Best way to find proper length of bullet?

[bigbass]

Back in the day to find proper length ( probable most accurate length ) is to "smoke" a dead round with a candle and turn it black, load it, pull it out carefully and check the rifling marks, back it up until there are no marks. Is that still the recommended way to find a starting point? Figered things may have changed since then, Thanks, Mike

 

[Broz]

Hornaday makes a tool with a special threaded case you put in the chamber. Then a push rod extends the bullet down until it touches. Then lock it down and remove from chamber and measure it up. Works great.

Jeff

 

[rcairflr]

Back in the day to find proper length ( probable most accurate length ) is to "smoke" a dead round with a candle and turn it black, load it, pull it out carefully and check the rifling marks, back it up until there are no marks. Is that still the recommended way to find a starting point? Figered things may have changed since then, Thanks, Mike

I use a method similar to your except I use a felt tip marker to color the bullet. I am going to give your way (using a candle) a try.

 

[bill123]

I never had any luck w smoking or coloring the bullet. I use the Hornady as well. They make a straight and a curved one and I find the curved one better. As Zediker recommends, it's more accurate to seat the bulled in the case long and push the whole thing into the lands. The Hornady directions say the opposite, seat the bullet short, push the case into the chamber and then push the bullet to the lands. Either way will work but both take a bit of practice.

 

[Nikkel]

Here is a no cost tool idea that works for me.Using one of your spent brass take a dremmel tool with ultra thin cutting tip and cut 2 or 3 cuts in the end of brass to allow the bullet to slide in and out when (firmly) pushed and pulled by hand. You can then place the bullet in the brass just a little to make sure when you chamber the bullet it will push it back into the brass as it makes contact with the lands.
Eject the dummy load carefully and slowly, then measure. Repeat 3 or 4 times to ensure that the bullet has not moved in casing as you eject it. I usually place a little coating on the bullet so it does not stick when contacting the lands.
This seems to get me a perfect zero point with the same or better accuracy as the fancy tools. Once I have that zero point I can start seeing how much bullet jump my rifle likes with that bullet.


Ray

 

[bigbass]

That does sound like a very good and fast way to get a starting point, Thanks so much for all of your ideas, Mike

 

[WildRose]

I've never seen a website with so many people who actually know what the hell they are talking about.

Few people can appreciate what a great resource it truly is.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Hornaday makes a tool with a special threaded case you put in the chamber. Then a push rod extends the bullet down until it touches. Then lock it down and remove from chamber and measure it up. Works great.

Jeff

I always just pull the bolt, drop a pill down into the throat, and tap lightly with a cleaning rod. I then go to muzzle end and put a register mark on the cleaning rod using a tip I cut flat. Tap out the pill, reinstall the bolt (without dry firing) and put another register mark on the cleaning rod. Measure and you have your length to jamb with that pill.
The hornady tool is useful on a ratchet gun or auto where you can't get at the bore from both ends.

 

[Broz]

I always just pull the bolt, drop a pill down into the throat, and tap lightly with a cleaning rod. I then go to muzzle end and put a register mark on the cleaning rod using a tip I cut flat. Tap out the pill, reinstall the bolt (without dry firing) and put another register mark on the cleaning rod. Measure and you have your length to jamb with that pill.
The hornady tool is useful on a ratchet gun or auto where you can't get at the bore from both ends.

That was a method I used many years ago. I used a sharpened lead pencil at the crown to make fine lines to measure from. But I like the Hornaday tool method better. It eliminates the variation you get in bullet tips and allows you to take a measurement with the comparator to get the measurement from case head to o-give of the bullet seated on the lands. That is what we are after, not where the tip is hanging. Bullet tips will vary -.010" plus on hollow points.
Different strokes..... just depends on what you are looking for I guess.

Jeff

 

[bigbass]

And I do truly appreciate all the help, with ya'll experience it is saving me a lot of time trying to re-learn all that I have forgotten about reloading, powder and bullets have changed a lot. I sound like an old man, I'm only 46 but was into reloading right out of high-school then life happened and got too busy. The good Lord let me live long enough for things to settle down a bit so I'm back, thanks fellas, Mike

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

That was a method I used many years ago. I used a sharpened lead pencil at the crown to make fine lines to measure from. But I like the Hornaday tool method better. It eliminates the variation you get in bullet tips and allows you to take a measurement with the comparator to get the measurement from case head to o-give of the bullet seated on the lands. That is what we are after, not where the tip is hanging. Bullet tips will vary -.010" plus on hollow points.
Different strokes..... just depends on what you are looking for I guess.

Jeff

Usually I shove that bullet into a sized case and make a pedro for max. length for the combo. Toss it in the die box and adjust down to your final seating depth ( say .030" under) if you want. Eliminates the long/short bullet tip issue without an extra tool.

 

[Sackett]

I've never seen a website with so many people who actually know what the hell they are talking about.

Few people can appreciate what a great resource it truly is.

AGREED!! Hundreds of years of FREE advice here!~!