bullet seating

USMC0311 · #1 11-17-2005, 06:06 PM

I have been reloading for about 3 years. I use a stony point oal gauge to get my seating depth and I usually seat it about .020 from the lands. I have heard you should never seat a jacketed bullet into the lands. I want to start target shooting and I would like to know some peoples suggestions about seating into the lands. Any advice would help. Thanks

4ked Horn · #2 11-17-2005, 06:25 PM

What bullets are you using? Also what cartridges? The thickness of the jacket and the burn rate of the powder normally used in different cases can influence peak pressures alot and will mean the difference on weather you can seat hard into the lands, kiss them or load off .010", .020" or more.

#3 11-17-2005, 06:34 PM

USMC0311

I don't like using OAL to set up on the lands because bullets will vary in length sometimes as much as 0.015" or more! Once I find the correct length from the face of the bolt to the lands I use a measurement coming off the cartridge head to the ogive for bullet seating. Al Davidson makes a tool for this available from Sinclair International I think! The tool attaches to the arm of vernier calipers and for many years I've used one with great success! And as for actual seating of bullets....I prefer to use an L. E. Wilson inline seater. IMO...they're the BEST IN THE WEST!

Semper Fi!!

wapiti13 · #4 11-17-2005, 10:28 PM

Stoney Point makes an inexpensive OAL gauge that reads of the ogive using your mic. As pointed out, every bullet and throat will shoot differently. Remember, you must ALWAYS jump a Barnes X type bullet at least .030. Other bullets don't necessarily need to be jumped, but some shoot better with a jump start! Good luck.

USMC0311 · #5 11-19-2005, 05:58 PM

to clear things up a bit; i have a .22-250. I use a 60 gr. Hdy V-max, 38.0 gr. H380. To get the depth, i use a bullet comparator to get the depth from the ogive. So, now what do you think

Mysticplayer · #6 11-20-2005, 10:46 PM

My experience shooting a variety of hornady bullets tells me to get them just off the lands and work up a load. I also prefer at least 3 to 4 thou of neck tension.

Jerry

Festus · #7 11-21-2005, 11:41 PM

You can seat bullets firmly into the lands using starting loads and working up cautiously. As has been mentioned, you will reach maximum pressure before you will by seating just off the lands. You will also likely see better accuracy by jumping the bullets, but every rifle is different. One thing to be wary of...When you seat into the lands and chamber a round, then decide to unload the rifle you can leave the bullet stuck into the lands and when you open the action dump powder all through the action. This makes for a sizeable mess and is no fun (or so I've been told [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]).
Festus