TC Encore 223 AI brass question

[sactobill]

Newbie reloader here so please excuse the newbie question.

I have a Bullberry custom barrel in .223 AI for my Encore. I purchased several different .223 loads to fire form in the barrel. I just noticed that two different Hotnady loads resulted in 1 case being about an 1/8th of an inch longer than the other Hornady case.

My question is how do I go about determining the correct case length for my rifle?

Thanks!

[the86d]

Where they the same cartridges (same gr. projectile listed on the boxes)?

I know that different size (weight, and length) are pressed to different COALs (combined overall lengths) from what I read.

[sactobill]

No they were different grain bullets. I didn't even think that different weight bullets would have an effect on case length.

[Munk]

Different bullet weight can give a different ogive, and result in a cannelure being located in a different spot.

In order to maintain OAL, the manufacturer will sometimes recommend a different trim-length so that the cannelure can be hit while maintaining length.

However, your Encore doesn't give two craps about OAL. There's no magazine to clear, so your only limits are the chamber and throat. There's also no setback issues because the only ammo in the gun while it fires, is the one being fired, so you can largely disregard cannelures and shorter trim lengths.

Find recipes made just for the encore if you can, they will often have better limits on a round's potential while not worrying as much about OAL.

If you have a hornady load manual, check the back of the book, it has a small section on T/C loads. Some other books do the same.

[ireload]

Hopefully I've read your question right but here's some specs for that particular caliber. Scroll down and you'll eventually see the .223rem AI spec. (brass spec, powder, bullets, etc). The .223rem is listed first. Hope that helps.

By the way after reading the article I've forwarded to you, it would be nice to have a AR platform with .223rem AI. It stated somewhere in there that the brass itself would experience less trimming due to it's 40 deg shoulder angle.

http://http://www.6mmbr.com/223rem.html

[sactobill]

Thanks guys. I'll read the article and research some more. Sweet rifle and actually very accurate with factory .223 loads.