bullet length.

booboo · May 4, 2009, 08:27 AM

new here, i put a nosler partation bullet in a empty case,put it in my new x-bolt .308 cal. easy shut the bolt,took bullet out it measured 2.912 total length, the lee manuel says max length is 2.800, ok now what, need HELP. thanks

freakshow10mm · May 4, 2009, 08:33 AM

Get the ABC's of Reloading and read it cover to cover.

Get a few loading manuals. Read them.

Find someone that is well experienced with handloading at your local gun club or range. Have them teach you.

Handloading isn't something you can learn on the Internet. There are safety precautions and procedures to follow. There is also the basic process which you must understand, which it seems you don't, so learn about it first. Charging full on into handloading without the knowledge is like charging into machine gun fire naked. It's wreckless and will get you hurt or killed.

booboo · May 4, 2009, 08:46 AM

on my way,, thanks!

a7mmnut · May 4, 2009, 08:52 AM

Amen. The Lyman softcover is one of the best, full of info, and usually runs about $17.99 or so.

-7-

harry carey · May 4, 2009, 10:32 AM

get Zedikers book Handloading for Competition and get a Sinclair Intl catalog.

SL1 · May 4, 2009, 11:13 AM

booboo,

The simple answer to your question is that you can load your bullets to a 2.800" overall cartridge length and have plenty of room in YOUR gun before you get to the rifling. The safety problem would have been finding your rifling started at 2.7" when the data was for 2.8" COL.

The Lee manual gives a generic length number for a particular cartridge, and the data in Lee's manual comes from a lot of sources that probably used different cartridge lengths when they produced the load data. Lee just collected the data from a lot of sources and published it all together.

I know that this can be confusing. I think that it is IMPORTANT for you to get a reloading manual from at least one bullet manufacturer and one powder manufacturer. That gives you two slightly different perspectives. Getting "The ABCs of Reloading" is also a good idea. You usually need to read more than one description of this handloading process before it all comes together in your mind.

You can ask questions here, but if we get the idea that you really don't understand the concepts, we are hesitant to answer because of the "little knowledge is a dangerous thing" problem. We don't want to help you get a load into your gun before you you have learned how to know that it is a safe load.

SL1

GeauxTide · May 5, 2009, 03:02 PM

Freak +1

James R. Burke · May 5, 2009, 03:28 PM

SL1 is correct on the safety issues. He always has good advice, and the manuals are very important. The more the better. If I am working up a new load with a differnt brand of bullet I will get the manual for the make of bullet I am using, and I try to keep them updated. It is nice when you have a few that way you can cross check things. The folks here will give you great answers, and advice but they all want you to be safe, and have fun doing it.

May 4, 2009, 08:27 AM	#1
booboo Junior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Posts: 2	bullet length. new here, i put a nosler partation bullet in a empty case,put it in my new x-bolt .308 cal. easy shut the bolt,took bullet out it measured 2.912 total length, the lee manuel says max length is 2.800, ok now what, need HELP. thanks

May 4, 2009, 08:33 AM	#2
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	Get the ABC's of Reloading and read it cover to cover. Get a few loading manuals. Read them. Find someone that is well experienced with handloading at your local gun club or range. Have them teach you. Handloading isn't something you can learn on the Internet. There are safety precautions and procedures to follow. There is also the basic process which you must understand, which it seems you don't, so learn about it first. Charging full on into handloading without the knowledge is like charging into machine gun fire naked. It's wreckless and will get you hurt or killed.

May 4, 2009, 08:46 AM	#3
booboo Junior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Posts: 2	on my way,, thanks!

May 4, 2009, 08:52 AM	#4
a7mmnut Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2009 Location: NC Foothills Posts: 1,150	Amen. The Lyman softcover is one of the best, full of info, and usually runs about $17.99 or so. -7-

May 4, 2009, 10:32 AM	#5
harry carey Member Join Date: April 25, 2009 Location: georgia Posts: 67	get Zedikers book Handloading for Competition and get a Sinclair Intl catalog.

May 4, 2009, 11:13 AM	#6
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	booboo, The simple answer to your question is that you can load your bullets to a 2.800" overall cartridge length and have plenty of room in YOUR gun before you get to the rifling. The safety problem would have been finding your rifling started at 2.7" when the data was for 2.8" COL. The Lee manual gives a generic length number for a particular cartridge, and the data in Lee's manual comes from a lot of sources that probably used different cartridge lengths when they produced the load data. Lee just collected the data from a lot of sources and published it all together. I know that this can be confusing. I think that it is IMPORTANT for you to get a reloading manual from at least one bullet manufacturer and one powder manufacturer. That gives you two slightly different perspectives. Getting "The ABCs of Reloading" is also a good idea. You usually need to read more than one description of this handloading process before it all comes together in your mind. You can ask questions here, but if we get the idea that you really don't understand the concepts, we are hesitant to answer because of the "little knowledge is a dangerous thing" problem. We don't want to help you get a load into your gun before you you have learned how to know that it is a safe load. SL1

May 5, 2009, 03:02 PM	#7
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,426	Freak +1

May 5, 2009, 03:28 PM	#8
James R. Burke Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2009 Location: U.P. of Mich/Quinnesec Posts: 1,897	SL1 is correct on the safety issues. He always has good advice, and the manuals are very important. The more the better. If I am working up a new load with a differnt brand of bullet I will get the manual for the make of bullet I am using, and I try to keep them updated. It is nice when you have a few that way you can cross check things. The folks here will give you great answers, and advice but they all want you to be safe, and have fun doing it.