Trim to length question

[PJ3]

I am shooting a Savage Model 12 .223 Rem and just started to reload for it. I just resized my brass (loaded Federal brass, once fired through my gun) and every piece of brass is very short. According to my reloading manual, the trim to for the .223 is 1.750". My brass, after being fired once and resizing, is in between, 1.550 and 1.60. I got great accuracy when the bullet was loaded from the factory, usual groups were well under an inch at 100 yards. Will this cause any problems with my reloading and why did the factory trim the brass so short? Thanks in advance for the replies.
PJ3

[gd357]

Most factory brass is a bit short, most likely for the reloaders, or they found consistency with that brass length. I've nticed the same thing with the cartridges I reload. When you reload the rounds, see if you get the same kind of groups with the reloaded ammo. If you're really wanting to get serious, you can trim all your brass to the lowest length (1.550). Otherwise, if you're getting decent groups, keep tabs on the brass length as you continue to reload the casings.


gd

[Jack]

A quick look at the Nosler manual says that case length for the 223 is 1.760, which would fit with your trim to length of 1.750.
The Nosler manual also shows the distance from the case head to the base of the neck is 1.557.
If those numbers are right, your brass after being resized has almost no neck.......
If your measurements are correct, something is definitely wrong.

[Mil Dot]

Personally, I think it's a 223 thing. I noticed the same problem in various 223 brass when I first started reloading for that caliber I was picking spent cases at the range. I stayed away from military brass because some of it had the berdan(s) primer, but it seemed that some of the cases had shorter necks on the cases than others and the shape of the body was weird as well. I just bought a few hundred raw winchester brass and called it a day on the used brass as I emptied them. JMO, but with 223 unless I intend on doing some longer distance shots on PDs I just buy factory loads to do short range shooting(to 200 yrd). My Ruger VT seems to like the Winchester rnds well enough that it doesn't really make it worth the time and effort for me to try and squeeze another .223 of accruacy by hand loading that particular caliber but that's just me. I guess my recommendation boils down to if you are set on reloading 223 buy some new cases full length size them the first time, trim to length you want and then just neck size the fired rounds. I never noticed much "strech" in that particular caliber just from firing.

Mil Dot

[Catfish]

I doubt that it will make any difference in a factory chamber. If your happy with 1 moa you should have no trouble getting that with the right load. I would recomand you get some 50 and 55 gn. bullets, Serria, Hornady or Berger have all done well for me. Get a powder in the Burn range of BLc-2, H-335 or something close on the chart and you should be good to go. I also find that most guns shoot better with ammo that is loaded longer than SAMMI specs. Load seat a bullet into an empty case as long as you can and still get it into the magizine. I you happen to have a mag. that is extra long seat the bullet 1 dia. deep in the case, .224. Chamber this round and if your not into the rifleings, the bolt will close real hard if you are, try this for the over all lenth of your ammo. Most factory chambers are long for liablity reasons so they shoot better with longer ammo. Good luck.