I am going to try to load for a friend's Encore in 22-250. I load for a couple of bolt 22-250's now, but here's my question.. how do I find the lands on an Encore? For my bolt guns, I seat the bullets long and run the cartride through the action pushing the bullet into the casing. I repeat until I know that I am at the lands, then I seat the bullet from there to desired distance off the lands. How do I do this with an break-over? I have a few ideas, but wanted to find out the right way.

A Stoney Point OAL Gauge should work. Have to buy a modified case in 22-250 and an insert set. Either of their insert sets include a .224 comparator insert.

Take the guesswork out of it.

I agree with the comment on the stoney, though I think you will have to remove the extractor in the Encore to get the case to seat flush. I just got a .22-250 barrel for mine, but haven't started reloading for it yet.

-Lou

Well, I don't have a stoney point gauge. Any other options.

Never tried this method, but from Nosler Reloading Manual #3:

Tools and Supplies:

1. Seating tools
2. Calipers or micrometers
3. Empty unprimed cartridge cases
4. Bullets with undamaged points
5. Felt pen of soft lead pencil
6. Cleaning Rod

Procedure:

step1:

Select an empty, unprimed case (DO NOT use primer or powder).

step 2:

Select a bullet with a full, undamaged point.

step 3:

Insert the bullet through the chamber to fully firmly contact the throat rifling.

step 4:

Insert the ramrod from the muzzle until it just touches the bullet point.

step 5:

Mark the ramrod with a felt pen or pencil to indicate the distance from the muzzle to the bullet point.

step 6:

Tap the bullet out of the chamber with the ramrod.

step 7:

With the chamber empty, close the bolt

step 8:

With the ramrod tip against the bolt face, mark the ramrod wiht a felt pen or pencil. The two marks shown on the ramrod are the maximum overall cartridge length that allows the bullet to just contact the lands of the throat.

step 9:

Assemble a dummy round to the length found in step 8.

step 10:

If, after chambering the round, rifling marks appear on the bullet, seat deeper into the case until no marks are present.

step 11:

Using the dimension found in step 10 as a reference, experiment to find the best overall cartridge length for you bullet and the rifle combination.

Never tried this method, but not sure why it wouldn't work. Might want to be careful doing steps 9 & 10 since the encore will not have the extraction capabilities of a bolt. Again, maybe try and remove the extractor and see if the dummy round is flush in the chamber before trying to lock the action.

-Lou

It should be pretty much the same way you do your bolt guns... when you close the action, the cartridge should be in "firing position".. I see no reason to try to remove the exractor.. it's there when you fire a live round, so I don't see how it will affect the tests...
I use a fired case, and slightly crimp the mouth with a pair of pliers.... just enough to hold the bullet in place, but not tight enough to keep it from slipping when it nudges the lands... seat it long, then close it in the action.... gently remove it from the chamber, and measure.... I'd do it several times, comparing the measurements, to make sure the bullet didn't grip the lands and "back out" of the case when extracted.
....after finding that measurement, I'd seat a bullet in a sized case whatever distance short of that measurement you wish to be off the lands.. You can coat the bullet with a sharpie, or magic marker, before chambering, to see if you are engaging the lands at all...
...a little trial and error, and you should be pretty close to what you want.
this is the way I did my Contender carbine.

JB,

I would refer you to Mike Bellm's website below, specificly, 2 linked articles on the website entitled "Seating Depth Short Course" and "The Experiment Every Contender (and Encore) Shooter Should Perform".

http://www.bellmtcs.com/TOC.htm