Bullet Seating Depth Methods

[GuitarXM]

I posted before regarding the RCBS micrometer and the dummy bullet that comes with it. That is what I have....

I was wondering what equipment and method people use out there to determine bullet seating depth. How far off the lands do u go?

I am reloading 308 Winchester for a Remington 700.

[dahermit]

Stoney Point.

I have found good to excellent accuracy with: (1) Careful load development using increments of 2 tenths of a grain. (2) Seating to just touch the lands. In other words, seating of the bullet to touch the lands does not magically produce accuracy without load development. Also, I use a bullet that is designed for accuracy, not hunting (Sierra Palma 155 grain).

[tkofoid]

IMHO: I resize a fired case and push it into my chamber by my healthiest finger; I make sure it freely falls from the chamber when I raise the rifle barrel to the upright position. Then ,I press a bullet into the case that I know is too long. I then press the case w/bullet into the chamber and raise the barrel. If the bullet is too long the case will stick. I then push the bullet a tad bit further into the case and try ,try again,,,,,untill the case w/bullet falls freely from the chamber.....That is how I establish the bullet depth. From this point I can play with seating depths,but I HAVE established the distance to the lands with this method.
Bear in mind ,that different bullets have different shapes, so if one changes bullets, we must repeat the above method. It works well for me.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

I do pretty much the same as tkofoid, but with a slight variation. For bolt rifles, I grind the rim off a piece of brass (so when it is loaded the ejector can't grip it and eject it). Then cut 2 slits in the neck on opposite sides down to the shoulder. Make sure you can seat a bullet by hand with a moderate amount of pressure. Stick you bullet in the case so that it sticks out way over your normal OAL for loaded round. Load the "round" into the chamber and close the bolt. Then open the bolt. The round will not come out because the rim was ground off. Tilt the rifle up and the round may fall out. If it doesn't....more than likely it won't.....take a cleaning rod and GENTLY put it down your bore from the muzzle. GENTLY tap the tip of the bullet to free it. There you have it! This OAL is your OAL when the bullet is seated TO TOUCH THE LANDS FOR THIS PARTICULAR BULLET. If you want it .020" off your lands, subtract .020" off this measurement. For best results, do this a couple times to check and double check your measurements. Good luck!

[Horseman]

I take a fired case that is NOT resized. Slit the neck vertically with a dremel. THis will leave just enough tension for the bullet to slide in by hand but not come loose. Push a bullet in the case mouth just barely. Chamber that round and close the bolt. Open the bolt slowly so you don't batter the bullet. Remove it carefully and measure it. Do this 8 times. I only trust a number I can reproduce 7 out of 8 times. They usually only vary by 1 or 2 thousandths. Most of my guns shoot best seated deeper than that number by 5 thousandths.

[James R. Burke]

I tryed a bunch of differnt ways and tools. I now do just about the way tkofoid does his. It's a little slow but it works good, and your safe. I to like to see the cartrige fall freely out. Keep it safe, and have fun!

[GuitarXM]

When tkofoid says that he pushes the bullet into the case, he means pushing the bullet with a bullet seating die on a press right?

[Mr Odd Six]

.020 holy cow

Mine are .005 -.007

1/4 MOA

[wncchester]

All of my factory sporter rifles and all of those others I've loaded for shoot their best from .020" to as much as .125" off the lands. YMMV but .... really??

BR shooters cases have thin necks and they usually seat their bullets soft so they frequently get good results with bullets at or into the lands, but not always even for them.

Our ammo and rifles rarely meet BR critera so our methods need to be different. We are kidding ourselves if we think we should load as they do.

I love my RCBS Precision Case Mics for measuring shoulders and adjusting sizers to match. Also for measureing a developed load seating depth so it can be repeated. But that bullet seating "free bore tool" device they include is a total crop failure, IMHO.

[a7mmnut]

1. Press bullet to be loaded into the chamber until solid rifling contact is made.

2. Run a blunt-ended cleaning rod or dowel down the muzzle until only LIGHT comtact is made with the nose of the seated bullet.

3. Mark the rod with a fine pencil all the way around the muzzle. Remove rod.

4. Insert an empty case with the SAME type bullet seated to well below your normal seating depth into the chamber and close action.(increments of .100" make it simpler)

5. Re-insert measuring rod into the muzzle end and again just make light contact with the bullet. Make a second mark around the rod. Remove rod.

6. Measure the distance on the rod between the two marks. Add this to your original seating depth of the cartridge you just measured. This is the true contact depth. -7-