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COL to mag length

bmart2622

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
136
How close to the internal mag length dimension can a bullet be loaded and not get tip deformity under recoil?
 
I'm sure you can imagine that this depends on recoil amount/type, frictional bullet grip, and magazine fit.
So what kind of guess would really help you?
 
Well, some magazines work far better than others. My Kimber's in magnum calibres always damage tips, even plastic ones, and I load them to be .010" shorter than the mag box. My Win Model 70's damage tips too, just not as badly as the Kimber's do. REM 700's with the pressed steel follower damage tips far more than the investment cast one's.
Anything lightweight, will move far quicker than something heavy, lightweight followers seem to exacerbate this problem. Kimber's have plastic followers…

Cheers.
 
There was an interesting test in Handloader magazine years ago. What the author did was purposely deform & damage the tips of bullets, to a good degree.

The basic gist was, at 'normal' hunting ranges, there was near zero difference with accuracy. Of course we don't want damaged tips, also handloaders can talk about minute differences in techniques & the rest. We like pretty ammo.

I was dogging with a guide years ago out West. He commented that my hand loads looked great! I think it was in his repertoire to pad his tip.

So no worries with that 80 yard shot at a deer.
 
I'd agree with .010" or shorter.

Typically when I have a mag COL restriction I'll look for seating depth a full major node deeper, 0.040" further back in so around .060" off lands. Doesn't cost me much case capacity because this typically happens in my long magnums (300 RUM) with less than 100% load density anyways.

If you're COL limited on a short action, that's why the XM length exists. If you're limited on an XM, go long action. If you're limited on a long action Wyatt's box will get you ~4", and that's 245 Berger in 300 RUM case territory.
 
Im not limited in either rifle as far as mag length goes, I can load both to .030 off the lands and still cycle, I was just concerned about the damages tips affecting performance
 

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