Case length

[Emmett]

How important is case length if you are dealing with a rimmed case?
Thanks in advance.
Emmett

[versifier]

That depends on the shape of the case and if it needs to be crimped.

With revolver cases, the actual length doesn't matter as much as the consistancy of all the cases in the batch - they should all be the same length so the crimp will be applied equally. Same way with lever action cases.

With rifle cases though, it's important not to exceed the max length because of chamber dimensions, rimmed or rimless. A case that is too long for the chamber can cause pressure spikes because the bullet is prevented from exiting the case normally.

If you do not need to crimp the cases, and they do not exceed the max length, considerable variations in length within spec won't cause any problems, but the bullets will each seat at slightly different depths despite consistant OAL, so they might look weird. I can't imagine it would help accuracy of the load any with neck tension different in each individual case. They would feed and function properly, though.

[kg42]

By the way, I have read on an other forum that all the new Hornady Leverevolution but the 30-30 and an other similar round (32Sp?) had short cases in order to accomodate the wonder bullets.
This would prevent crimping with standard dies.

Anybody has experienced with this?

kg

[runfiverun]

i have heard they were shorter also.
i don't tink they would be short enough to not be able to crimp them even in a normal die.
since most every rimmed case i can think of is normally crimped,them being the same length and shorter then the neck area of your chamber is where it becomes important.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
The crimping die is easily shortened to accomidate shorter brass. Bench grinders and little later polishing can quickly remidy manny inconvienances.
Mike in Peru
HE is Risen !

[1Shirt]

I have never trimmed a 38S,357, 44S, or 44Mag. However I check my 444's and 45-70's very closely, and trim to recommended minimums.
1Shirt!

[Jim_Fleming]

Like everyone else has said, Emmett....

Case length is important to consistency. Case Length is important to crimping.

If you're just loading up a few .30-30's they'll require crimping to keep the bullet in place. Or .38's or .357's or anything like that.

Actually crimping is to keep recoil from pulling the cases off of the bullet in your magazine/cylinder of the firearm being discharged.

Take Care,

Jim

How important is case length if you are dealing with a rimmed case?
Thanks in advance.
Emmett

[armyrat1970]

Many state that when loading for revolvers you need to crimp to stop the boolit from jumping forward out of the case and causing the cylinder to lock up because the cartridge is to long. Others state than when loading cast boolits for a bolt, or lever gun, if the neck tension is good enough to hold the boolit true there is no need for a crimp. Don't you have the same inertia from recoil with either? I really don't understand how a boolit that is not crimped can jump forward out of the case when fired through a revolver. In recoil everything is moving backwards. What causes the boolit to jump forward? Is everything else upon firing moving so quickly that the boolit just stays suspended through the recoil because of it's weight? I just don't understand. If anything to me because of the recoil and without a crimp the boolit would seat deeper. Of course this may not be the first time I have been wrong but I just don't understand this concept.

[runfiverun]

the boolit don't jump forward it stays where it is and the gun jumps backwards.
something about a body at rest thing, from physics class.
if you have enough friction to overcome this effect it wont go anywhere, if not the cartridges get longer.

[versifier]

...and the rifle usually has a whole lot more mass which slows the recoil impulse over a longer duration. But, there are many rifle cartridges that produce enough energy that they need to be crimped for the same reason. For instance, if you load up a .45-70 the max load a Ruger #1 can handle (almost a .458mag) and fire it, two things will happen: first, cast or jacketed, the bullet will back out if it is not firmly crimped, and second, you won't even think about firing a second shot out of such a light rifle.