Coal, Oal, and other "precision" reloading stuff

[Trapp]

Is it all that important? I take my time with my rifle loading, but my pistol stuff.......I just throw it together focusing more on powder/bullet combo's than anything. I buy the cheap lead bullets (17.99 per 500), scrounge for range brass, use Titegroup cuz it is a dollar less per lb and I use less. I go to the range and blow through 300+ .45acp and at least 200 .44mag at a time (not to mention the 500+ .22lr thanks to the "ultimate cliploader"). I am still able to make a ragged hole at 15 and 25 yds most of the time with very few throwed bullets. My "reckless reloading" doesn't seem to affect my shooting, I would go as far as to say I shoot better with my loads than WWB or similar factory bullets........

[Rodger Peterson]

I think the basics get you the most for your money, such as sizing, bullet, powder choice. I think crimping, seating depth will improve a quality round, but not so much as the proper choice of components.

[Sturm]

I agree and would add one more, I do load for the length of my pistol chambers because different manufacturers definitely use different chamber lengths and sizes. I have seen people post trying to resolve a FTF issue and get a lot of ejector or extractor spring responses and this is in particular to the CZ Pistols in 9mm and .45 ACP, a lot of times it turns out that their OACL was just too long for the chamber and CZ are kind of known for that. Not knockin CZ, I own one and my handloads are made for it's chamber and I have had no malfunctions of any kind. Unfortunately, at the expense of others who were not aware. Smith auto chambers can also be on the short side in 9mm. Powder selection is only behind bullet selection on my priorty list!

[caz223]

That's why I load on a progressive.
90% of accuracy is the shooter, if the basics are there.
The other 10% is a lot of little things that contribute to accuracy, but accuracy is not any one thing.
It's kinda like building a computer, it's not necessarily the parts you use, it's if the parts are compatible, and how you put 'em together.

[Zak Smith]

Be aware that by increasing seating depth, the initial pressure is increased. For example, a change in OAL of as little as 0.050" can increase the pressure by over 8000 psi in some handgun loads.

[Sturm]

Good point Zak, so let me point out that none of my handloads ever go shorter than the factory version. Even CZ's and Smith 3rd generation 9mm's using "short chambers" they are still long enough to handle factory JHP ammo. For the P-01 I load to 1.122" (28.5mm) nearly identical to factory JHP length with loads that are not using truncated cone shape JHP's that can indeed be shorter. For SIGs the 124 gr. JHP goes to 1.142" (29mm) which is the length that European powder makers like Vihta Vuori recommend, but they are too long for the CZ's and Smiths and many others, but SIGs love 'em!. I have never loaded as short as some of the manuals recommend for 9mm, but they have to consider the multitude of imported pistols that are in the country.

So now, I have to disqualify myself, because I do load for OACL in that regard. Guess I take the OAL consistency for granted because my REDDING press keeps all my loads to +/- .001" in tolerance! One benefit of the .40 and it being recent in regard to technology, is that everybody making double-stack .40's stay pretty consistent on chamberlength minimums. 1911's, H&K USP's and the XD's, go even longer

[Zak Smith]

Yeah, as long as you work up at the OAL and stay there, it's fine. I've loaded under 1.100" and as long as 1.155". Just don't take that 1.155" load and shorten it!

[Zak Smith]

1911's, H&K USP's and the XD's, go even longer

No kidding. In a 1911/2011, you can load 40 as long as 45ACP, which means you can basically load to 10mm power using cheap 40SW cases. In my 40SW SV Limited gun, I load to 1.230".

[Sturm]

I knew about the OT 1911 185 gr. SWC bullets in 1911 Pistols, but the big surprise came when I checked my new XD Tactical when I reloaded 165 gr. Golden Sabers. I'll be using the 170 gr. SWC's from OT ( as soon as they show up since they were backordered) and the only thing that would restrict the length of the 1911 bullet is the magazine!

[WESHOOT2]

I have personally found that OAL is critical in most auto-loading handguns; NOT accuracy, but function.
Some guns (all brands/types/makes/styles) are just finiky about OAL.

Even some of mine.........