I understand what freebore is and about seating the bullet back so that you will have the freebore that you are wanting. What I am trying to figure out is how do you know when you have a reloaded bullet and it is the right length to touch the rifleling, so that you will know how much to move it back. Do you make a dummy bullet and keep moving it back until the rifleling no longer make markings on the bullet or is there another way of doing it?

Thanks
Anthony

There are special tools using modified cartridge cases to do this very elegantly. A simple way I've done it is to take a fired case and insert a bullet in the mouth with a single layer of tissue paper wrapped around it so it can be fairly easily pushed in the case but won't pull out too easily. Carefully chamber it and close the bolt. The rifling will push the bullet in the case so it stops right against the rifling origin, but the paper won't make enough resistance to push the bullet into the rifling and get it stuck. Some folks split a sized case mouth to do this, but I like my way better; I can keep reloading that case!

I'd never heard of Ricochet's method before. So I've picked up something useful.

My method is to squeeze the neck of a fired case just tight enough that the bullet will still slip. Then I put instant (Krazy Glue) adhesive inside the neck (not on the bullet!!), slip the bullet part way in, and chamber it. Then I count to 60 and take the empty round out. The bullet is glued in the position it reached when the rifling pushed it into the case. With a little cleaning, the casing can be used again.

Anthony, Whatever technique you use, in order to be precise, you must repeat the process for each different bullet you load. The fit into the rifling differs because the shapes of the front ends of the bullets are not the same.Hope this helps. roger

anthony,

The methods already posted are variations of how I used to find my overall lenth (OAL). Although the tissue paper idea sounds interesting--never thought of that.

Stoney Point (http://www.stoneypoint.com/) manufactures an OAL gauge, Bullet Comparator, and a Head and Shoulders gauge. I consider these tools some of the most important for obtaining accuracy from my reloads.

Casey

You can also take your rifle to a gunsmith and have a casting of the chamber made. He will give you a ceramic mould or you camber and the first bit of the barrel. This shows you the exact possition of the rifling and actual case neck lenth.