Does anyone here change the seating depth on factory ammo to improve precision? My rifle seems to like seating depths that are longer than SAAMI COAL and I was thinking that pulling and resetting bullets in factory match loads might improve precision as well. With components scarce, I'm looking to get better groups with what I have.
Altering Factory Ammo Seating Depth
- Thread starter bill123
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SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
Thats a very grey area.....
I wouldn't pull them at all. What I've done in the past is pull the pills part way out and seat back to a longer COAL without entirely removing the pill from the neck using the appropriate RCBS micrometer seating die and plug.
I then crimp the neck slightly with a Lee Collet crimper but I don't make a habit out of doing it, just in a pinch.
I wouldn't pull them at all. What I've done in the past is pull the pills part way out and seat back to a longer COAL without entirely removing the pill from the neck using the appropriate RCBS micrometer seating die and plug.
I then crimp the neck slightly with a Lee Collet crimper but I don't make a habit out of doing it, just in a pinch.
I didn't mean to say that I would pull them completely, Just enough that I would be sure to be able to reseat them further out than they were.
What caliber are you shooting that you would crimp the necks?
Sully2
Well-Known Member
I wouldnt even do that!! Same amount of same powder in a new larger volumetric area....different burning then and it MAY be way off course.???
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
Sully, you know me well enough to know that I would only do that in a pinch, it's certainly not my SOP, but then I ignite very little factory ammunition.
The times I've done it, maybe 5 times, it did't seem to effect trajectory but then, thats just my observation.
I did it last year prior to my NM Mulie hunt. I had ordered 2 boxes of 338 Lapua/Lapua loads from HSM and specified the COAL I wanted. The rounds came in but at the SAMMI spec so I ran them out to what I wanted in the first place and I saw no detrimental trajectory changes. I was going through a protracted wait on reloading dies which I got after 6 months so 'factory' loads are as thing of the past now.
I'm sure you can geuss how I 'Ran them out'.......
Maybe I should say 'ran them out and bumped them back' in as much as I had the seater die but no NS or FL dies and a pile of brass.....My concern was lost neck tension one reason for the crimp, besides....
To the OP, I crimp everything. That is SOP with me. Every caliber I reload. lets see, 223, 22-250, 300WSM, 300 WBY, 308 and 338. Of course the pistol rounds are roll crimped anyway. Everything else gets crimped with a Lee Collet Crimper, even pills with no cannelure. Not excessively, just a tad. I use a 'perfect crimp' on my press that insures a repeatable crimp pressure, first time, everytime.
Actually, crimping is an offshoot of the way I hunt. I tend to carry a number of cartridges in my coat pocket or pants pocket and trudging around in the woods tends to bang them around and I don't want the COAL to change.
Crimping is a personal preference on my part. Just insurance the way I look at it and I don't want to or desire to debate that....
Sully2
Well-Known Member
Take me with ya in 2014 to NM for mulies
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
That might be doable.
I'd like to see some moisture out there. Was drier than a popcorn fart when we were there (for 11 days).
Pretty wary creatures.
Sully2
Well-Known Member
Im searching hi and low for a guide or ??. Ive got COPD in a bad way and cant do much walking....need to go to a location and SIT and glass a lot and then take my shot.
Most guides think that by walking your *** off they get a bonus in their check....LMAO
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
I'm not exactly young, but I think you surmised that long ago plus I'm minus some parts from a bout with cancer about 18 years ago. I don't mind walking and I was a bit concerned that the altitude would adversely impact me. It didn't. We hunted on private land abutting the Gila. Most of our hunt was actually riding in a 4wd pickup scouting and then staking on foot.....
One of the group has back issues and can't trudge so our guide dropped us at designated spots where the mulies were coming in. All in all, I might have hiked 10 miles in the time we were there but it was entirely discretionary on my part. It was a lodge hunt, all meals and accommodations provided.
I wanted to get up as high as possible (mesa tip top) so walking, or should I say climbing was the order of the day. I wanted to be up so I could glass the valleys in search of those grey things.
The terrain is alien compared to here where we live and that took some adjustment on my part. Don't touch the 'green grass', it cuts you.... High quality hunting boots are in order, the rocks are unforgiving as is the cactus, plus coming down is all about side hilling on loose rock and it's a long way down if you slip....
And...don't drink the water, period. I drank bottled water (carried my Ebrelstock) with a hydration bladder filled with spring water and the rifle (308) in the scabbard along with the necessary stuff, range finder, camera, extra ammo, compass and granola bars...and toilet paper of course. Was a nice catch all in the back of the pickup. Meals were also provided by the guide for lunch out on the mesa. Most times I left the pack in the truck, took the rifle, bino's, range finder and a couple granola bars with a bottle of water and left the group. Pretty hard to get lost especially being up high, looking down.
30's at night, 50's during the day. Had a helluva a time. If I do it again, probably will, I'll hunt the Gila.
Mulies are interesting creatures and creatures of habit, much like our deer. They operate on schedule so once you ascertain that schedule, it's pretty easy to anticipate where they will be at and when. Out there, because water is scarce, they frequent pump troughs that water cattle, we just hung around the windmills ans waited.
In NM, you can't take a doe (at least where we were at). You have to take a buck and not a spike, It has to be a certain width and the bucks are especially wary. The does know they aren't fair game. They ignore you.
I took the 338 but not with any intent on carrying it, just took it because the 308 and the 338 both fit the Pelican together and we drove out so baggage weight wasn't an issue. The 308 was plenty of rifle as I ranged animals, the farthest I ranged was 375 yards. I wouldn't carry the 338 to the corner store, let alone out in the boonies. It's too **** heavy and I'm too old.
Sully2
Well-Known Member
I can always carry a piglet oxygen cylinder in a back pack....good for 3 hrs of pure oxgen...*S* Most probably Id take my .260. She's a tack driver
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
Got your PM btw. Will be forwarding pictures.
I have to bunk somewhere where there is electricity, can't tent it. I need to be 'plugged in' every night so pack trips are out for me anyways. Day trips are fine but no sleep overs.
Been out in the shop banging out 1000 308 rounds in various flavors of Sierra pills. Like I've said elsewhere, keeping up with 7 hunters takes a lot of reloading.
The 'worst' part of the trip was our cook. He was of Mexican descent and every meal was of Mexican flavor so my tummy was, shall we say, not so good. Len likes that stuff, I don't.
On the way back we hit the first McDees available and I had some good old fast food.
I have to bunk somewhere where there is electricity, can't tent it. I need to be 'plugged in' every night so pack trips are out for me anyways. Day trips are fine but no sleep overs.
Been out in the shop banging out 1000 308 rounds in various flavors of Sierra pills. Like I've said elsewhere, keeping up with 7 hunters takes a lot of reloading.
The 'worst' part of the trip was our cook. He was of Mexican descent and every meal was of Mexican flavor so my tummy was, shall we say, not so good. Len likes that stuff, I don't.
On the way back we hit the first McDees available and I had some good old fast food.
Sully2
Well-Known Member
I come equipped with an 8KW diesel generator.. And a battery bank of 4-225 amp hrs batterys that runs my coach all night EXCEPT the roof AC's....needs genset for that.
Roughing it is black and white TV anymore....*S*
I love mexican food...not that hotter than hell Texas crap. They just dump the peppers to stuff so you cant taste the nastyness. Good mexican is GOOD.
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
Though I've never taken it hunting, I have a Ford F350 diesel 4x4 crew cab and a Lance slide in camper thats fully equipped (generator too), microwave, oven, fridge, ac, forced air heat, head shower, hot water, the works and I've had the whole outfit off road before, just have to be careful where you go because it's high and a bit cumbersome. It will do moderate stuff. I got the battery thing too, with solar panels on the roof.
It has a roof rack for carrying stuff...like animals.
I used to do snowmobile trips with it. It has the extra insulation package with heated holding and water tanks.
My tummy can't take that hot stuff....... Hot going in, hotter coming out.....
All done in boxes ready for the group to divvy up. 8 pounds of H380, 1000 Federal GM210M's, 1000 308 LC13 OFMB prepped and 4 boxes of Sierra 2120's, 4 boxes of Sierra 2145's 1 box of Sierra 2140 and one box 0f 168 Match Kings.
Did I say I get paid for it too.......
It has a roof rack for carrying stuff...like animals.
I used to do snowmobile trips with it. It has the extra insulation package with heated holding and water tanks.
My tummy can't take that hot stuff....... Hot going in, hotter coming out.....
All done in boxes ready for the group to divvy up. 8 pounds of H380, 1000 Federal GM210M's, 1000 308 LC13 OFMB prepped and 4 boxes of Sierra 2120's, 4 boxes of Sierra 2145's 1 box of Sierra 2140 and one box 0f 168 Match Kings.
Did I say I get paid for it too.......
