Question on seating depth

[dhall]

Do most of you folks seat your bullets to where they are the most acurate (almost touching the lands etc..) or deep enough for the cartridges to function in the magazine properly? I'm trying to work on a load for my Sendero .300 RUM using 180gr. Accubonds.
Thank You for any advice!

 

[BountyHunter]

If you want to load for magazine, then load to max OAL and tune from there.

If you want to load singly, then start at touching the lands and come backwards AFTER finding the right powder charge.

BH

 

[wapiti13]

Boone, Max OAL to fit in your magazine, then in ten thousands changes go in further to find the "second" sweet spot. Most rifles will have a second sweet spot seated deeper than just off the lands. Depends on the bullet, throat, etc. Accuracy is different for every gun.

 

[dhall]

Bounty Hunter, Do most long range hunting experts just load singly, if thats what works best?

 

[Varmint Hunter]

It may be a misnomer that bullets are the most accurate when just touching the rifling. Often, hunting bullets and many target bullets are just as accurate when loaded tens of thousandths off the rifling. At least in my experience.

It is VLD design bullets that tend to prefer some rifling engagement and even that is not universal.

I'd be working with the magazine length first.

 

[BountyHunter]

Boone

Depends on how the gun is built. If it is a mag gun, then max oal for the mag may be up to .100 off the lands. That generally not the most accurate spot.

Many LR guns are single shots with custom actions. That means we can load to max accuracy and not be hindered by having to fit in a mag.

VLDs tend to shoot the best as deep as .030 in the lands to just off no more than .020. While mass mftred bullets such as Sierra generally like it close to the lands or as for as .050 off.

BH

 

[sniper300]

BOONE, I load a 165gr. NBT with 96.0 grains of RL 22 powder in a 300 RUM sendero I chrono it at 3590 fps. out of 26" barrel with a C.O.L. of 3.690" I shoot out to 1000 yds with excellent results. I also load 168 gr. a-max @ 3.722 but my sendero becomes single shot for the catridge is to long for magazine. My load data is higher than max in reloading manuals but I have no problems, every gun is different. whether it fits in the magazine is preference I have loads that do both. hope this helps