I'm using Imperial Dry Neck Lube.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012768197?pid=614125

I'll have to measure the ball diameter, but it's whatever came with my RCBS Neck Sizer Die.

I only have 1 rifle in .308, this one and it's a bolt.

Unless you do like I do and keep all of your brass separated by the rifle it was fired in.....

So back to the original question, can I use brass that's longer than SAMI spec? 2.015? Can I use it when it's 2.017? Or do I need to trim it?
Is it worth it to try to measure my chamber to see how large/long it is?

I would NEVER shoot brass that is over the SAMI Spec....PERIOD

The Spec is there for a reason.
Can you get away with it? Maybe but why risk it.

Just my opinion...

While we disagree on neck sizing vs FL (which is lot like Republicans vs Democrats) we agree here. Like I said in the first post - why not just trim em? You can get away with things in reloading...until you can't.

Sounds like you're going to need a trimmer soon anyway. I like the rcbs 3 way trimmer for volume, (would love Giraud) but if I'm doing super accurate stuff in small lots I use my Wilson. That's a whole different debate!

I like my brass all the same length. I will set up my trimmer and run it all through this process instead of measureing it all. I have case lenght gauges but rarely use them anymore.
I have an RCBS trimmer that uses the collets to hold the cases. I made an adapter so my cordless screw driver powers it.
This made trimming so much easier.
But i really don't care for the collet grip on this trimmer so I picked up a Lyman hand trimmer withbthe camlock system which I prefer. So I adapted it over to exept my cordless screw driver.
Doing any amount of brass trimming cranking the trimmer by hand gets old real fast.

i like my brass all the same length BUT I set up my seating/crimp die so that it will work with an average length case that is under speck and get loading. My crimp will very a bit.

The problem with excess case length has nothing to do with accuracy as some others alluded to. The problem is a case that's too long for the chamber can pinch itself closed when it's forced into the chamber anyway, causing high pressure when it fires. (Imagine firing a round that is run up into a crimp die, same idea.)

How long can you get away with? That depends on your chamber. If you don't know, then don't take the risk.

Do you have a drill press? If so - pick up a Lee .308 pilot ($6) and a Lee trimmer cutter (also $6). Run them in your drill press for fast and accurate trimming without spending much.

It can have a little something to do with accuracy when you are looking for that last little bit of refinement.

OK fair enough, I guess I should say accuracy is not the primary issue to be concerned about. Jamming a long case into the chamber and raising pressure can affect accuracy, but the blown primers and cracked bolt lugs might be a more immediate concern.

Other than being too long for the chamber though, case length really doesn't have much effect on accuracy, even for fairly long range shooting.

I would if I was competing, but I'm not. Just a backyard plinker and occasional hunter.

Did 2 videos with my new borescope. One with a piece of brass that is 2.005 long, and the other with a 2.015 long piece.





Looks like there is still quite a bit of a gap between the mouth of the 2.015 long brass. Does this mean it's safe to run the brass longer?

No because your bore pictures are not of what is happening during firing. The brass streches back.