I'm curious what everyones tolerance is for plinking/blasting mixed brass ammo.
+/-0.001?
+/-0.002?
+/-0.003?
Greater?
+/-0.001?
+/-0.002?
+/-0.003?
Greater?
- Thread starter kylec
- Start date
I don’t trim plinking stuff. Let alone mixed brass.
You don't trim, just size, prime and load?
Or, you don't trim it because you don't load plinking ammo?
The only rifle stuff I consider "plinking" ammo is 223. I just FL and bump shoulder, prime, load and shoot. Rinse and repeat.
I should've clarified that in my original post. .223/5.56 in an AR is what I was referencing.
I shoot with a guy occasionally who claims he never trims his AR blasting ammo.
I shoot with a guy occasionally who claims he never trims his AR blasting ammo.
Yeah, I'm the same way. The main reason is, as a range instructor at my real job, I have an unlimited supply of once fired.
Anyone else???
My plink ammo is made from old brass that I have trimmed previously. Once it gets to that age I just load it up without checking again. Most of the expansion seems to come in the first few cycles. Because it is plinking ammo it A) doesn't have to be super accurate and B) doesn't bother me if I lose the brass.
If you are shooting rounds with a cannelure for plinking, as long as you are checking OAL or CBTO as you go, you can pretty much see changes in length of brass.
EDIT: Got off track from OP. If I were to trim, as long as the tolerance range were within the safe specs, I wouldn't hesitate to have a +/- .003 in case length. I don't load at max so not worried about the extra brass increasing tension and pressure etc...
If you are shooting rounds with a cannelure for plinking, as long as you are checking OAL or CBTO as you go, you can pretty much see changes in length of brass.
EDIT: Got off track from OP. If I were to trim, as long as the tolerance range were within the safe specs, I wouldn't hesitate to have a +/- .003 in case length. I don't load at max so not worried about the extra brass increasing tension and pressure etc...
If you have a good trimmer like a Giraud or maybe a dedicated Little Crow or TrimIT....then I don't see why you wouldn't trim it. It is simply part of my process I do for all rifle brass. I can trim 1000's of pieces in no time...but I don't save up more than a few hundred before reloading.
If I had to trim on a manual trimmer or some slow process trimmer...there is no way in hell I'd trim .223 plinking ammo.
And if we are talking about tolerances for length... my fast process is about 2 thou...I don't get anal about anything that isn't long range precision ammo.
If I had to trim on a manual trimmer or some slow process trimmer...there is no way in hell I'd trim .223 plinking ammo.
And if we are talking about tolerances for length... my fast process is about 2 thou...I don't get anal about anything that isn't long range precision ammo.
The giraud is awesome, but for plinking ammo, its just easier to run it through the progressive without the break in the process.
I don't reload plinking ammo. I get 223/556 for $0.10/rnd ($100/case of 1K). I also get M118LR for $200/Case of 500.
So yes I am of no help to this thread. Other than rubbing it in just a little bit. LOL
So yes I am of no help to this thread. Other than rubbing it in just a little bit. LOL
I don't have too much trouble maintaining .001 so thats my goal. My Giraud will do it and so will my Wilson. My Lyman and my RCBS would not.
Its pretty easy with mixed brass as long as it is sized first - indexes off of shoulder.
Thats right, with mixed brass. But I resize it before trimming.
