Nosler BT Reloaders Question

[timberelk]

Noslers website lists the 7mm 140 grain at 1.255"

I measured from base to tip of 25 of them that I bought and I got 1.265-1.266. While they are reading very consistent, they all seem to be exactly .010" larger than specs per Nosler.

Anyone else experience this?

 

[MagnumManiac]

Well, many moons ago, Nosler and all other bullet makers at the time had difficulty obtaining the zinc required to make bullet jackets, so the alloy % was changed and the result was longer bullets.
I had several boxes of 180gr BT's. I didn't sort back then and I opened a new box and proceeded to load them up.
Went hunting and discovered they wouldn't chamber, the ogive was different.
I then discovered the reason, the bullets were a full .050" longer base to tip and the ogive shape was different.

So, yes, I have the same problem.

Cheers.

 

[timberelk]

I seated the bullet so the COAL was 2.8001, Nosler calls out 2.800. My lands are at about 3.004 so I'm about .024 if the lands but if the bullet ogive is not accurate like the bullet overall length, I could be up to .010 closer to the lands so worse comes to worse I'm up to .014 off the lands.

On a side not, with the firing pin removed and a bullet seated in a case that was FL sized and within brass overall length, it seemed to chamber decently easy. There's every so slightly more resistance than chambering just the bare FL sized brass.

But it's hard to get a feeling with the ejector and extractor still in the bolt. So it could be that I just think I'm feeling a slight bit more resistance in the case with a bullet vs the case without a bullet

 

[N2TRKYS]

I've been weight sorting my Nosler Accubonds, Partitions, and BT bullets. I found that they were fairly close. My box of Berger bullets are a lot worse compared to the cheaper Noslers.

 

[26Reload]

I also had simular results with measurements...but my bullets were purchased from the shootersproshop...as seconds....I chalked it up to seconds as some others measurements were off also...
While "fitting" the seated bullet I kept feeling that resistance also..I kept thinking it was lands contact...but there was no way possible...so I readjusted my resized die to fit an unfired brass..ran it in and behold it didn't resist..bolt dropped clean...so I grabbed another fired brass and very slightly adjusted out/up the resized and found the happy spot between the two....every loaded cartridge slides in and out with ease....

 

[dmoon]

I seated the bullet so the COAL was 2.8001, Nosler calls out 2.800. My lands are at about 3.004 so I'm about .024 if the lands but if the bullet ogive is not accurate like the bullet overall length, I could be up to .010 closer to the lands so worse comes to worse I'm up to .014 off the lands.

On a side not, with the firing pin removed and a bullet seated in a case that was FL sized and within brass overall length, it seemed to chamber decently easy. There's every so slightly more resistance than chambering just the bare FL sized brass.

But it's hard to get a feeling with the ejector and extractor still in the bolt. So it could be that I just think I'm feeling a slight bit more resistance in the case with a bullet vs the case without a bullet

Timberelk, look at your numbers again. If you didn't make a typo you are .204 or .194 off the lands. That's a huge difference from .024 or .014. We're talking a couple sheets of paper thick and 50 sheets of paper thick. I'm not trying to be a smart arse, just hoping you are where you want to be.

 

[timberelk]

I also had simular results with measurements...but my bullets were purchased from the shootersproshop...as seconds....I chalked it up to seconds as some others measurements were off also...
While "fitting" the seated bullet I kept feeling that resistance also..I kept thinking it was lands contact...but there was no way possible...so I readjusted my resized die to fit an unfired brass..ran it in and behold it didn't resist..bolt dropped clean...so I grabbed another fired brass and very slightly adjusted out/up the resized and found the happy spot between the two....every loaded cartridge slides in and out with ease....

Did you remove the firing pin, ejector and extractor from your bolt while doing this?

 

[timberelk]

Timberelk, look at your numbers again. If you didn't make a typo you are .204 or .194 off the lands. That's a huge difference from .024 or .014. We're talking a couple sheets of paper thick and 50 sheets of paper thick. I'm not trying to be a smart arse, just hoping you are where you want to be.

Thank you for bringing that to my attention! Those number are correct, I believe I found my lands with an OACL of 3.002 and noslers book says to load it at 2.800. That is almost 1/4" of difference!! Not .022 like I thought.

Do Howa 1500s (Weatherby Vanguard) how long throats which would result in a COAL longer than the internal Box maximize? Is this because gun manufactures want to ensure factory ammo/bullet are never pushed into the lands and fired(high pressure situation)?

When I get home I will see how well my dummy round loaded to COAL of 2.801 fit in the mag

 

[dmoon]

You're welcome, I'm not sure about the boxes on the howa's, hope it all comes together for you though.

 

[timberelk]

You're welcome, I'm not sure about the boxes on the howa's, hope it all comes together for you though.

Without being home to confirm... I would be willing to bet 2.800 barely clears the internal mag and if I bumped my 3.004 at thelands COAL back .020 that would result in a new COAL of 2.984 which I would bet wouldn't fit in the mag

So if I load to noslers manual it looks like the bullet will actually have a jump of about .204". Will that causes any issues?

 

[dmoon]

With the right powder charge you should be fine jumping that far. You'll be losing a lot of pressure jumping that far and may want to look into different powders. I'd look it all over closely when you get home and see where you can get to.

 

[timberelk]

With the right powder charge you should be fine jumping that far. You'll be losing a lot of pressure jumping that far and may want to look into different powders. I'd look it all over closely when you get home and see where you can get to.

I spoke with Nosler on this topic... great customer service!!

He said the plastic tip can fluctuate each time the machine is set up but they are consistent from lot or lot. Which explain how all my bullets measure at 1.265-1.266 but they are spec'd at 1.255.

He also commented on my lands being so far out.... he knows weatherbys (like a howa) have a lot of free bore (up to .700). Mine appears to have about .200 free bore

He suggested loading to the COAL in the book 2.800 and then measuring the ogive because the ogives from lot to lot are very consistent (a few thousands different)

 

[26Reload]

Timberelk....yep removed pin and ejector...
This afternoon I tired the same,with my 280ai...and somewhere in there I didn't get a clean drop to the bolt...resized nor brand new...however I did not adjust the resizing die....I was more curious if I could get it without resizing.....it isn't much much of a touch and the bolt will close...just not clean....
My 7rum has a huge jump....I believe the lands are at 4.000"...and I make the round just shy of hitting the end of box... 3.665"... That's a .335 jump....shoots decent with mild loads...
26 Nosler Patriot is simular....
I actually tried the cleaning rod method...with the patriot and 280ai Remington....I didnt feel comfortable with the results....guess I like pulling the pins more.....