Help... I'm completely baffled at this point.

[BrentM]

You are correct about the measurement. That tip of the bullet to the base is to just ensure it fits the mag and is SAAMI spec.

If you wish to improve the accuracy of this rifle and your reloading abilities get a OAL guage and bullet comparator. Hornady makes a unit that is easy to use.

You will need:
calipers
Hornday Lock- n - load OAL guage and bullet comparator
Hornady OAL modified case.

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=hornady+oal

There are cheaper methods using a unprimed case with bullet inserted and pushed in to the chamber. Insert a rod through the muzzle. Mark the rod at the muzzle. Remove bullet. Insert empty case without bullet. Insert rod until touches flash inside the case. Mark the rod. This is now your mark to mark measurement for that bullet type. It is not super accurate but it is close. The reason it is not accurate is the fact it does not take into account the ogive to bullet tip differences in bullets of that lot.

FYI. You have to do this with every bullet type, brand, weight change. IMO it is worth it to have the guage. I have 7 calibers I use it for. I would still have it if I just used it for one.

 

[Daveinjax]

Skip4502 , google the Lee reloading stand and see if that might work for you. I use the Honady OAL and comparator guages and another thing to watch is dust on your calipers and to use consistent pressure on your calipers. Calipers will flex under pressure so don't run them up firmly one time the be gentle the next. The key in this game is repeatability.

 

[skip4502]

Thanks again guys. The rod in the barrel technique is something I never would have dreamed up myself.

Royinidaho, I didn't see a picture of your creation.

 

[BrentM]

I think if you google that you will see vids of it too. It is simple enough and gets you close. You can deduct the difference and try your different seating depths at that point, .050, .075, .090, .120 etc. whatever the rifle likes. Something you might think about is seating the bullet far enough into the neck for proper bullet tension and to keep it from being knocked off of center while handling etc. I wound up .075 off the lands for a repeater and the rifle seems to shoot it well enough.

 

[tinytree]

i recently got a box of hornady vmax 204s, and ran into the same thing. i figured it had to be the bullet lengths varying, so i measured all of them. there was .019 variation from shortest to longest in the SAME box of 100! the difference seems to be in the plastic tip, and evidently doesn't affect the ogive profile. i have used vmax forever, but have never run into this much variation. i contacted hornady, and they said .017 was their max acceptable variation range for the 204 vmax. i switched to sierra blitzkings and they have been very consistent, not over .006 range out of any box.

all that being said, once i found the problem, and realized they were hitting the rifling at the same "jump", i went ahead and loaded them, and they shot fine.

i agree that the published C.O.A.L.s are for magazine fit, and it is definitely best to work up your own ogive/rifling jump.