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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Reloading
Measuring Bullet Seating off the Lands
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<blockquote data-quote="boomtube" data-source="post: 392786" data-attributes="member: 9215"><p>Let me offer some perspective on the good stuff above. </p><p> </p><p>First, underatand that finding the precise OAL to the lands for each bullet is much less critical than some seem to think. I have all the tools for measuring max OAL and tried using each, including averaging the results to reduce effective errors on my part. Finally realized I was chasing a meaningless dimension. I've gone back to the marked cleaning rod (a wooden dowel actually). It's plenty precise and I only do it once, no averaging. </p><p> </p><p>All we need to do is find a close approximation (if that) to use as a reference starting OAL. From that, we will back off until we find the best shooting point. I start seating tests from about 15 thou off the lands so any ogive to lands accuracy better than +/- 10 thou instantly becomes meaningless, it's just a reference point with no other value. </p><p> </p><p>I do my seating tests in 5 thou steps until I find the best shooting depth. Final results can easily vary from .015" to as much as .100" off the lands, thus measuring to a specific starting distance off the lands within +/- half a gnat's *** is pointless. </p><p> </p><p>You will likely find the "best OAL" is NOT a specific point. More likely it will be a range several thousants wide in which accuracy is the same. Seat in the middle of that range and later tiny variations in seating and throat errosion won't mean a thing. Seat on the ragged edge of that range and your loads will be quirky no matter how precisely you made the starting measurement.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="boomtube, post: 392786, member: 9215"] Let me offer some perspective on the good stuff above. First, underatand that finding the precise OAL to the lands for each bullet is much less critical than some seem to think. I have all the tools for measuring max OAL and tried using each, including averaging the results to reduce effective errors on my part. Finally realized I was chasing a meaningless dimension. I've gone back to the marked cleaning rod (a wooden dowel actually). It's plenty precise and I only do it once, no averaging. All we need to do is find a close approximation (if that) to use as a reference starting OAL. From that, we will back off until we find the best shooting point. I start seating tests from about 15 thou off the lands so any ogive to lands accuracy better than +/- 10 thou instantly becomes meaningless, it's just a reference point with no other value. I do my seating tests in 5 thou steps until I find the best shooting depth. Final results can easily vary from .015" to as much as .100" off the lands, thus measuring to a specific starting distance off the lands within +/- half a gnat's *** is pointless. You will likely find the "best OAL" is NOT a specific point. More likely it will be a range several thousants wide in which accuracy is the same. Seat in the middle of that range and later tiny variations in seating and throat errosion won't mean a thing. Seat on the ragged edge of that range and your loads will be quirky no matter how precisely you made the starting measurement. [/QUOTE]
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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Reloading
Measuring Bullet Seating off the Lands
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