bullet over all length?

[wildworks]

does anyone look at there bullets overall length as a factor in using that particular bullet or just the base to ogive when sorting a new lot of bullets? I notice that they vary, some tips are not even do these need trimming?

[abinok]

If they are for LR use, past say, 600yds or so, the 220SMKs I prefer for this application usually get sorted for bearing surface length, then base to ogive, then meplat uniformed. Meplat uniformed bullets from the tool I use are uniform in length to somewhere around .0002 or so. Base to ogive sorted bullets do seem to have more consistant BCs than non sorted bullets, but most of the variation in a lot of bullets in in the meplat. I sort BS length to reduce ES primarily, but some have argued that both BS and base to ogive measurements are equally prone to cause BC variation.

[wildworks]

what tool are you using to unifrom the bullets? does it just trim the melplats???

[abinok]

Currently I use a meplat uniformer of my own design, that I made myself. Ive found the thread and provided it here if youre interested in whipping up one yourself. It will cost a buck or two [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] it indexes on the base of the bullet, so technically it makes them all the same length. As a byproduct, it produces very consistant meplat diameters. Conversely, the tools I discuss below index off of the bullet ogive.

http://longrangehunting.com/ubbthreads/s...=true#Post66820

That being said, there are currently two different meplat uniformers on the market. The origional made by Dave Tooley, and a newer version made by Kevin Kram. The Tooley tool is also sold by David Tubb's company, if you would like to spend a few dollars more. The Kram tool is the best one in my opinion, made from stainless steel. Its very nice.