Bullet depth. Seating the bullet for accuracy.

[bruddah]

When working up a load for accuracy, how do you determine where to start as far as seating depth is concerned? (barring a magazine fed rifle where the magazine limits the OAL).

Up against the lands?

.010" off the lands??

What and why are your chosen methods?

Thanks in advance!

 

[hintonrc51]

For me I first start by finding the FPS I feel safe with. Then I start .010 off and work up to .010 jammed. In .002 increments. For a VLD I find jammed works the best and a BT or hybrid .005-.010 off works best. But like always this is just my way of doing it.

 

[nnn66]

you might like this Optimizing Precision And Accuracy From VLD Bullets

 

[bruddah]

you might like this Optimizing Precision And Accuracy From VLD Bullets

Excellent info. Thanks for sharing!

 

[bruddah]

Part two question.

Both bullet depth AND powder charge affect accuracy.

Do you just pick a depth, adjust powder charges till you get a good group and then fine tune with bullet depth, or do you do the opposite?

Thanks!

 

[18Echo]

do an OCW to find powder charge and then do seating depth. I did bergers instructions for seating depth and actually found two depths for the 185 vld that makes one hole groups at 100 yards.

 

[bruddah]

you might like this Optimizing Precision And Accuracy From VLD Bullets

do an OCW to find powder charge and then do seating depth. I did bergers instructions for seating depth and actually found two depths for the 185 vld that makes one hole groups at 100 yards.

That's what I thought. Just wasn't sure at what depth everyone starts out at or what the reasoning was for the chosen starting depth.

Does Berger's instructions mirror the above link? It looked like it was a Berger employee (vice president) who wrote the article.

 

[nnn66]

I've tried a variety of things, but most recently I have been determining the powder charge and then experimenting with seating depth in a very similar manner to that article I posted above. I've had very good results and have been able to find the "sweet spot" without burning up too much powder. Just this past weekend, I was able to work up a load with a new bullet and was pretty consistently shooting between .315 and .500 after only two trips to the range. I think I just got lucky, but it probably had a lot to do with the fact that I had a good idea of what this rifle likes before I started. I'm still working on tweaking it and am in the process of further fine tuning right now.