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Case trimming, what length?

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Ianca View Drop Down
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    Posted: December 01 2012 at 6:21am
The first thing I do with any gun I aquire is a chamber cast which includes the throat and a short bit of the rifling that tells me what I have and can proceed from there. there have been a number of things I have found over the yrs. that were not easily seen and some things that made me not want to shoot that gun. Of the 30 odd 303's I have owned still got 18 of them not one had a chamber that wouldn't take 2.222" brass which nowadays comes .010" short anyway BUT there could be one out there so if you cant check it properly get it to a gunsmith would be my advice cheers Ian.
It's not so much the size of the hole as where it is
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 303Guy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 12 2012 at 4:56am
I would determine the length of the chamber and trim to maximum length. Normally I don't trim at all but if I do I only square the mouths and set them to an even length without removing much material.  I want those cases as long as possible since they always seem to be too short for the chamber.  On the side of caution, I wouldn't trim to less than 2.222"
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Zed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 07 2012 at 7:50pm
Our club range is only 50 meters and obviously we can keep the targets, but the 200 meter shoot was a regional competition so I did not get the opportunity to take a photo or inspect the target properly. Next time I'll take a camera. Generally I think you only get to inspect at your target if you disagree with the result. I knew I had lost a bit of concentration on the second series of 10 shots, because I was not properly equipped !
No foam mat or elbow pads. After the first 10 shots my elbows were starting to irritate, and I found myself wriggling a bit during the last 10 shots. This was shown in the results; 85 /100 for the first 10 and 69/100 for the last 10. I noticed some of the more experienced shooters had what appear to be military type training jackets that have elbow and shoulder padding. I'm sure thats would help more consistent shooting. I was told they are American so need to find out where to get one.
From your reply I had assumed that one would not trim below 2,212".but thanks for clarifying the point.
Regards, Zed.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 07 2012 at 5:16am
"Unfortunately they don't let you keep the targets."

Can you at least get pictures for a logbook?

Re-reading my last post I realized I'd missed something in the trimming info. It should have read:
"to have at least one caliber diameter length for seating the bullet or until you reach 2.212" whichever comes first. "

Sorry about that.

Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 07 2012 at 2:49am
Thanks for clarifying that Shamu. I will check the seating depth. My last load was for my first competition with the Lee Enfield (or any rifle come to that) and first ever 200 meter shoot so I was careful to select the most equal length ammunition for the 20 shots that mattered. I was pleased with my score 154 out of possible 200. Unfortunately they don't let you keep the targets.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2012 at 8:53am
Trim to length is based on maximum length, less 0.010 it's a purely mathematical thing.
(I'm assuming .303 Brit, not .303 sporting or anything like that.)

My manuals say maximum is 2.222" & trim  to is 2.212". Now you can be as short as you like (within sane limits), but the maximum is a safety thing to keep from geting the case neck/bullet crimp & so on up into the throat. Long is bad, but short not necessarily so.

My rule of thumb is to have at least one caliber diameter length for seating the bullet. I honestly forget where this comes from, but it seems a workable answer in the real world. Based on that I'd set up a bullet seating depth first, & then trim back based on that so I had a minimum of .311 of depth within the case neck for the bullet to grasp so it will release clean & centered.
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2012 at 2:53am
I think that 2,222" is the maximum advised case length, but when trimming the cases, what is the best length for accuracy? I have just started out trimming cases as I have only just started to re-use the cases. At present I trim to 2,215". To allow for a bit more expansion. Should I go closer to the maximum length?
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