CASE OAL

[mike243]

Hi Guys

finally got all my components together and have started the reloading process, I have got a Hornady AOL gauge, modified case, Hornady bullet comparator and vernier caliper, I have measured some of my previously loaded cartridges and they are all 2.135" to the ogive, it has been a lot of years since I last loaded any so I thought I would measure the absolute length which is 2.360", that gives .203" seating depth and .170" of that is boat tail so that gives a bearing surface of .033", I wouldn't ever consider loading to that length, it would be ridiculous but if I load to the same depth as the previous that gives .225" jump to the rifling, does that sound normal, the rifle is a stainless Rem 700

Mike

 

[Miki]

It's very easy to get tangled up in this. My .22-250 was similar in that after using a guage i realised not much of the bullet was held by the neck and extended the jump too. It made no difference to the accuracy.
I think possibly the throat is a little corroded on my rifle (an old T3) but don't have any comparison. I loaded to SAMMI and the ogive length suggested by the bullet manufacturer (Sierra in my case). I had some sooty cases for a while but since I have bought an annealing machine and switched to Sako cases everything is fine.

 

[Uncle Norm]

I went through all that lands chasing nonsense. Made a right mess when I bought my .243 Sako Finnlight. Smoke blackened cases etc. etc.
Fortunately Doctor Muir of this forum effected the cure and I am fully recovered.
I load to SAAMI dimensions for my brother, my pal and I. The rounds are used in a Tikka T3, Blaser and Finnlight and work perfectly. So perfectly that they don't want to buy factory ammunition .
Get a Lee factory crimp die and use it. That will be more beneficial than all the lands chasing for normal stalking purposes.

 

[mealiejimmy]

Agreed.
Load to SAAMI dimensions and forget about chasing the lands.

Cheers

Bruce

 

[mike243]

It's very easy to get tangled up in this. My .22-250 was similar in that after using a guage i realised not much of the bullet was held by the neck and extended the jump too. It made no difference to the accuracy.
I think possibly the throat is a little corroded on my rifle (an old T3) but don't have any comparison. I loaded to SAMMI and the ogive length suggested by the bullet manufacturer (Sierra in my case). I had some sooty cases for a while but since I have bought an annealing machine and switched to Sako cases everything is fine.

I can't remember how I came to the length that I have loaded to previously, it was too long ago, probably to get sufficient bearing surface in the case neck, the bullet seating die hasn't been altered since the last batch years ago so I will just stick with that, the last batch were sub MOA so hopefully this batch will be similar

Mike

 

[Orion]

Get a Lee factory crimp die and use it. That will be more beneficial than all the lands chasing for normal stalking purposes.

Agree with this. I now crimp everything.