I have just discovered a strange fact regarding the overall length of my .38 Special cases, all 3 brands!

Lake City Arsenal brass reads 1.1450 in., overall;
Winchester-Western brass measures ~1.150 in.;
Sellier and Bellot brass is ~ 1.141 in.

My Speer manual #13 says max 38 Spl. case length is 1.155 in., and trim-to length is 1.145 in. My Lyman manual agrees. All of my stuff is long, but ~the same, from 3 manufacturers?

Sure, I could be reading my caliper wrong, AND I WAS! It was early evening, too.

LET THAT BE A LESSON to us all! Check, double check, and then ask somebody, if something still looks weird. Somebody will suggest the right solution. And, nobody will laugh much! Smile broadly, maybe... Thanks, SwampFox!

Kinda like somebody who shall remain unnamed forgetting his BOLTS!

I have always trimmed them to the maximum length minus .002" and left it at that. My revolvers have chambers that are long enough that I could size them atmaximum +.002 but I sometimes share ammo with my brother and I am not so sure about his gun. (we use the same loads because they are the most accurate in our guns - you might not be as lucky)

357 Mag max length is 1.290 Sounds like you might try a re-measure and another read of the caliper.
Ed

SwampFox wrote:

357 Mag max length is 1.290 Sounds like you might try a re-measure and another read of the caliper. Ed

Swamp: Yup, You were right! I just hate it when that happens!

My cheap caliper measured it right, and after much peering and head scratching, I figured out what my expensive one was trying to tell me. (I just gotta get one of those digital calipers.) Everything is where it should be.

Thanks.