COAL for my load?

[RangerBrad]

Hey fellas, I have a Marlin MR-7 in 25-06 and will be using the 115gr berger VLD. Using the Frankford OAL gauge I get a total length with the bullet laid on the lands at 3.300". Does that seem about right? I got a load data e-mail from berger ad they showed a COAL of 3.250 which seems very short for this bullet as thats 50 thousands off the lands and I believe these Bergers need to be set closer to the lands. I'm new to reloading and hope I'm reading the OAL gauge correctly. Once agin does the 3.300" COAL to lands sound right? Thank's, Brad

 

[Greyfox]

The conventional wisdom is that Bergers have to be loaded very close or into the lands for maximum accuracy. This is not the case. Check out the article on the Berger website about testing for bullet seating depth. I have two 6,5x284 rifles that deliver the best accuracy in the .25MOA range with seating depths in excess of .050" off the lands.

 

[RT2506]

Read the second "sticky" at the top of this page section.

 

[boomtube]

"Does that seem about right? "

Brad, what's right is what feeds, chambers easily without jamming into the lands and shoots well. It doesn't matter what 'seems about right' to any of us, each rifle is a law unto itself. ONLY you can determine what the OAL needs to be. Good luck!

 

[RangerBrad]

Thank's fellas, I realize that coal needs to be done for each rifle. I was just wondering if the 3.300 is normal coal with this cartridge on the lands (making sure I measured right). Brad

 

[RangerBrad]

After reading the sticky on the COAL of vld bullets that was recommended and measuring the the max coal of my rifle at 3.300 and the load manual shows a sammi length of 3.250 I be lieve I will run this test from 3.250 to 3.290 in .010 increments. That will have me not falling below sammi lengths but not into the lands either. What say yal? Thank's, Brad

 

[Mikecr]

You're assigning too much credit to numbers listed in manuals..
Does your manual list anything for YOUR gun?
NO, IT DOES NOT.

You can't learn reloading from a 'reloading manual'.
You need to pick up a book or two -about- reloading, so that you can understand what numbers listed in a manual mean to you.

 

[blkdog]

Berger has a recommended test to find the ideal coal with the least amount of waste. Load six rounds each of your load at these lengths: .010 off the lands, .050 off the lands, .090 off the lands and .130 off. these must be measured from the ogive in order to get a true picture. Shoot two three shot groups with each length. one of the lengths will stand out above the others. then you can tweek that length if you want but when I have used this method I usually stay with whichever length was best in the test. The limiting factor is your magazine, remember they have to feed reliably unless you are using a single shot. Good luck