How important is neck length on a reformed case?

[Tom H.]

If you are creating cases for a cartridge which is unavailable, how important is the length of the neck?

I have an 8x57R/360 which is 2.25 long.  The case can be made from 38-55 but the resized cases will be .100 short.

This is shooting jacketed bullets and not cast.

There is still enought neck left to provide adequate tension.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Tom

[John Traveler1]

TomH,

That .100" short case neck on your reformed cases is still usable.  Several firings will lengthen it.  If fired excessively with short case necks, the chamber will erode faster than normal.

I've shot several hundred cases made from .30-30 Winchester in a .375 Winchester chamber and the shorter case necks seemed to make no difference with jacketed bullets.  With cast bullets more carefull cleaning of the chamber is needed.

[Catfish]

It`s like John said, as long as they are to short. BUT if you try to use cases that are to long and jam the case neck into the rifleings you will jump the presure to the point you caould easily blow-up a gun.