Bullet seating depth

coyotewsm · October 25, 2015, 06:29 PM

Went hunting this afternoon loaded my gun when I left my truck with reloads I had made. When I chambered the first round it was really hard to close the bolt so I pulled it back and when I did the shell came out without the bullet. Left the bullet stuck in the barrel. My bullets were not seated to specs. Using the Sinclair seating depth tool I found the max or longest seating depth. All of my rounds were roughly .015 shorter than than max depth. I had already fired around a dozen rounds at this depth but all the ones I have currently loaded were hard to close the bolt however none of them pulled out of the shell when I checked them. Thoughts and ideas what should I do?

1stmar · October 25, 2015, 06:44 PM

generally when I seat bullets close enough to touch the lands, closing the bolt is not noticeably stiffer. That is usually a result of not pushing the shoulder back far enough. Are you full length sizing? Of course, that would not explain leaving the bullet in the rifling. I would go back and remeasure lead length and compare with you cartridges. If you put one of the other rounds in the chamber and close the bolt, sometime you can see marks on the bullet where it touched the rifling. Look close for scratch marks around the case mouth.

**Unclenick** · October 25, 2015, 06:47 PM

It depends how far the bullet is jamming in. It did stick in the bore, after all.

You do realize that you have to redo the Sinclair tool measurement for every different bullet you load. The different designs don't all have their ogives in the same place relative to the tip. The two bullets in the drawing below are the same distance off the lands, but look how different their COL's have to be to accomplish that.

Assuming you knew that already, and assuming you didn't adjust the die for some other bullet previously and forget to adjust it back before returning to this one, then the next most likely culprit is you set up your seating die with a lock ring not locked tightly enough in place on the die body threads. When you last unscrewed the die, friction with the press frame turned the lock nut out slightly, so that when you returned the die to the press next, it was actually sitting up a little higher.

briandg · October 25, 2015, 07:22 PM

Nick has probably got it right there. Someone remind me, does the sinclair make the "mark", so to speak, at the point where the bullet touches lands? that could make a huge difference.

coyotewsm · October 25, 2015, 07:41 PM

I am full length resizing. Not sure what you mean about pushing the shoulder I'm assuming you are referring to how deep the resizing die is set. I am aware that you have to redo it for every different bullet considering ive only ever used one bullet that's not an issue. My die lock ring has a set screw on it so that shouldn't be a problem either.

coyotewsm · October 25, 2015, 07:49 PM

I've been wondering myself how accurate is the Sinclair tool does anyone know? What would be the proper distance to back the bullet off of the reading you get?

sako2 · October 25, 2015, 08:04 PM

The lock ring with the set screw will move. You have to really tighten the set screw down.

DAVID NANCARROW · October 26, 2015, 06:52 AM

Had a bullet get stuck in the barrel one time, and it was because I didnt have enough neck tension on a compressed charge load. Fortunately, I had my break down cleaning rod with me, so I cleared the bullet, cleaned out the powder left in the action and continued on.

October 25, 2015, 06:29 PM	#1
coyotewsm Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2014 Posts: 242	Bullet seating depth Went hunting this afternoon loaded my gun when I left my truck with reloads I had made. When I chambered the first round it was really hard to close the bolt so I pulled it back and when I did the shell came out without the bullet. Left the bullet stuck in the barrel. My bullets were not seated to specs. Using the Sinclair seating depth tool I found the max or longest seating depth. All of my rounds were roughly .015 shorter than than max depth. I had already fired around a dozen rounds at this depth but all the ones I have currently loaded were hard to close the bolt however none of them pulled out of the shell when I checked them. Thoughts and ideas what should I do?

October 25, 2015, 06:47 PM	#3
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,061	It depends how far the bullet is jamming in. It did stick in the bore, after all. You do realize that you have to redo the Sinclair tool measurement for every different bullet you load. The different designs don't all have their ogives in the same place relative to the tip. The two bullets in the drawing below are the same distance off the lands, but look how different their COL's have to be to accomplish that. Assuming you knew that already, and assuming you didn't adjust the die for some other bullet previously and forget to adjust it back before returning to this one, then the next most likely culprit is you set up your seating die with a lock ring not locked tightly enough in place on the die body threads. When you last unscrewed the die, friction with the press frame turned the lock nut out slightly, so that when you returned the die to the press next, it was actually sitting up a little higher. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

October 25, 2015, 06:44 PM	#2
1stmar Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,378	generally when I seat bullets close enough to touch the lands, closing the bolt is not noticeably stiffer. That is usually a result of not pushing the shoulder back far enough. Are you full length sizing? Of course, that would not explain leaving the bullet in the rifling. I would go back and remeasure lead length and compare with you cartridges. If you put one of the other rounds in the chamber and close the bolt, sometime you can see marks on the bullet where it touched the rifling. Look close for scratch marks around the case mouth.

October 25, 2015, 07:22 PM	#4
briandg Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2010 Posts: 5,468	Nick has probably got it right there. Someone remind me, does the sinclair make the "mark", so to speak, at the point where the bullet touches lands? that could make a huge difference.

October 25, 2015, 07:41 PM	#5
coyotewsm Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2014 Posts: 242	I am full length resizing. Not sure what you mean about pushing the shoulder I'm assuming you are referring to how deep the resizing die is set. I am aware that you have to redo it for every different bullet considering ive only ever used one bullet that's not an issue. My die lock ring has a set screw on it so that shouldn't be a problem either.

October 25, 2015, 07:49 PM	#6
coyotewsm Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2014 Posts: 242	I've been wondering myself how accurate is the Sinclair tool does anyone know? What would be the proper distance to back the bullet off of the reading you get?

October 25, 2015, 08:04 PM	#7
sako2 Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2009 Posts: 739	The lock ring with the set screw will move. You have to really tighten the set screw down.

October 26, 2015, 06:52 AM	#8
DAVID NANCARROW Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2000 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,761	Had a bullet get stuck in the barrel one time, and it was because I didnt have enough neck tension on a compressed charge load. Fortunately, I had my break down cleaning rod with me, so I cleared the bullet, cleaned out the powder left in the action and continued on.