Re: Bullet Seating Depth?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ricklaut</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mark - saw your post here locally on NS and I was gonna reply there - but I was going to point you back here with a link anyway. I went through this last year. So here goes...
If you haven't already, take a look at
this link. It helped me tons... What I did different was used a "poor mans" method of finding the lands (basically as rat907 at NS said - except I did that multiple times to make sure it was repeatable and accurate). I ended up finding that my .308 shot best when right at the lands. Every time I get a new box of bullets, I go through the same exercise to make sure they're seated at the right spot, since ogive changes from lot to lot (hence COAL isn't a reliable number).
To me, the most important part of the info in that link is at the very end. Pay particular attention to the paragraph towards the end - <span style="font-style: italic">"However it is IMPERATIVE you understand the following. On occasion the rifle will prefer a different bullet/rifling relation. Perhaps it be .015” jammed, or .030” out of the rifling totally or .030” “jump.” But START ALL LOAD WORK JAMMED! This is because in the next chapter we are going to learn what actual MAX load for this rifle is with a given powder and this bullet. Being jammed into the riflings increases pressure!".</span> Know that this step is occurring BEFORE working the load up, for the above reason.
I can't argue with the success I've had using this method.
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Thanks Rick for taking time to help me out. Good info and I'll
check out the link as well.
So you didn't have a pressure issue with seating the bullet right at
the lands huh? Good to know. I've been warned about having too much
pressure build up and was a little hesistant to seat right up to the
lands.
I'm going to recheck my O.A.L. tomorrow with the Hornady O.A.L. tool
just to verify.
If there is a pressure issue what can I look for? I heard a flattened
primer or case crack/wear would be an indicator. Anything else to be
aware of?
Thanks again.
Mark