New to rifle reloads, seating depth?

20 September 2002, 19:11

<Leebo>

Would like some advice on bullet seating depth for 7mm REM. Mag. I will be loading 150 gr. Nosler ballistic tips, and fire from a savage 110C. I chambered 3 dummy rounds and measured the OAL at 3.480" even at 0.030" freebore they are still to long for my clip. should I seat them as long as the clip will feed, or just seat to the cannelure and live with what accuracy I get.
Any advice would help, have been reading BB's until my eye's crossed. [Confused]

21 September 2002, 00:54

Bigdaddytacp

quote:
Originally posted by Leebo:
Would like some advice on bullet seating depth for 7mm REM. Mag. I will be loading 150 gr. Nosler ballistic tips, and fire from a savage 110C. I chambered 3 dummy rounds and measured the OAL at 3.480" even at 0.030" freebore they are still to long for my clip. should I seat them as long as the clip will feed, or just seat to the cannelure and live with what accuracy I get.
Any advice would help, have been reading BB's until my eye's crossed.

For a starter I would try them at the cannelure and see what the results are with a few different powders/charges and if they are ok then don't worry about the oal....if the groups aren't up to spec then try loading to max mag length and inbetween and see if that improves the grouping....some guns don't mind a jump for the rifling and for hunting rounds..reliability is better than the last .1 grouping.....good luck and good shooting!!

21 September 2002, 05:36

Dutch

Just seat them deep. I have a 110 in 223 that aggs. to .7" (for five) with the bullets seated in a different zip code than the lands....... (over .25").

Chances are, you will be very surprised at how accurate (and consistent) that load will be. HTH, Dutch.

21 September 2002, 08:01

<eldeguello>

I always start with a seating depth that permits the bullet to come within about 1/16" of an inch of the rifling origin, IF A LOAD THAT LONG WILL WORK THROUGH THE MAGAZINE. If it won't, my first-try seating depth is for a cartridge legth that gives reliable feeding, but no deeper!! As a rule, the less a bullet has to jump to enter the rifling, the better, BUT THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE!! The only way you'll know for sure what your rifle likes is by doing a lot of test shooting. Seating depth is the LAST VARIABLE I change when looking for accurate loads. Powder weight is No.1, powder type is No.2, primer make is No.3, then seating depth. I often find a very accurate load before getting past No.1 or No.2!! [Big Grin]