Seating depth test

[Mikecr]

For sure you don't need to chase tail, but seating testing can be huge to results, so it usually pays to go with it.
It's important that it's carried out in a logical sequence. Otherwise, back to tail chasing.
You shouldn't test seating while at a good powder node, because you would be changing 2 things at once with that.
You shouldn't test powder while at some random seating, because it could end up the worst seating.
So logically, you would test seating (coarse seating) before testing powder. For this, you would do your best to be well away from what you expect a powder node to come in at.

Truly, you want your worst powder load for coarse seating testing. You want to put up great big ugly groups.
With this, it is very easy to see what seating is doing. Very easy to find best coarse seating.
And with that, now you can move into powder/ladder testing with known good seating.
It doesn't take a lot of shots for this seating testing, and you can do it while fire forming brass, which should ALWAYS be done before powder testing anyway.

 

[Rflshootr]

Ok, I see what you are saying, but, I have had barrels, for their top accuracy, that prefer slower speeds, some that like max speeds and some in between. So how do you "expect" where your powder node will be so you can stay away from it? Do you just give it your SWAG and hope it's right?

 

[Mikecr]

I drop below what I expect to be a mid node for barrel length.
Like if I strongly expect a mid node from 2950-3050 with a 28" barrel, I'll drop the charge to ~2875, and validate that my groups there (at any seating) suks. If during seating testing my groups close to ragged holes, I know the test is too close to a powder node, and that half my data suks. I need to back the powder away from it.

I want to see ~1 to 1/2moa and back grouping as I move seating in 10thou increments (to begin with).
You might also do primer swap testing with this poor load, while fireforming.
Then if I pick best coarse seating in that (even though it's not dead nutz best yet), and shoot a ladder, my pattern should not be an abstract, but an easy to see best powder rung.
Then after incremental validation of best powder node, go with that back to fine tweaking of seating (in it's window) (similar to that performed for this thread) -for tightest group shaping. If there is tighter to get still, adjust neck sizing length (neck tension) for it.

 

[kgunz11]

I'm glad I didn't come here to learn how to reload!

 

[Mikecr]

This is not where anyone would learn basic reloading.
I don't even know if such a site exists

 

[chutinlead]

Here is an interesting look at seating depth and whether to chase it close to the lands or not.

Bullet Jump Research

shortactioncustoms.com

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

This is not where anyone would learn basic reloading.
I don't even know if such a site exists

There are actually a couple of facebook groups that delve into basic reloading and basic cast bullet making/shooting. I'm a member of both.

 

[kgunz11]

I joke guys. I've been reloading for 20 years, building rifles for 15 years, and a pretty competent competitive shooter. I guess it goes to show there is more than 1 way to skin a cat, some ways are just easier than others.

 

[QuietTexan]

End goal of the user is often lost in the "what works for me" discussions IMO. Big differences between 300 yard benchrest vs Kof2M, square range vs field position shooting, AR vs bolt, the list is almost endless. The same reloading methods might be generally applicable to all of these situations, but the acceptable tolerances, round counts you can run through the barrel, and the components used will undoubtedly change.

Something as simple as a particular rifle/ cartridge having a mag length issue is why having multiple ways to find seating depths quickly helps us all out. Some people like to mess with things for the heck of it, finding different ways that work is what tends to come out of that. We each draw the line of "it's only crazy if it doesn't work" different places

 

[338 dude]

Pretty much. .020 or .040 seem to be a decent place to start for powder development. I don't know that it really matters.

I usually start with .020 jump

 

[338 dude]

I did that on the ladder test. I'll chrono next time out. That's the downside of the magneto. The change of POI and impact on groups make it hard to use during seating depth. I found a very good velocity node over .6grains already but haven't done a group to see spreads.

Get a magneto speed mount from Wiser precision, it does not mount to the barrel and will not affect POI.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Get a magneto speed mount from Wiser precision, it does not mount to the barrel and will not affect POI.

Interesting…I shoot an AG composite stock without any arca attachments. Just a spartan precision adapter for a bipod. I don't see any attachments that might work with that setup?

 

[kgunz11]

Interesting…I shoot an AG composite stock without any arca attachments. Just a spartan precision adapter for a bipod. I don't see any attachments that might work with that setup?

The WP mount won't work with just any rifle. You have to have something on the rifle to accept the mount and few hunting rifles do.

 

[FEENIX]

I usually start with .020 jump

Me too! Most of the time, I get lucky with different powders. The only one thus far that gave me a challenge was with .300 WSM and 215 Berger; I ended up with .080" off the lands.