Hey, I'm new to this site. I've seen lots of good info, but I'v got a question on accuracy. For a given cartridge, after you find the "right" oal, will changes in powder cause a change in oal (provided it's not compressed)? I guess another way to ask would be should I find the best oal before tweaking the charge weight? Any insight would be appreciated. I'm looking at a 77g hpbt in .223, 20" barrel.

Powder charge variation shouldn`t change the "sweet spot" you find for your COL. A new bullet seated to the same distance from the lead as one you have previously found to be right for your rifle will usually be optimum also.

I usually set my COL to have the bullet just kiss the lands and work up to a max for my rifle with the bullet at this lenght. I then adjust the COL in 0.005" increments until I find the lengh the rifle prefers. The reasoning behind this is the pressures MAY increase with the bullet haveing no jump and setting the max load with the bullet in this (touching) position allows changing the seating depth with hopefully little change in pressures.

Thanks Joe, That makes sense to me. I know what I'm doing tonight!

I've never seen the OAL to have THAT much effect on a load. By that I mean, it may tighten or loosen a good load slightly but it certainly ain't gonna make no one holer out of a lousy load. I heard stories to the contary of this but I've never seen it first hand.
I think you're goning at it ass end to. Find your best load and then use your change in OAL to tweek it.

Find the powder type/charge first, than tune the OAL once your have reduced your as far as you can with the powder.

quote:

Originally posted by Tailgunner:
Find the powder type/charge first, than tune the OAL once your have reduced your as far as you can with the powder.

roger