 brass. I found the military brass to be the longest, around 1.760", while the FC brass was mostly 1.740". You could tell the FC brass was not over trimmed. It had little serrations around the rim. I probably had about 400-500 of those.

[Scharfschuetze]

I don't think that you have a problem as long as you have enough neck to securely hold the bullet in place. I don't crimp any of my .223/5.56mm cases so the actual length is immaterial unless they are too long. Still, like you, when processing the coming year's varmint and match loads, I always trim to the minimum SAAMI length.

I wish the DOD had adopted the 222 Magnum with its longer neck, but the .223 is what we have. Of course if wishes were horses, all the peasants would ride.

[mold maker]

After sizing the length difference is all in the length of the neck. Uniform crimp is the only variable affected.