I have a universal OAL gauge from Sinclair Int. that I use and find it to work very well. I use it on bolt actions and have had very good luck with it. However, I currently have an encore at home. What is the best way to get an accurate seating depth for it? The encore is chambered in 22-250 and I would like to load for it with some certainty of were the lands are. What methods do you guys use, or would you recommend. I have read and heard of soft seating, any idea as to how to go about that?
Thanks
Love22hunt

The stoney point that uses a modified case works well and will work in the Encore....for soft seating..I just barely start a fired case neck into the sizing die and start a bullet into the neck just enough to get it straight..seat the cartridge by hand and press the case in tight and shut the breech...this should give you a length to start IF the bullet doesn't hang in the rifling....measure the results and seat a bullet to same depth...mark it with felt tip pen ink and seat...shut breech, check bullet for rifling marks...back off untill no marks and start there for depth.....watch for pressure as you get closer to "touch" if you don't drop back 5% or so on the std load......hth..good luck and good shooting-loading!!