loading those long slippery boat tail bullets ???

Magnum Wheel Man · September 24, 2008, 07:00 AM

So I'm looking at building my 1st "long range rifle" & rechambering / rebarreling to a more suitable cartridge... ( thinking 280 Remington, or 284 Winchester right now )

I'm thinking about setting up the gun for seating the bullets out as far as practical, & wondering how the bullets stay seated on these very long taper boat tail bullets, without seating them in so deeply that they reduce case capacity ???

any special tips or types of equipment needed ???

the 180 grain bullet in this pic, is a prime example of what I'm talking about... the boat tail taper looks to be as long as most cartridges necks ???

Sport45 · September 24, 2008, 09:20 AM

The boattail part doesn't touch the brass. The neck tension only holds against the full diameter part of the bullet and you generally need at least a half-caliber in the case to expect it to stay in place without very ginger handling.

Magnum Wheel Man · September 24, 2008, 10:04 AM

1/2 a calibers distance of full contact area in the neck ???

the 284 Winchester has a published neck length of only .285", the long taper of that 180 grain bullet appears to be at least that, meaning I'd need to seat at least some of the boat tail base of the bullet into the case body, with that bullet design...

the 280 Remington has a published case neck length of .341... so it could better hold a bullet like that ( provided the length of the cartridge will still work through the action ) ???

Sport45 · September 24, 2008, 10:29 AM

Yes, the tapered part of the base can be (and usually is) inside the body of the case. Not a problem.

I like to have a full caliber of case contact when I can get it. But I generally shoot for fun and not competition.

**Mal H** · September 24, 2008, 10:41 AM

Right, it shouldn't be a problem at all unless you intend to use a very compressed load of powder. If that's the case, maybe a change of powder type is in order.

You aren't under the impression, as some are, that if the base is sticking into the main case cavity a little that it will somehow greatly affect the pressure on it, are you? If so, you need to be introduced to Mr. Boyle. (Of course, if too much is inside the case and substantially reducing the case volume then it could increase overall pressure too much - back off a little on the load in that case.)

Magnum Wheel Man · September 24, 2008, 10:52 AM

my understanding ( & feel free to correct me if I'm wrong ), is that especially on boat tail bullets, but if "too much" of the bullet protrudes into the body of the case, that there "can be" more erratic pressures & velocitys than if the bullets base is closer to the neck...

how much is "too much" & "can be" is I'm sure up for debate... but I'm after as consistant a loaded cartridge as possible... just seems as if the base of the bullet should be reasonably close to the junction of the case body & base of the neck ??? rather than poking in too far...

ryalred · September 24, 2008, 11:46 AM

I like to have bullets seated at least a full caliber, that is, at least a full caliber of the bullet contacts the case neck.

dardascastbullets · September 24, 2008, 12:58 PM

Hi Magnum,

Typically, the end of the bullet's 'shank' should be at or near the bottom of the case neck. From that point, you can begin to mic the seating depth to within (thousandths) of the rifling. You need to let your gunsmith know what bullet you intend to shoot so that he can setup the throat to match the bullet. .30's are nice in that the 200 grain and the 190 grain bullets (Sierra and the like) are very similar.

Good Luck!

Matt Dardas
Dardas Cast Bullets
www.dardascastbullets.webs.com

Magnum Wheel Man · September 24, 2008, 01:27 PM

thats what I had planned to do... thanks for the reply...

September 24, 2008, 09:20 AM	#2
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	The boattail part doesn't touch the brass. The neck tension only holds against the full diameter part of the bullet and you generally need at least a half-caliber in the case to expect it to stay in place without very ginger handling. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

September 24, 2008, 10:04 AM	#3
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	1/2 a calibers distance of full contact area in the neck ??? the 284 Winchester has a published neck length of only .285", the long taper of that 180 grain bullet appears to be at least that, meaning I'd need to seat at least some of the boat tail base of the bullet into the case body, with that bullet design... the 280 Remington has a published case neck length of .341... so it could better hold a bullet like that ( provided the length of the cartridge will still work through the action ) ??? __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

September 24, 2008, 10:29 AM	#4
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	Yes, the tapered part of the base can be (and usually is) inside the body of the case. Not a problem. I like to have a full caliber of case contact when I can get it. But I generally shoot for fun and not competition. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

September 24, 2008, 10:52 AM	#6
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	my understanding ( & feel free to correct me if I'm wrong ), is that especially on boat tail bullets, but if "too much" of the bullet protrudes into the body of the case, that there "can be" more erratic pressures & velocitys than if the bullets base is closer to the neck... how much is "too much" & "can be" is I'm sure up for debate... but I'm after as consistant a loaded cartridge as possible... just seems as if the base of the bullet should be reasonably close to the junction of the case body & base of the neck ??? rather than poking in too far... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

September 24, 2008, 11:46 AM	#7
ryalred Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2008 Location: SE Oklahoma Posts: 491	I like to have bullets seated at least a full caliber, that is, at least a full caliber of the bullet contacts the case neck. __________________ ryalred rifle & muzzleloader -- exhilarating bowhunting -- obsession reloading -- addicted

September 24, 2008, 10:41 AM	#5
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,960	Right, it shouldn't be a problem at all unless you intend to use a very compressed load of powder. If that's the case, maybe a change of powder type is in order. You aren't under the impression, as some are, that if the base is sticking into the main case cavity a little that it will somehow greatly affect the pressure on it, are you? If so, you need to be introduced to Mr. Boyle. (Of course, if too much is inside the case and substantially reducing the case volume then it could increase overall pressure too much - back off a little on the load in that case.)

September 24, 2008, 12:58 PM	#8
dardascastbullets Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2008 Location: Essexville, MI Posts: 164	Matching Bullet to Long Range Gun Hi Magnum, Typically, the end of the bullet's 'shank' should be at or near the bottom of the case neck. From that point, you can begin to mic the seating depth to within (thousandths) of the rifling. You need to let your gunsmith know what bullet you intend to shoot so that he can setup the throat to match the bullet. .30's are nice in that the 200 grain and the 190 grain bullets (Sierra and the like) are very similar. Good Luck! Matt Dardas Dardas Cast Bullets www.dardascastbullets.webs.com

September 24, 2008, 01:27 PM	#9
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	thats what I had planned to do... thanks for the reply... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...