finally learning the importance of seating depth

[rockwallraider]

started reloading about a year ago and have never really messed with the seating depth of bullets, i typically just left them 20 thou off the lands and if it I did not find a good load would assume did not like that bullet. Yesterday I was doing the same for my 6.5 sherman short and for fun decided to try bergers suggestion on seating depth with the 140 vld bullet. glad i did. this particular barrel like the .150 off the lands. No telling how much time I have wasted as I would have never pushed the bullet in that far in the past.








My questions would be are most bullets this sensative to seating or are the vld's that much more extreme?

 

[JJMoody]

Some are some aren't. Some barrels are some aren't. Best answer I know how to give.

 

[Bigeclipse]

Some are some aren't. Some barrels are some aren't. Best answer I know how to give.

this x2. It appears it just depends. Sometimes you get lucky with a barrel/rifle that just seems to shoot well no matter what. Sometimes you get one that is super picky.

 

[d11r529]

a change in seating depth = a change in pressure = a change in harmonics

 

[piute]

What kind of changes in depth should one take at a time? .010 or more? I will have to try seating changes in my 264 win. I started load @ .015 off getting MOA out to 400 yards. Maybe could be better?
Shooting 143 ELD-X's , if anyone wants to share experience.

 

[Andrew Massi]

started reloading about a year ago and have never really messed with the seating depth of bullets, i typically just left them 20 thou off the lands and if it I did not find a good load would assume did not like that bullet. Yesterday I was doing the same for my 6.5 sherman short and for fun decided to try bergers suggestion on seating depth with the 140 vld bullet. glad i did. this particular barrel like the .150 off the lands. No telling how much time I have wasted as I would have never pushed the bullet in that far in the past.



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My questions would be are most bullets this sensative to seating or are the vld's that much more extreme?

Vlds are typically very sensitive to seating depth

 

[Canhunter35]

Everything benefits from seating depth testing, you need to test to know

 

[Mach 1]

Depends on the design on the bullet. Secant ogive bullets like modern vld bullets tend to be less forgiving and are nit picky about seating depth. while tangent ogive bullets are not as picky on average. I've found hybrids tend to take after secant ogive bullets when it comes to seating depth. I've also found some bullets won't shoot well unless they are jammed. I try to stay away from those loads for the most part but some people have great luck with them.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I find hybrid of ice designs less finicky about seating depth, which is that they have a wide amount of tolerance.
Like all bullets, they will have a few 'sweet spots', whereas recant or ice bullets only like one or two, close or far.

Cheers.

 

[gator378]

started reloading about a year ago and have never really messed with the seating depth of bullets, i typically just left them 20 thou off the lands and if it I did not find a good load would assume did not like that bullet. Yesterday I was doing the same for my 6.5 sherman short and for fun decided to try bergers suggestion on seating depth with the 140 vld bullet. glad i did. this particular barrel like the .150 off the lands. No telling how much time I have wasted as I would have never pushed the bullet in that far in the past.



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My questions would be are most bullets this sensative to seating or are the vld's that much more extreme?

I think you found the magic load. correct amount of eye of newt from Shapeshere

 

[Gater]

I think you found the magic load. correct amount of eye of newt from Shapeshere

Make sure your measuring from the OGIVE and not the tip of the bullet

 

[DT400]

Seating depth is an odd thing. I have one gun that shoots good groups every other .010. The smaller will be .3-.75 and the bigger 1.25-1.5. Over .070 of range. I tried these same seating depths three different times over two months and they held true to their grouping. Odd.
I had a, well, "discussion" with a supposed tech guy at Hornady who told me seating depth had "no affect on group size" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. After that I didn't believe a thing he said because he proved he had no idea what he was talking about.

Darrell

 

[CA48]

I ended up seating the 140 hvld's about .015" off in my 6.5SS. And the 140elite hunters shot best at .125" off
Like can hunter said every bullet will benifit from seating depth testing. Most say the vld's are more sensitive to seating depth and that they prefer to be seated near the lands or jammed.

 

[Rick Richard]

What kind of changes in depth should one take at a time? .010 or more? I will have to try seating changes in my 264 win. I started load @ .015 off getting MOA out to 400 yards. Maybe could be better?
Shooting 143 ELD-X's , if anyone wants to share experience.

I like the Berger document on tuning VLDs.