Adjusting seating depth?

[wildfowler.250]

So as a newcomer to this I’ve managed to knock some homeloads together but nothing spectacular - group about 1” but they kill well so that’s something.

So I’m going back to square 1 but starting with adjusting seating depth then powder after this.

*Now: I’ve seen a video where a chap puts a bullet into an empty fired case, chambers it. And then ejects the case with bullet seated. As I understand it, this is the max case overall length? And should be touching the lands? I can then reduce this by a thou or two for a few loads and see which groups best?*

As a side note, a friend,(whose Homeloads shoot quite well in my gun but I’m after a soft point) has suggested I’d be better with a magnum primer for my .270? Does this seem like a good choice with N160 as I’ve currently been using cci BR2 primers. Frankly, his shoot much better in my gun without any load development..


Many thanks!

 

[Cottis]

What have you done so far? Have you tried a variety of powder charge weights for example all with bullets seated at book spec COAL for the particular bullet and shot them to see how POI changes with each different charge weight and how groupings might open or close depending on the charge weight. Have you paid particular attention to consistent case preparation, trimming etc.

I do not load of .270, so cannot advise on what primers might or might not be better but someone will be able to help with that.

What gun is it? What length barrel? What bullet are you currently trying?

Does the gun (with you behind it) shoot either factory or your mates loads better than your reloads?

In terms of seating depth, I would suggest that seating depth will not be the main issue with finding an accurate load but could potentially help. I would not be seating a bullet only a couple of thou back from the lands though and I would not be using the method you describe to ascertain max COAL for this bullet in your rifle. It can work but there are better ways to measure this IMO.

I seat the bullet long in my .22 CF as it is more precise and I have proven this but that is a rifle where absolute accuracy is paramount. I do not do the same with the stalking rifle. Just loading to book specs or somewhere close with a proper worked up load gives comfortably under 1inch. I am generally an accuracy junkie but I cannot be bothered faffing with it anymore as it just isnt required for my needs. The rifle will happily put bullets into 2 inches at a coupla hundred yards and it will never be shot further than that, so its good to go as far as I am concerned.

 

[enfieldspares]

A group of five rounds of 1" at 100 yards is good enough for deer. That's spectacular enough IMHO and as a reloader for some forty years I'd be happy with that in any factory made entry or middle level price stalking rifle.

 

[Dexter]

Sounds like you're creating a lot of work for yourself to me? Sort your powder load out before anything else using SAAMI overall length. You should be able to do better than 1" just from that. However, I agree with what enfieldspares says. 1" is more than good enough for deer at sensible ranges.

 

[Border]

Sounds like you're creating a lot of work for yourself to me? Sort your powder load out before anything else using SAAMI overall length. You should be able to do better than 1" just from that. However, I agree with what enfieldspares says. 1" is more than good enough for deer at sensible ranges.

This. And again for Enfieldspares.

 

[bowji john]

I am generally an accuracy junkie but I cannot be bothered faffing with it anymore as it just isn't required for my needs. .

Quote of the day

I too am a bit of an accuracy junkie and a bit OCD

But I'm fed up with being told that ''all I need is to buy the right handed gazornum plat and everything will be better''

Enough already !

Keep it simple wildflower - find a powder charge your rifle likes, play with the jump if you really want to but at the end of the day do you need to separate the balls of a gnat?

PS - I can talk - I can't even take my own advice

 

[shendy]

The method of getting the length you said about I have used. do it several times and used a couple of cases. They are fired cases out of your rifle find some that grip the bullet enough so it wont move as you take it out and do it softly. Once you have found that I start my seating depth 20thou off the lands and go through the powder chargers, then after that play with seating depth. But if you are only shooting deer 1inch or 0.5 will be plenty enough

 

[Muir]

You truly are better served by sticking to the recommended OAL and working on other aspects of the load. Searching for the lands is really more bother than it's worth.~Muir

 

[sauer]

Find the best group with a variety of different powder charges first before screwing with OAL / seating depths

Paul

 

[JTO]

With the variety of different bullet shapes, the Base-to-Ogive measurement is more appropriate/important than the OAL, I suspect.

 

[sauer]

With the variety of different bullet shapes, the Base-to-Ogive measurement is more appropriate/important than the OAL, I suspect.

Yup oal gauge what I use and always to ogive on. A bullet

Paul

 

[wildfowler.250]

Surprised by the replies but that’s no bad thing. I think I’ll try changing to a magnum primer and take it from there by the sounds of it

 

[sauer]

I use BR cai primers in .25-06 ( same parent case basically .270)
And they fine

Your first poi t to find sweet spot is your powder loads

I load 5x bullets at a set weight then 5x 0.5grn heavier and work up till max load or see pressure signs if that comes first .... usually you’ll find a sweet spot in amongst that lot ....

For me it’s usually a grain ish below max load in the powders data loads

Stop worrying about lengths just now ... load to manufacturers oal wethert that’s 10 thou or 100 thou off lands ....
Start with powder ... work up slowly let barrel cool between each group ....

Find your best load and powder charge then if you want to try varying seating depths to see if fine tuned it fair enough

Paul

 

[wildfowler.250]

What have you done so far? Nosler accubonds, cci br2 primers, norma new brass, n160, 52-57.5 grains powder in 0.5 grain increments.

Typically I need to go back and restart with once fired brass now but the results weren’t impressive.


What gun is it? What length barrel? What bullet are you currently trying?

Sako 75, .270. Barrel length - unsure


Does the gun (with you behind it) shoot either factory or your mates loads better than your reloads?

Best factory was 110grain Norma vmax. I’m not an expert shot but got very reasonable,(sub 1”) groups with a friends Nosler Ballistic tip, 52grain RL19, cci large rifle primers. Bruising was quite something on carcasses though.

Replies embedded into quote

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

what size bullet is your mates? ,same size as yours?, powder charge if same weight as yours? are he,s lightly crimped,are yours?, if all the same then only difference will be bullet shape boat tail / sp/ bt,s etc , and coal, just load to standard oal lightly crimp and then if need be you could then change seating. but as others have said you may well be over thinking it.

 

[Cottis]

Is that a 130grain accubond? Looking at books specs, I would expect you to find a node within the charge weight range you have loaded up with N160. That said, it can be annoying trying to get a bullet to shoot in a rifle that just will not have it. I have found bullets that I cannot get to shoot in a rifle but never a powder (assuming you pick a relevant powder for calibre and bullet weight which I think you have). A friend shoots a variety of rifles and could not get an accubond to shoot in his .270 but they are like lasers in his 7mmRM.

Looking at the Nosler data, it does suggest that 51grains is actually the most accurate charge weight for a 130g Nosler bullet. Might be worth it to see if you can save yourself some powder and shoot a milder load. Apologies if it is not a 130 grain bullet you are using. I am assuming that would potentially be the most common choice.

There is always the chance that you were shooting badly on that day. We have all been there when you go to the field with your new shiny handloads, hell bent on shooting well and finding the sweet spot, only to shoot like a dope. You still find a node, go home and return after some fine tuning and stack them on top of each other. Funny old game is reloading and shooting.

 

[gonzo]

My 2p worthto add to this....

Change one thing at a time.
Test the gun in the configuration you will use it. Eg, mod on/off.
Shoot groups of more than a handfull of rounds. I will usually do 3-4 groups of 5 shots. Though if the groups are really bad, some of those loadings may get pulled and re-loaded.

And +1 on what others have said.....
Read up on what bullet weights will work in your rifle barrel (twist rate). And use those as a starting point for the loads. I have wasted so much time with bullet weights that just would not shoot well (or as well as I would like) , regardless of the velocity. This is usually as a result of buying what was available at the time.

 

[wildfowler.250]

Cheers gents. Very helpful replies. Apologies as normally I prefer to reply individually but it’s probably easier to reply just once.

So my friend was loading 130grain Nosler Ballistic tips, random brass cases, and 52 grain of reloader 19 with cci large rifle primers,(if I remember the primers correctly).

I was shooting nosler 130grain accubonds, new Norma brass,(May have been an issue) and cci br2 primers with n160.

No idea how crimp varies? He may neck size whereas I was using full length dies.

Now I did get a nice grouping with 52grains of powder but I was getting dark sooty cases on ejection - unburnt powder?Whether this was a factor in the new brass or my choice of primer I’m not sure.

Any suggestions of where to go would be appreciated?

I’m thinking, start again from scratch with clean, once fired brass and a magnum primer? And work up from scratch. If this doesn’t shoot I’ll change bullet choice!

 

[Sauer90]

sooty cases = low pressure

 

[Sauer90]

No surprise as to the soot you are using a 'start' load. Work up the load max listed is 58gn.