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Seating depth question

Dildobaggins

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 26, 2020
993
459
So I am very new to reloading. I have over a 1000 cases of federal brass 1x fired. As some of you know the cases run a little shorter. I trimmed all the cases to 1.350. I'm loading Hornady 55 grain spire points. I called Hornady because my Lyman book didn't have that specific load, and the guy told me 2.20, but it looks like it's sticking out of the case a little too much? Any good ways to find proper bullet seating depth? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question.
 
Is this for a general purpose carbine?

If so, id find use some factory ammo with the same or a similar bullet and match that seating depth to start (using oal is fine for this purpose if you dont have a comparator yet (get one soon if not).

Then play with the powder charge to get the speed you want within safe pressure regimes.

See how it does on paper and further tweak it from there until its performing to your liking.
 
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Is this for a general purpose carbine?

If so, id find use some factory ammo with the same or a similar bullet and match that seating depth to start (using oal is fine for this purpose if you dont have a comparator yet (get one soon if not).

Then play with the powder charge to get the speed you want within safe pressure regimes.

See how it does on paper and further tweak it from there until its performing to your liking.
Its for a varmint carbine. The brass had 62 grain fmjs they are 2.197 to 2.200 OAL. the 62 grain bullet length is .817 and the 55grain is .724. I'm thinking of subtracting the length of the 62 grain and seating it in .093 farther in for the 55 gr. I will have to get a comparator.
 
Its for a varmint carbine. The brass had 62 grain fmjs they are 2.197 to 2.200 OAL. the 62 grain bullet length is .817 and the 55grain is .724. I'm thinking of subtracting the length of the 62 grain and seating it in .093 farther in for the 55 gr. I will have to get a comparator.
Like @Steelhead said, use whatever reliable load data source info available. main thing is to look out for pressure signs and back off the charge weight if you encounter them.

Bump your shoulders .004 relative to your fired brass (use a dial indicator w/the Hornady or Sinclair headspace tool and applicable comparator to do this). then set your sizing die, measure each sized piece of brass until you achive the .004-.005” bump. This bump ensures each round fully chambers and the gun goes bang when the trigger is squeezed each and every time.
 
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