I'm running into a problem I haven't experienced before and could use some experienced opinions. (I posted the same question, this morning, at Savage Shooters.)

I have a new Cabelas exclusive Savage 111 in 30-'06. This is the one with the grey, laminated stock that's being closed out. Anyway, I am about to start initial loading with new brass. (The rifle hasn't been fired, yet.) My bullet choice is the Hdy 168 AMAX. I am concerned, however, with the seating depth.
Using the Hdy L-n-L gauge and modified case, I'm hitting the lands at around 3.558" OAL, with a comparator. This translates to around 3.173" OAL without the comparator attached. So, a seated 168 AMAX is seated so deep, into the case, the boattail bottom is slightly below the bottom shoulder! And that's with no jump. So, I'm a bit worried about shooting live loads. And I think I've checked and rechecked my measurements about 12 times. The Lee reloading manual lists a minimum OAL of 3.285" for a 168 grain jacketed bullet.
In need of advice as I am not sure what to do.

Thanks,

Mark

Mark, make up a dummy round -with an eye toward finding a spot about .010" off the lands. When you think you've found it, smoke up the bullet with a candle, carefully chamber and eject the dummy round, then visually verify the results.

I'm a Sierra guy and don't have much experience with the A-Max...

Thanks for the reply, I think my technique needs a bit of polishing....

I just went down and rechecked my measurements. Upon meeting the initial resistance; this time, I pushed a little more firmly on and wiggled the L-n-L gauge rod. Sure enough, there was give and the bullet pushed a ways further into the barrel. I repeated this about a dozen times with two 168 AMAX's, getting repeatable (and more reasonable) measurements of 3.666" - 3.668" with the comparator. That's about .109" difference! Another dummy round, seated .020" back, yielded an OAL of 3.262" (without the comparator) and over the Lee manual's min OAL of 3.230". After chambering the dummy, a few times, I remeasured it to verify no movement from lands contact seating the bullet deeper. The top of the boattail is just above the neck/shoulder junction and the bottom of the boattail is slightly below midway of the shoulder. It still looks a touch short (to me), but, 100x better than this morning.
I can go ahead and load some up.
While I'm guessing the best method of using these L-n-L gauges is the one that gives repeatable measurements; does anyone have a pet, tried and true way of using these?

Thanks

Buckshot references the old tried and true way, though I used a black marker. Maybe I should try the smoke technique. I haven't used the Hornady guage but I have gotten an RCBS Precision Mic for the 308 Win, still working with it.

What I have tried to do, though, before going to seating bullets out to approach the lands with a new load, is see how they peform using the baseline cartridge OAL from the reloading manual. The Hornady 7th Edition handbook lists that the 30-06 using the #30502 A-Max bullet has a recommended OAL of 3.240", and you stated that the Lee manual lists the standard 168 grainer at 3.285" in a 30-06. At those lengths the cartridges should function through the magazine, and feed-chamber-extract easily.