Bullet & Lands Info Needed for .308 Reloads.

riverwalker76 · February 25, 2010, 04:06 PM

I like the sound of this process and it's results. Can someone explain to me how to perform the procedure? I want to reload the best ammo for my Remington SPS Tactical, and the "Bullet & Lands" test sounds like a good practice.

Thanks in advance.

Mobuck · February 25, 2010, 08:25 PM

never heard the term. in reference to what?

gearheadpyro · February 25, 2010, 09:06 PM

It sounds like this test is related to finding the maximum C.O.L. for your chamber. Either that or optimizing the C.O.L. for your load.

Finding the maximum C.O.L. is (IMHO) best done with the Hornady Overall Length tool and a modified case. This tool will provide the best, most consistent, and most easily measured results. Simply thread the modified case on the tool, then drop your chosen bullet into the case. Remove the bolt from your gun. Push the case/tool/bullet combo into your chamber, then push the rod in until you feel the bullet stop. That is your C.O.L.

Optimizing C.O.L. is done in a similar manner to optimizing your charge. I wrote about my method on the load development page on my website.

Hope that helps.

DiscoRacing · February 25, 2010, 09:08 PM

once i find the col... i set the bullet five thousands behind the lands

bamaranger · February 26, 2010, 02:58 AM

This sounds like the "jump or jam" question to me. Whether to load/seat your projectiles so they travel a short dx to the rifling (jump), or seat so that the slug is just shy-to touching, and engages (jams) the rifling at the shot.

Jamming is a NO-NO in all the manuals and directives, for all the right reasons. It is also done fairly often by some members of the highpower and F-class crowd in my limited experience and narrow observations. When I heard about it I was flabbergasted. I've been told that berger match bullets should be "jammed". Hearsay only, no reference. I can't afford Bergers.

If you are considering seating your bullets way out in a search for maximum accuracy, reduce your loads considerably and proceed with great caution, there are monsters about.

riverwalker76 · February 26, 2010, 10:46 AM

In a previous post Lavid2002 stated the following ....

Quote:

So in my savage .308 I just draw sharpie all over a bullet, seat it a little bit in a casing. Then close the bolt on the round and the lands push the bullet into the casing. I measure it and I know my COAL where the bullet is touching the lands. I can use this infor to back off .005" and find that 'Sweet Spot"

What is the process he is talking about in this statement?

Mike / Tx · February 26, 2010, 06:40 PM

riverwalker76,

He is referring to marking the bullet with a sharpie marker, then chambering it where as the lands scrape off the marker from the bullet. Doing so he is locating his max OAL for that particular bullet.

I have done the same thing many times. However there are a couple of fine points being left out. If you do this with a fully sized case, the neck tension will give you a false reading and sometimes even a stuck bullet. The best way is to split the neck of the case after it has been sized using a Dremmel tool and thin cut off disc. After cleaning up the burrs then set the bullet which now has the freedom to move in the case as it is slid into the chamber and the bolt closed.

Is it the best method out there, nope but it will work in a pinch. Heck I have even used a bullet smoked with a match to accomplish the same thing years ago.

riverwalker76 · February 27, 2010, 11:23 AM

I understand now. THanks.

mrawesome22 · February 27, 2010, 12:04 PM

Take an empty case. Cut a vertical slit in the neck, barely into the shoulder, with a hacksaw. Barely seat the bullet you want to use in this case with your hands. Chamber this round in your rifle. Eject it with your hand covering the ejection port. Take it out and measure it from base to tip with your calipers. This will give you MAX OAL (over all length) for that bullet. In other words, this bullet is touching the rifling. Now you can experiment with different seating depths. I've found that my rifle usually gives best accuracy .030" away from the rifling. But you'll just have to experiment as to what shoots the best out of your gun. This method works very well and you don't have to waste money on a Stoney Point gauge.
mrawesome22 is online now Report Post

February 25, 2010, 04:06 PM	#1
riverwalker76 Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 993	Bullet & Lands Info Needed for .308 Reloads. I like the sound of this process and it's results. Can someone explain to me how to perform the procedure? I want to reload the best ammo for my Remington SPS Tactical, and the "Bullet & Lands" test sounds like a good practice. Thanks in advance.

February 25, 2010, 08:25 PM	#2
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	bullet & lands never heard the term. in reference to what?

February 25, 2010, 09:06 PM	#3
gearheadpyro Senior Member Join Date: September 3, 2009 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 169	It sounds like this test is related to finding the maximum C.O.L. for your chamber. Either that or optimizing the C.O.L. for your load. Finding the maximum C.O.L. is (IMHO) best done with the Hornady Overall Length tool and a modified case. This tool will provide the best, most consistent, and most easily measured results. Simply thread the modified case on the tool, then drop your chosen bullet into the case. Remove the bolt from your gun. Push the case/tool/bullet combo into your chamber, then push the rod in until you feel the bullet stop. That is your C.O.L. Optimizing C.O.L. is done in a similar manner to optimizing your charge. I wrote about my method on the load development page on my website. Hope that helps. __________________ www.southernmarksman.com Owner of & Chief Instructor for The Southern Marksman, LLC NRA Life Member, NRA CRSO, Multi-Discipline NRA Certified Instructor

February 26, 2010, 02:58 AM	#5
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	jump or jam This sounds like the "jump or jam" question to me. Whether to load/seat your projectiles so they travel a short dx to the rifling (jump), or seat so that the slug is just shy-to touching, and engages (jams) the rifling at the shot. Jamming is a NO-NO in all the manuals and directives, for all the right reasons. It is also done fairly often by some members of the highpower and F-class crowd in my limited experience and narrow observations. When I heard about it I was flabbergasted. I've been told that berger match bullets should be "jammed". Hearsay only, no reference. I can't afford Bergers. If you are considering seating your bullets way out in a search for maximum accuracy, reduce your loads considerably and proceed with great caution, there are monsters about.

February 25, 2010, 09:08 PM	#4
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	once i find the col... i set the bullet five thousands behind the lands

February 26, 2010, 06:40 PM	#7
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	riverwalker76, He is referring to marking the bullet with a sharpie marker, then chambering it where as the lands scrape off the marker from the bullet. Doing so he is locating his max OAL for that particular bullet. I have done the same thing many times. However there are a couple of fine points being left out. If you do this with a fully sized case, the neck tension will give you a false reading and sometimes even a stuck bullet. The best way is to split the neck of the case after it has been sized using a Dremmel tool and thin cut off disc. After cleaning up the burrs then set the bullet which now has the freedom to move in the case as it is slid into the chamber and the bolt closed. Is it the best method out there, nope but it will work in a pinch. Heck I have even used a bullet smoked with a match to accomplish the same thing years ago.

February 27, 2010, 11:23 AM	#8
riverwalker76 Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 993	I understand now. THanks.

February 27, 2010, 12:04 PM	#9
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	Take an empty case. Cut a vertical slit in the neck, barely into the shoulder, with a hacksaw. Barely seat the bullet you want to use in this case with your hands. Chamber this round in your rifle. Eject it with your hand covering the ejection port. Take it out and measure it from base to tip with your calipers. This will give you MAX OAL (over all length) for that bullet. In other words, this bullet is touching the rifling. Now you can experiment with different seating depths. I've found that my rifle usually gives best accuracy .030" away from the rifling. But you'll just have to experiment as to what shoots the best out of your gun. This method works very well and you don't have to waste money on a Stoney Point gauge. mrawesome22 is online now Report Post