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Old April 22, 2000, 08:13 AM   #1
jamescuda74
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I,m fairly new to reloading rifle cartridges and lastnight I loaded for a my 22-250 remington 700 for the fist time.Anyway the problem I ran into is that when I load for my pistols I've always seated the bullets by chambering and then backing off .010 to .015 from the rifling.with the 22-250 I could see the rifling marks on the bullets but they wouldn't seat any deeper then where I started?So I went ahead and seated them to spec from my reloading books.Is there an easy way to get this measurement like with my pistols?I'm using remington brass(neck sized only),and 55gr sierra spitzers.Many thanks in advance!! James

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Old April 22, 2000, 09:38 AM   #2
Bud Helms
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>but they wouldn't seat any deeper then where I started?[/quote]???????????
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Old April 22, 2000, 11:13 AM   #3
Mal H
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Seating the bullets the way you describe is not a very safe method, especially for the handguns. You should stick to the loading manuals for your first rounds. There are methods to determine a good seating depth using a smoked bullet (or black marker) that have been described here many times. Or you can get a Stoney Point gauge. Both methods work well.

Are you seating the bullets with a sized or unsized case? If you're using sized cases and full house loads, you are setting yourself up for a big KB, again this is especialy true for the handguns.
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Old April 22, 2000, 12:37 PM   #4
nwgunman
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jamescuda74: Take Mal H's warning very seriously. The Over-All-Length ("OAL", which means the length of the loaded cartridge) is extremely important. Pressures rise dramatically as bullet seating depth increases.

[This message has been edited by nwgunman (edited April 22, 2000).]
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Old April 22, 2000, 05:09 PM   #5
Southla1
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by nwgunman:
jamescuda74: Pressures rise dramatically as bullet seating depth increases.

[/quote]

But they also rise dramatically if seated too far out. A safe load with the bullet not touching the lands may become unsafe if they are seated out far enough to contact the lands. The bullet with a running start before engraving the rifling causes less resistance than one seated out touching the lands already. Weatherby Magnums are noted for their long leads (bore with no rifing ahead of the throat). This leads to lower pressures much the same as loading a bullet farther out in the case. In effect it increses the size of the chamber.


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Old April 23, 2000, 07:12 PM   #6
jamescuda74
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Thanks for the help guys.I've always ended up in spec with my reloads,I just wondered how my reloading manuals can give OAL specs for all bullets that weigh a given amount?Surely bullet lengths have to very from manufacturer to manufacturer(like spitzers to hollow points etc...)I was just tryin to save a phonecall to my reloading buddy who gives me advice on powders etc....So I guess my real question was how can OAL be the same for different bullets of the same weight?Or am I supposed to find load info for each given bullet manufacturer of a given weight that I'm loading?Of coarse I want and have a responsibility for my reloads to be safe!!
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Old April 23, 2000, 08:15 PM   #7
Bud Helms
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You got it. Each bullet of different weight or design has it's own max OAL for a given chamber. That's because it depends on length AND shape. For those that shoot repeating rifles, magazine dimensions may be a factor at very long OALs.
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Old April 23, 2000, 10:45 PM   #8
WalterGAII
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Per the other poster, I'd recommend the Stoney Point gage and dummy cases. It's what I use with my bolt rifles, as well as my Bushmaster.
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