OK, it's dumb-ass time again.

When fire-forming brass how do readily adjust the bullet against the lands in order to assure the case is pressed firmly against the bolt face ?

Glen, the easiest thing I have found is to seat the bullet long, and just keep seating it a little deeper in your press, a 100th or so at a time, until you can close the bolt (breech) with only mild pressure.
Usually, you can close a bolt and push a long seated bullet if you really lean on it, but that's not what you are trying to accomplish here. HTH, Dutch.

[This message has been edited by Dutch (edited 01-04-2002).]

.....but be sure to use loads well below maximum when jamming the bullet into the lands.

Thanks, guys. That's essentially what I've been doing and wanted to know if I might be overlooking the obvious.

Only 291 days until grouse season opens in PA! Thank God.

Sinclair offers two gauges that take all the guess work out of the system.

Sinclair Bullet Seating Dept Tool is about $26 and the Stoney Point OAL Gauge is about $34 bolt action or $39 semi auto.

For accuracy work, you really want to know where those lands start. These gauges tell you.

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This Space For Rent.

Genghis, that tool takes out the guess work, for the most part, but it ignores the headspace in the chamber. The threaded cartridge moves all the way to the front of the chamber.

So, if you know your headspace you know your seating length. If you don't you are guessing again. FWIW, Dutch.

There is an easier way, and safer too. I fireformed some .358 Norma magnum brass today, that I made from .300 H&H brass. I did it this way: I used a Winchester large rifle primer, and loaded 13 grains of Unique gun powder into the cartridge. Then I filled the remainder of the cartridge with Cream of Wheat. Cornmeal would work just as well. I filled to within about 1/8" of the top. Then I wadded up 1/2 square of toilet paper, and pushed that down tightly against the Cream of Wheat. Then I pressed some grease into the wad of tissue to make sure it would be sealed tightly. Make sure to lube the case with some sizing lube, and just shoot it. No need to worry about recoil, or anything. Makes a loud noise and puffs the case out nicely.Makes great blanks, too. I think you should be able to substitute parafin wax for the toilet paper. Or maybe a bar of soap.