Cartidge Length Limiting Factor: Blaser R8 270 Mag Length or Distance Off Lands

lambic

Well-Known Member
I have been some more research before ordering my Reloading Press and Kit.

As they say "nothing new under the sun", so I was hoping to acquire some knowledge from fellows more experienced than I:

* Is the Blaser mag length the limiting factor in attempting to seat GS Customs 50 thou off the lands? (As I do not have gun, bullets or equipment to hand, this may be impossible anyway as the minumum seating might not be achieved)

If the mag is not the limiting factor, then I will need to add some more gear to my shopping list. I am already buying a RCBS Precision Micrometer so I can do partial length resizing and knock the shoulders back 4 thou - this little gadget apparently can help a little with seating depth but is not particularily good as it does not use the actual bullet considered.

Thanks
 
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I have been some more research before ordering my Reloading Press and Kit.

As they say "nothing new under the sun", so I was hoping to acquire some knowledge from fellows more experienced than I:

* Is the Blaser mag length the limiting factor in attempting to seat GS Customs 50 thou off the lands? (As I do not have gun, bullets or equipment to hand, this may be impossible anyway as the minumum seating might not be achieved)

If the mag is not the limiting factor, then I will need to add some more gear to my shopping list. I am already buying a RCBS Precision Micrometer so I can do partial length resizing and knock the shoulders back 4 thou - this little gadget apparently can help a little with seating depth but is not particularily good as it does not use the actual bullet considered.

Thanks
Who have you been talking too?? :eek:
Try this: Full length resize your brass. Trim cases to the same length. Seat the bullet to SAAMI or CIP spec. for OAL. If you are consistent in your preparation and loading, you will have good accurate ammunition that will give you no trouble feeding or chambering. Don't start you reloading career by chasing phantoms.~Muir
 
Chuckled when I saw your your reply Muir. The answer is your some of your fellow countrymen who own Blaser's. I also remember reading one of your threads about why full length is now preferable to neck sizing.

I fully appreciate what you are saying and that I will do exactly as you recommend to start with. But I am away working for a long time so I am putting together a shopping list and a plan for further down the line, so please bear with me.

This is all purely theoretical at this point in time.

I will follow GS Custom recommendations on charge development and cartridge length to optimise accuracy.

Regarding the brass, I am probably using the wrong terminology, but the objective to create a sized case which lies between a neck sized fire formed case and the standard Norma 130SP factory cases. Bad idea?

Basically, I have a single centre fire and a single type of bullet, so I want to develop the most accurate round possible and mass produce them for myself.

I forgot to mention, measuring distance off the lands looks like a bit of pain, so I was hoping somebody would say the magazine length is the maximum cartridge length and work back from there .
 
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Chuckled when I saw your your reply Muir. The answer is your some of your fellow countrymen who own Blaser's. I also remember reading one of your threads about why full length is now preferable to neck sizing.

I fully appreciate what you are saying and that I will do exactly as you recommend to start with. But I am away working for a long time so I am putting together a shopping list and a plan for further down the line, so please bear with me.

This is all purely theoretical at this point in time.

I will follow GS Custom recommendations on charge development and cartridge length to optimise accuracy.

Regarding the brass, I am probably using the wrong terminology, but the objective to create a sized case which lies between a neck sized fire formed case and the standard Norma 130SP factory cases. Bad idea?

Basically, I have a single centre fire and a single type of bullet, so I want to develop the most accurate round possible and mass produce them for myself.

I am into simplicity. Moreover, I am into making 'match grade' reloads. It is easy to do: I look at factory ammunition and follow the manufacurer's lead. When done correctly, you will have really good, consistent ammunition. You have read my bits on FL resizing and why i do it so I won't delve into it. I will tell you that I enjoy cycling the bolts on my rifles and feeling the rounds chamber with no hesitation and then watching them deliver small groups.

In your case i would think that you would want a round that would fit the magazine and feed flawlessly. I would stay away from any bullets that require a seating depth that prevents this. Who needs that headache?? ~Muir
 
You are correct Muir. I would like a round that feeds flawlessly from the magazine and is as accurate as I can make it, even though it will be used 95% for hunting. These rounds are probably going to cost more than Norma ammo so they need to be good.

I have just re-read Salazar's views on partial full length resizing, so I think I will stick to full length resizing. Nice and simple.

I hope the best solution is the simplest one regarding cartridge length as I am reluctant to get involved in measuring distances off the lands. That why I am still hoping the magazine length would the limiting factor, and then work backwards from there by increasing the seating depth as per GS instructions.
 
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There is little so pleasing as gazing upon a fully cultivated reloading bench with a crop never to be harvested.

But those tactile and cool-looking micrometer thingamajigs do suggest one knows what one is doing!

K
 
These rounds are probably going to cost more than Norma ammo so they need to be good.

Lambic......Probably not! I recently bought 40 Norma 6.5 x 55 140gr Nos Partitions from a local gunshop and when presented with the bill I responded..."No...Just 40 rounds please , not the whole f**kin manufacturing facility!"

I think you will find even with top quality components you are still cheaper than Norma factory ammo!

for the record....yes...either follow the SAAMI spec for COAL or load to max length of magazine which still enables you to feed. I neck size for my Blaser and have not had any issues but I am slightly anal on trimming and length to shoulder.....When needed it gets "bumped" back or F/L sized

Consistency...however you choose to achieve that, is the key!

DT
 
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I suggest a simple approach that I have found useful reloading for my Blaser R8 in .243. Start with some factory ammunition that performs well in your rifle, measure the dimensions and use these as a baseline for your reloads. Vary these slightly until you have rounds that perform even better. One of the down sides of the Blaser straight pull action is that it can be quite fussy about slightly oversized rounds and the bolt will not function resulting in just a click instead of firing, many Blaser users F/L size for this reason. Don't get too hung up on the distance to the lands, it is not as significant as with a conventional B/A (there is a thread on the technicalities somewhere on SD).

ATB Tim12-E54DC450-1391966-1280-100.jpg
 
Thanks gents. I hope you are right about the cost, I have just coughed up a substantial sum for all my toys from JDR. A good transaction though and a nice guy.

Pleased to learn the Blaser is not too fussy. I will be 100% F/L resizing so should be no problems chambering.


Copy my Norma 130SP dimensions, then test up/down from that I guess. See how it goes.....I scrappe the idea of the RCBS Pre. Mic and have gone for a Hornady OAL, just in case I do need to measure freebore etc.


The powder side of things should be relatively straightforward.

thanks
 
have gone for a Hornady OAL, just in case I do need to measure freebore etc.
thanks
You won't need to if you stick to SAAMI/CIP OAL. IN the case of sticking to the specified OAL, your free bore will be what it will be. Don't buy the Hornady tool just to use it once and go, "Huh!" and put it away for the duration. Put your money into a quality powder measure if you must spend it. A Harrell is a darned good one. Pricey but worth it.~Muir
 
Thanks gents. I hope you are right about the cost, I have just coughed up a substantial sum for all my toys from JDR. A good transaction though and a nice guy.

Pleased to learn the Blaser is not too fussy. I will be 100% F/L resizing so should be no problems chambering.


Copy my Norma 130SP dimensions, then test up/down from that I guess. See how it goes.....I scrappe the idea of the RCBS Pre. Mic and have gone for a Hornady OAL, just in case I do need to measure freebore etc.


The powder side of things should be relatively straightforward.

thanks

you really are making re- loading hard work.

Clean it , resize it , trim it , prime it , charge it and then seat it and THEN shoot it !

Home me loading in no more complicated than that!
 
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