I did not mention it before, but the gun I am loaded the previously discussed elk rounds for is a Browning 1886 lever action.
Here is the problem I ran into:
So I get my H4895 and a box of the 400 grn Speer bullets and start to load up several loads this weekend.
The cases were around 2.102" in length.
Max case length is 2.105". Trim to length is 2.095".
Max cart. length is 2.550". The cartridge I loaded were 2.536".
This should be plenty short, should it not?
I
thought this would be plenty short, but when I went to chamber it into the gun the action was very tight the last 3/4" of the lever closing.
The gun will chamber 300 and 405 grain factory loads normally and the COL is around 2.540" on them.
After repeatedly chambering this hand load it had what looked like rifling marks on the the nose close to the mouth of the case and had shrunk to 2.522". Once at this size it would chamber normally.
I can not just make the bullets 2.522" in length or I will not be able to crimp in the groove. I was very close to the top of the grove at 2.536".
So, can I trim the cases below standard trim length to get them to work in this gun?
This same round will chamber normal in my modern marlin lever action.
Thanks for the feedback!
Jonr