If loaded a dummy round and seated the 250gr Woodleigh PP bullet so that it touches the lands. It is a Weatherby Vanguard in .338WM. My COL is 3.4" All manuals spec a 3.340" COL. Any problem with this? It cycles through the mag. so I don't see a problem. I'll probably end up seating it .025" or so off the lands- then being .035" over the recommended COL.

Would their be any significant increase or decrease in pressure to look out for?

Cheers
Johan

I have loaded this load but to the recommended COL. I'm fine tuning now by playing with the seating depth. Please let me know if I might have some problems with the COL!!!

Thanks
Johan

No problems seating long if your rifle will handle the longer rounds. Just make sure the case has enough grip that the bullets don't jump from recoil and tie up the rifle.

COL really only matters for rifle function ie will it sit in the magazine or or is it relegated to a single shot.

The ogive profile and rifling engagement is important for tweaking loads, etc. This is the one you worry about regarding pressures. Remember, different bullets have different ogive profiles and will have the same jump to the lands, but will vary in COL.

Good luck.

quote:

Please let me know if I might have some problems with the COL!!!

Many vastly over agonize OAL. Book lengths are not a law, they are a place to start.

If your cartridges are feeding and you have no excess pressure indicators, you are fine.

You may find that as you back it away from the rifling, it will shoot both faster and more accurately. The concept of "touching/jammed in the lands" is sometimes (more often than not in my expereience) a non-starter.

Most of my best loads shoot both faster and significantly more accurately when about .040 away from the lands, this is with BTHP match (not VLD) bullets in .224, 6mm, and .308

Watch for increased pressure as you adjust COL down, as well as forward. There likley will be a sweet spot for velocity and accuracy. Too short and pressure goes up, accuracy and velocity go down, too long and the same often happens.

For hunting ammo, shorter (deeper seating of shank, especially in mid-weight for caliber bullets) seems to be both more reliable -cycling wise, as well as more accurate.