Bullet seating height

[utectok]

Ok most bullet recipes have an overall bullet  length. But it varies I’m loading a .308 which sometimes  is 2.8” sometimes a little shorter say 2.795”. Also bullets heads (bullets) are often different lengths. I get that too much compression is dangerous but what are the pros and cons of different overall bullet lengths. I’m currently seating mine 2mm longer and the works well....

[Walker570]

Load a blank with the bullet you are using. Paint the bullet with a permanent marker pen and carefully  feed the cartridge into the chamber, carefully extract and examine. If the bullet has 'land' marks then ease it back a small bit until you are not seeing marks. Obviously re coat the bullet at each insertion. This will sit the bullet just off the lands which is a good safe length.

I have been loading this way for 40-45yrs and it seems to work and things keep falling over dead.  I reload for six different calibres from 17 upto 375.

Edited October 14, 2019 by Walker570

[utectok]

1 minute ago, Walker570 said:

Load a blank with the bullet you are using. Paint the bullet with a permanent marker pen and carefully  feed the cartridge into the chamber, carefully extract and examine. If the bulet has 'land' marks then ease it back a small bit until you are not seeing marks. Obviously re coat the bullet at each insertion. This will sit the bullet just of the lands which is a good starting point.

I have been loading this way for 40-45yrs and it seems to work and things keep falling over dead.  I reload for six different calibres from 17 upto 375.

Thanks that’s exactly the sort of tip I was after

[London Best]

And it’s the right one.

[wymberley]

Wouldn't that blank be a dummy.?

[Mr.C]

I will try this Walker570, thanks for an easy to use tip. What gap do you recommend? I've heard 15thou.

[wymberley]

Dependent upon the bullet length and its profile in particular, it can be handy to think magazine. If in doubt and before going into production, knock up a magazine load quantity of dummies just to check that they'll all fit in and cycle.

[Walker570]

1 hour ago, wymberley said:

Dependent upon the bullet length and its profile in particular, it can be handy to think magazine. If in doubt and before going into production, knock up a magazine load quantity of dummies just to check that they'll all fit in and cycle.

also very good advice.

You can actually purchase adjustable gauges for this but the way I have done it over the years seems to work for me. The trick is just putting enough pressure on the seating di to ease the bullet in a 'smidgen'  note prehistoric archaic measurement and as soon as I have an unmarked bullet that does it for me.  If you want to get seriously anal about it then log on to The Shooters Forum and ask the same question.

[Dougy]

1 hour ago, Walker570 said:

also very good advice.

You can actually purchase adjustable gauges for this but the way I have done it over the years seems to work for me. The trick is just putting enough pressure on the seating di to ease the bullet in a 'smidgen'  note prehistoric archaic measurement and as soon as I have an unmarked bullet that does it for me.  If you want to get seriously anal about it then log on to The Shooters Forum and ask the same question.

He may possibly loose the will to live shortly after too. 

Most of the ways work and we have our own individual methods, but nearly all have the same result, I use a case with a X cut in the neck, load a bullet just at the tip of the case neck, load into the chamber and then close the bolt. Open bolt, remove the empty round either via the bolt extractor or a cleaning rod from the muzzle end and measure OAL, repeat a few time to check consistency. 

On some rifles its a simple job of removing the firing pin and then just let the weight of the bolt close on the case each time you alter the seating depth until it just drops.  

[wymberley]

3 hours ago, Walker570 said:

also very good advice.

You can actually purchase adjustable gauges for this but the way I have done it over the years seems to work for me. The trick is just putting enough pressure on the seating di to ease the bullet in a 'smidgen'  note prehistoric archaic measurement and as soon as I have an unmarked bullet that does it for me.  If you want to get seriously anal about it then log on to The Shooters Forum and ask the same question.

It renders the smaller scales of the SI Units pointless, is infinitely variable within its range which renders its quantifiable terminology as singular. No matter what the application might be, when measured the result is always precisely the amount necessary to achieve the objective. Tolerances are not applicable. The smallest member of the Tad family - the venerable 'Smidgen'.

[figgy]

Some bullets barrels and recipes need differing jumps to the lands. Start with a small gap and work the gap to find the most accurate for your combo.

[utectok]

Thanks everyone this is super helpful in thinking I’m probably a mm short on my oal or a smidgen or so get me a bullet removal tool now lol

[utectok]

I now have an overall length of 74.3mm as opposed to the standard 71.12 or my last load at 73mm. It just fits in my magazine! Now I need to reseat 30 bullets groan 

[figgy]

Why not try five and see how they shoot before you go and alter the rest. 

[utectok]

1 hour ago, figgy said:

Why not try five and see how they shoot before you go and alter the rest. 

Sounds a plan 

[Mr.C]

On 14/10/2019 at 21:53, utectok said:

I now have an overall length of 74.3mm as opposed to the standard 71.12 or my last load at 73mm. It just fits in my magazine! Now I need to reseat 30 bullets groan 

Yes, but to crimp or not to crimp? That is the question.

[Dougy]

On 16/10/2019 at 13:14, Mr.C said:

Yes, but to crimp or not to crimp? That is the question.

What about inside-outside neck turning

[utectok]

On 16/10/2019 at 13:14, Mr.C said:

Yes, but to crimp or not to crimp? That is the question.

my mate says you must crimp but I dont have a crimp machine but then another friend said crimping for semi auto guns only??

[welshwarrior]

Crimp where crimping helps some of my loads I crimp 7.62x39 makes a big difference, 243 doesn’t care 308 target rifle makes it less accurate 

[utectok]

Thanks 

[Dougy]

Never crimped, cus i aint got a crimper,

 

So that means i miss more than i would if i crimped. 

 

No!  i miss because its my fault i didnt shoot straight,

To crimp or not to crimp ? 

that is the question ! 

 

The answer is ,,,if your shooting gnats goolies off at infinite distances with £5000. 00 worth of rifle and £4000.00 of glass on top with a means of measuring wind speed every 20 meters from muzzle to target and then managing to correct the flight path of your 100% perfect bullet weight, and length, powder charge, case capacity, shooting ability and barometric pressure reading. "If" you manage to get all that sorted then by all means concern yourself with- To crimp or not to crimp.   

[wymberley]

I shoot fox at night. I might well have loaded a round into the magazine several times before it ended up in the chamber. I could possibly load a round into the chamber several times before it's actually fired. I have been known to drop things. I crimp.

[old man]

Ah, but there's crimping and crimping?

Just a light kiss to make it stay together if you can, it's a bit disconcerting when one comes apart in the mag/chamber area in the dark when up a tree miles from anywhere?

[utectok]

Well big thank you to everyone.... Bullet height was the answer quite happy with consistent sub 1" groups at 100m. here is a 5 shot one at 74mm COAL (0.3mm off the lands) light crimp. I think that will do for most hunting I intend but I wouldn't of managed it without everyone's help. 

Edited October 20, 2019 by utectok