Overall length question

[ElKellym]

Im building a load up for my 338 LM and in my Hornady book for the 285 grain bullets it has a COL of 3.625 yet in another post on this forum his is 3.743

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...ballistics/173020-gap-338lm-285-hornadys.html

Is the COL different for each rifle barrel? Whats the easiest way to test to make sure im setting the best possible bullet length for my gun?

 

[gvanhyning]

COL is normally based on the length of the magazine.

 

[Victor N TN]

If you set up too long you'll have to shoot single shot and hand feed each round. I would make a couple of dummy rounds, (case and bullet, no primer or powder) and mark the ogive of the bullet with a magic marker or sharpie pen. As long as the bullet doesn't show engrave marks from the rifling you can probably get buy. But making a custom OAL in a factory chamber / factory rifle is pretty much an exercise in futility. Just make them fit your magazine.