Just tried my first load with my tikka t3 lite 308 my nosler book says 2.810 for over all length, i used the hornady o.a.l gauge and i took about 5 measurments that came out too, 2.989? Did some reading and people were saying the bullet comparator (.308) (hornady) will Be a different length too a fired case and i compared the cases and they were exact same???? Any opinions would be awesome cause its puzzling? Thanks!
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Jed Eckert
Well-Known Member
Are you saying the gauge showed you your lands touch the bullet at 2.989 COAL?
Is your 2.810 measurement from factory ammo? Or Noslers book recommendation?
This may be based on industry standards
If your lands touch bullet at 2.989, now subtract from that how far you wanna start off lands. Use this dummy round you created, seat to that depth. Then measure CBTO on THAT DUMMY with THE SAME bullet. Like the same exact bullet.
then run a OCW test at that depth
Then mess with seating depth
then forget about COAL unless it's for mag limitations
Always now use CBTO. It does not vary as much as COAL (bullet tips may not be consistent or consistently measured.
Is your 2.810 measurement from factory ammo? Or Noslers book recommendation?
This may be based on industry standards
If your lands touch bullet at 2.989, now subtract from that how far you wanna start off lands. Use this dummy round you created, seat to that depth. Then measure CBTO on THAT DUMMY with THE SAME bullet. Like the same exact bullet.
then run a OCW test at that depth
Then mess with seating depth
then forget about COAL unless it's for mag limitations
Always now use CBTO. It does not vary as much as COAL (bullet tips may not be consistent or consistently measured.
Yes when i measured by the gauge it showed 2.989 but nosler says maximum 2.810
Jed Eckert
Well-Known Member
Sounds like that the Nosler book recommendation is 0.179" from your lands
IN YOUR RIFLE
that's pretty far
Some Nosler bullets like to start 0.02" off lands.
So initial COAL is 2.989 - .02 = 2.969 COAL
Yes longer than Nosler recommends
all rifles are different
remember,It might not fit in your mag
Always start low and work up
IN YOUR RIFLE
that's pretty far
Some Nosler bullets like to start 0.02" off lands.
So initial COAL is 2.989 - .02 = 2.969 COAL
Yes longer than Nosler recommends
all rifles are different
remember,It might not fit in your mag
Always start low and work up
Okay yeah ive reloaded a bit but not much and that seemed way off so ill try to load one and chamber it? And see if the bolt closes and if it does fire it and see what happens?
Jed Eckert
Well-Known Member
I would not do that
You could try a dummy 1st if you are worried.
look for "land marks" on the bullet
Trust your measurements
If you can't trust your measurements, go back to the book values.
You could try a dummy 1st if you are worried.
look for "land marks" on the bullet
Trust your measurements
If you can't trust your measurements, go back to the book values.
