How much do your loads stretch the case each time? My load is a little hot in the 25-06. It seems that unless I am shooting weak loads that I have to trim every time (0.009 to 0.01 inch). What are you experiences?
I get around 3 firings for most rounds. Are you full length sizing? Sometimes neck sizing alone can help control it a little. I trim .02" below max usually.
As a standard practice, I trim my cases every time to the 'trim to' length in the manuals even though they may not need it as they haven't reached maximum length. Most of the time this requires only a 'dressing up' of the case mouth. From the accuracy articles I have read, because the brass does not flow evenly, squaring up the case mouth is supposed to improve accuracy. (Lyman manual "Reloading for Accuracy")
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I don't know mello, I would have never guessed they stretched that much. I don'tload for a 25-06 however. but even my RUM's, 300win mags or STW's don't stretch that much.
Man, if I had to trim every weekend, I think I would quit reloading.
Bigcountry, I agree you don't have to trim each time, but I've been reloading for over 40 years and consider it a hobby and I don't mind trimming. The RCBS Trim pro is easy to use and fairly fast. And a lot better than the old Forester I had. That was a pain in the butt. The reason I trim is to make each case as uniform as possible. Of course when I do load, I usually load a minimum of 100 rounds at a sitting. Except when doing load development.
Just about everything I shoot except rimfires of course are reloads. The only thing I shoot factory ammo out of is my Mini 14 Ranch rifle cause I can get the Wolf ammo cheap, about $3 a box and let 'em fly.
__________________ PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE RISING COST IN AMMO PRICES I WILL NO LONGER BE FIRING A WARNING SHOT.
A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have.
I'm not as good as I'm gonna get - but I'm better than I used to be. "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."
Bigcountry, I agree you don't have to trim each time, but I've been reloading for over 40 years and consider it a hobby and I don't mind trimming. The RCBS Trim pro is easy to use and fairly fast. And a lot better than the old Forester I had. That was a pain in the butt. The reason I trim is to make each case as uniform as possible. Of course when I do load, I usually load a minimum of 100 rounds at a sitting. Except when doing load development.
Just about everything I shoot except rimfires of course are reloads. The only thing I shoot factory ammo out of is my Mini 14 Ranch rifle cause I can get the Wolf ammo cheap, about $3 a box and let 'em fly.
Uh ok,
I don't believe its a case of reloading for 40 years or it being a hobby. Most of us here have been loading for over 10 years and do it for a hobby.In fact all my friends who has been loaded since the 60's have done the exact opposite as you. They try to trim and do the least as possible.
Everybody loads for different reasons. I do it for a hobby, availabiblity flexibility of loads, accuracy of guns, etc. But its not unusual for people to like to do different things. I am glad this trimming thing works out great for you. Myself, don't see the need in accuracy or time. Rather ride my scoot, catch a bass, or shoot some birds.
Are you full length or neck sizing? Are you possibly bumping the shoulder back too far? Are you shooting a crimp? Check these things out first. After you have sized, trimmed, and cleaned one of your cases, do a smoke test. Smoke or blacken the case, then chamber it. This will show you if you are bumping the chamber. I like my shoulders and necks tight-I believe this increases consistency.
As you stated your load could be a little hot, but I do not think so. If the load was hot the cases would stick a bit, and you did not mention that. I have noticed over the years that spin off calibers are slightly over-chambered(30-06 to 25-06 or 308 to 7-08). You could have an over sized chamber, Tom.
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Case stretching
