Help before I tear down a lot of reloaded ammo

[titan]

So I have several hundred rounds of reloaded 223 and 308 I did years ago when I started reloading, have not used it much. So I start reading about case trimming and decide to purchase some of those Lyman case gauges, well many of the cases on my reloads are just a hair too long over the max OAL. I assume the safe thing to do now tear the ammo down, resize, trim, and reload

Oh well, I will chalk it up to being young.

Any suggestions on a faster way to tear them down than the one at a time little rcbs hammer thing.

[kblack583]

Whats a hair too long?

[titan]

I can't measure them as it's loaded ammo. I guess I will need to take a photo of a round in the gauge. It's not a lot but its over max OAL from the gauge anyhow. It will post a pic but I don't think one of my guns or my face is worth it should there be too much pressure due to a longer OAL. I think my reloading error was the cases were near max OAL prior to resizing, after resizing they got too long, damn rookie move. I have fire some years ago no issues, but the more I read on reloading the more scared I got. The the 308 is loaded with 44 grains of win 748 the 223 was 25 grains of 748. Oh this will be a painful lesson

[M27]

how long is too long

have you checked them in your actual rifle chamber

the case gauges have very tight tolerances, almost always tighter than an actual chamber. They may fire just fine.

[titan]

They go into all the chambers of my rifles. The gauge I have checked the headspace and OAL of case and you can put a loaded round in them. I can see the brass case is just over the OAL mark, it's no a lot, but I will post a picture as that may help illustrate.

[Bill Steele]

They go into all the chambers of my rifles. The gauge I have checked the headspace and OAL of case and you can put a loaded round in them. I can see the brass case is just over the OAL mark, it's no a lot, but I will post a picture as that may help illustrate.

The fact they chamber isn't the critical issue. If the neck is too long, the case may chamber fine, but may not allow the neck to release enough for the bullet to be freed and pressure can go off the chart.

In reality, there is likely some margin for error in your throat, but why take the risk? If it were me, I would pull the bullets and start over.

[waxer]

Why not pull a few and check the OAL of the cases?

[LynnJr]

Titan
When you see the over all length of a case in a reloading manual it is there so any case of that particular length will work in every gun.
In the real world you will find very few guns that need cases as short as those listed in a reloading manual.
For this to cause a problem in your gun the cases would need to be crimping the bullet and you would feel that as a hard to close bolt.
Ask yourself this before you go tearing down a bunch of ammo-Did they shoot fine before you bought the gauge?
Lynn

[jdmstuff]

To answer your original question, you can get an RCBS collet puller and load each round in your press to pull them apart. It's much faster than beating them in the plastic hammer and risk losing all that precious powder.

[ChrisGarrett]

So I have several hundred rounds of reloaded 223 and 308 I did years ago when I started reloading, have not used it much. So I start reading about case trimming and decide to purchase some of those Lyman case gauges, well many of the cases on my reloads are just a hair too long over the max OAL. I assume the safe thing to do now tear the ammo down, resize, trim, and reload

Oh well, I will chalk it up to being young.

Any suggestions on a faster way to tear them down than the one at a time little rcbs hammer thing.

You can either buy Redding body dies for 223 and 308 and bump the shoulders back, if the problem is indeed a headspace issue, or you can buy a Hornady collet bullet puller and tear them down that way. RCBS makes one, as well.

They're a lot faster then kinetic pullers.

Chris

[Divernhunter]

Your loads are light. Unless the brass has really grown a long way it will be safe to shoot. I have hotter loads(I also use 748 in 308win and 223) in cases reloaded 3-5 times without trimming. Never had a problem even in several different firearms. Now that I have an electric trimmer I do trim more often.

I know some of "the sky is falling you will die" people will get all worked up but you will be fine to shoot them. Then measure and trim if you deem needed.
I have been loading for many years and never had a firearm blow up or get injured. You will be safe.

[koehn,jim]

I also think they will shoot fine, but with the provision that you look for any sign of excessive pressure when shooting them. If you get any hard extractions or flattened primers than they may need pulling apart. The good news is that you are paying attention and trying to learn to improve your loading skill level.

[J-cat]

Factory chambers have long necks, allowing approximately .025" of case growth over the maximum trim length. Go ahead and shoot them.

[titan]

Thanks for the great tips. I went back through the 223 and 308, only a few are long. While I was there I found about 50 3006 rds that are too long. I will post a picture.

So I also checked my 45 and 9mm, fmj rds are fine but the hard cast lead will not go 100% in the gauge. I believe both 9&45 headspace off the case head. I think as the bullet is seating the case is shaving lead to the end of the case so it's actually making the case seem longer and not allowing them to fit 100% in the gauge. They do cycle in my pistols but now no so sure it's a good idea.

Wow, I thought I was really paying attention to the details here.
Amazing what a simple gauge will show you.

Thanks again, I will post a picture tonight.

[ar15barrels]

So I also checked my 45 and 9mm, fmj rds are fine but the hard cast lead will not go 100% in the gauge.

a lot of pistol ammo gauges are not sized correctly for use with lead bullets.
This is because the gauges were made for use with traditional jacketed bullets.
Lead bullets are typically sized 0.001" larger than jacketed bullets.

Check a bullet in your gauge without a case and see if it slides into place or not.
Then check a traditional jacketed bullet and note how much farther it fits into the gauge.