Reloading shortcut - Seating Depth

[nksmfamjp]

I hear I will have a limited barrel life in a 28 Sherman Magnum. So I want some help with a shortcut. I also have a tuner as a possible shortcut.

First, I think I want to do seating depth testing first. Normally, I would find a reasonably low Sd charge weight first, then start depth testing. Can I find a good seating depth up to 100 fps slow?

I also normally start 0.010" or so off the lands and test out to 0.120" or something. Seems like my best is usually 0.020"-0.050". Anything I can do to shortcut this? Will I be chasing lands that close?

I'm wondering if the shortcut is just start at 0.020" and seat deeper in 0.003" increments until I find a decent node and then it starts to open up. Then every 100 rounds lengthen loads by 0.003"??

 

[Lenwood901]

thats what i just did .20-.35 off land shot good during fire forming i went with .25 off lands just did a ladder test and it shot good threw the whole ladder

 

[just_jon]

I've done that in a couple of rifles by selecting an appropriate powder and a charge midway between starting and book max. I would have used a known load, but both were shot with powder and bullets I never used before. I started .010 off and usually run to .060 in .010 increments.

 

[nksmfamjp]

I wonder if this is a waste of time before cases are formed and barrel break in. Do I even need to do any shoot & clean?

 

[Lenwood901]

When do you get the rifle ready to see it

 

[nksmfamjp]

When do you get the rifle ready to see it

If you are talking to me, roughly end of the month.

 

[Bob Wright]

What barrel is it coming with? Usually hand lapped barrels require little break-in.
Second thing is bullet selection. If not jump sensitive that too should be quickly derived.
Then you can do a 300 yard ladder test and find your higher velocity accuracy node and reload in that area, on another go around. If everything goes well, do a 600 yard drop test to confirm b.c. and group. Maybe a 100 round exercise and all your brass is fire formed. Then, it's a hunting gun.
I'm .100 off using 180 Berger VLDH (jump sensitive) and erosion hasn't effected that in 300 rounds on a 7RM, Krieger #5 sporter barrel, 26".

 

[nksmfamjp]

Comes with a Bartlein 3B. I'm planning on Berger 195's. If those fail, I will soon be looking at Hammers.

Interesting how you are 0.1" off…

 

[Bob Wright]

Comes with a Bartlein 3B. I'm planning on Berger 195's. If those fail, I will soon be looking at Hammers.

Interesting how you are 0.1" off…

Bergers VLD's either like it in the lands or jumping a mile as they say. My other 7 mag was .090 off.
The Bartlein should have little break-in. Follow their procedure if they even recommend it.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

As the EOL is a hybrid type, I would start as long as the mag will allow /.010" off and work up. Save the barrel life.

Some say not to use virgin cases for working up, I just note that and then watch pressure/velocity to see if it changes. If I have 200 virgin cases I find a load with them and just check it with a few fireformed. Usually a slight increase in velocity/pressure may warrant a slight reduction, but not always.

 

[billcaldwell]

Tag

 

[spladi]

some powders are more or less abrasive because of their physical shape as well as single or double base are somewhat different in heat generated, Personally I do not believe in the shoot and clean over and over routine, once the throat surface lays over ( 5-10 rounds ) what is to be achieved ?

 

[Mikecr]

First, I think I want to do seating depth testing first. Normally, I would find a reasonably low Sd charge weight first, then start depth testing. Can I find a good seating depth up to 100 fps slow?

This exactly what you should do

I also normally start 0.010" or so off the lands and test out to 0.120" or something. Seems like my best is usually 0.020"-0.050". Anything I can do to shortcut this? Will I be chasing lands that close?

There is a thread here from Berger that lays out an easy coarse full seating test. IMO, it is a good shortcut.

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Berger Bullets' Eric Stecker has just made available a tech bulletin in Word format. You may download it here to save it one your own computer or read it online. Getting the Best Precision and Accuracy from VLD bullets in Your Rifle Background VLD bullets are designed with a...

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