45 ACP case length

[jmdc]

I am still gathering items to reload 45 acp. I picked up a lot of range brass this past weekend and most of the cases are measuring .888 or so. I put them in my Sheridan split gage and they go below the min. case step. From what I have read case length should be .898 correct?

['ol shooter]

Search is your friend.
45 saami specs.JPG

[Beelzy]

.898 is maximum length. You're GTG.

[smoothy8500]

45 ACP always seems to be shorter than the minimum trim to length.

[divingin]

I am still gathering items to reload 45 acp. I picked up a lot of range brass this past weekend and most of the cases are measuring .888 or so. I put them in my Sheridan split gage and they go below the min. case step. From what I have read case length should be .898 correct?

No manual? Most have at least a description of what the case and loaded rounds should measure (as a guideline, not a hard and fast rule.)

[jmdc]

No manual? Most have at least a description of what the case and loaded rounds should measure (as a guideline, not a hard and fast rule.)

Yes on the manual and I did a search, I posted this to see the experience others have had with the brass being below the minimum spec. step on the gage as well as it being below the length measurement. 9mm has not been an issue for me and I just wanted some expert thoughts. Talked to Sheridan about the brass below the min. step and he said he has seen that in the past on factory ammo but the ammo cycles through the guns he has used. He mentioned the brass being below the min. goes against SAAMI spec and is not ideal.

[ar15barrels]

Yes on the manual and I did a search, I posted this to see the experience others have had with the brass being below the minimum spec. step on the gage as well as it being below the length measurement. 9mm has not been an issue for me and I just wanted some expert thoughts. Talked to Sheridan about the brass below the min. step and he said he has seen that in the past on factory ammo but the ammo cycles through the guns he has used. He mentioned the brass being below the min. goes against SAAMI spec and is not ideal.

Unless you specifically trim the brass shorter, you likely won't ever run into brass that is actually unsafely short because most 45's will headspace on the extractor when the cases get too short to touch the end of the chamber with the allotted extractor to rim clearance built into most 45s.

Measure a few case lengths before resizing and then after resizing.
Fired cases tend to be shorter than sized cases.

[robert101]

Agreed. I don't think I've ever trimmed a 45 Automatic case. This is true for me after reloading them 20 X plus. No issue at all. Clean, reload and shoot. Repeat over and over again. Did I mention that I'm not a match shooter? Just fun plinking if you will.

[TomReloaded]

I've never measured a 45acp case. Reloaded thousands of them, but never bothered checking length. There's just no need.

[JagerDog]

Yes on the manual and I did a search, I posted this to see the experience others have had with the brass being below the minimum spec. step on the gage as well as it being below the length measurement. 9mm has not been an issue for me and I just wanted some expert thoughts. Talked to Sheridan about the brass below the min. step and he said he has seen that in the past on factory ammo but the ammo cycles through the guns he has used. He mentioned the brass being below the min. goes against SAAMI spec and is not ideal.

But it's in spec. Nominal minus 0.010".