The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Reloading OAL questionGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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| One of Us |
When starting to work up a load for a new rifle what OAL do you start with? Obviously it must fit in the magazine. But after that what distance from the lands do you like to start with? Until now I did not have an OAL gauge and just did kept seating the bullet a small bit at a time till it would chamber than seated a tad deaper. Yes I know not very scientific but it has worked. But now I have a gauge and a bullet comparator so I can actually take my measurements off the ojive and want to get a solid starting point. I was thinking .010 short of the lands is a good starting point but would like to know what everyone else uses as a base line. Molon Labe New account for Jacobite | ||
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I normally start around .03" , .010 seems a little tight for a starting point for me. As usual just my $.02 Paul K | |||
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As long as it fits the magazine and feeds (and doesn't foul the lands) I seat a bullet so that its BASE is level with the bottom of the case neck. I detest a bullet that, as in the 300 Winchester Magnum, protrudes down past the case neck and past the shoulders even down on into the main body of the cases. Most of the great "classic" cartridges seat just like that - base of bullet either level with OR just above - a the point where the shoulder joins the case neck. For example 30-06 and 8mm Mauser or 303 British. With the 270 Winchester (150 grain) or the 6mm Remington (100 grain) I'll seat the bullet "out" longer than OAL to also give that bottom of bullet level with where the shoulder joins the case neck. But in relation to the lands I leave touching the lands to the 22 Rimfires! I like a bit of slack between the bullet and the lands so never seat touching or just back. | |||
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I like to start @ the book listed OAL and increase that length in .010" increments, usually stopping .010" - .015" off the lands. | |||
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Donald, determine the OAL of the cartridge by using this simple method: http://www.larrywillis.com/ Go to Reloading and Shooting Tech Tips. Remember that the OAL will differ for each kind of bullet - some round nose, semi spitzer, spitzer. You therefor need to dertemine the Maximum OAL for each bullet. After determining the maximum OAL start experimenting with different OAL's. Beware of high pressure is seated too near to the lands. | |||
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Some loads may like closer but most factory rifles and common ammo prefer more jump. Ten off is a very good place to start. | |||
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.030" for most bullets but .070" with Barnes TSX & variants thereof, because in my (limited) experience the latter appear to perform better with a jump to the lands. | |||
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+1  | |||
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I start with: Where it will feed and preferably 0.03 off the lands. I experiment with: Where it will feed and 0.01 to 0.05 off the lands for best accuracy. I don't like bullets intruding into the powder space, and just tend to avoid such cartridges when I select/build rifles. I prefer bullets that tend "heavy for caliber" so normally like longer throats and faster twists. Barstooler | |||
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I prefer Paul's approach with hunting ammo which is 90% of my reloading efforts anyway where reliability is a key factor. Especially Barnes TSX's & TTSX's where my starting point has been to LFDC the case into the furthest forward groove and this has given me keen accuracy with hunting loads where I use these bullets. In many cases this is a long-g-g way from anywhere near the end of the freebore and Barnes suggests a "jump" for these bullets anyway. For me .010" is a tad too close for solid reliability in the field. While O.A.L. is certainly a key factor in ginning up a good load, I condsider reliability factor #1. When everything pans out O.A.L. depependant accuracy for hunting loads is the last criteria I consider. After all we're not talking about target/benchrest ammo, but a starting point for 100% relibale ammo. Cheers, Number 10 | |||
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With a new to me chambering, I usually start with the OAL listed in the book. I then play around with the powder type & charge. Once I've found those parameters, I'll mess withthe OAL. I'm pretty anal about my ammunition and I too measure seating depth to the ogive using competition seating dies. Not necessary, I know for hunting but... For my .270 Win. & .338, I settled on - 0.010" off the lands and for my .270 WSM, it's - 0.025". Just what I do. Bear in Fairbanks Unless you're the lead dog, the scenery never changes. I never thought that I'd live to see a President worse than Jimmy Carter. Well, I have. Gun control means using two hands. | |||
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I guess I'm just lazy. With factory bullets which have a crimping cannelure, I initially seat the bullets of my first loads to where the end of the cartridge neck is in the middle of the cannelure. (I don't necessarily crimp the necks into the crimp groove.) And for powder, I start with the middle loading-book load for the second slowest powder they recommend for that cartridge. Then I go out and shoot and chrono that load, for accuracy and speed. If everything looks okay, including the fired brass, then I may monkey with either seating depth, powder, or powder charge if I need more accuracy or velocity. Otherwise, I'm ready to go hunt. | |||
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