Proper bullet seating

bill k · December 10, 2004, 11:37 AM

I'm trying to improve my reload performance. Does anyone know how to determine the proper bullet seating dept for an indiviual rifle?

I know how to seat the bullet in the reload and to make sure it's below the maximum ssami overall cartridge length.

However when I measure the bullet depth for my rifle and reduce it by .015 the round still exceeds the maximum length. I use the Nosler reloading manual.

snuffy · December 10, 2004, 02:29 PM

Bill, the lengths listed in the loading manuals are standardized lengths that will work through the magazines of most rifles. Your maximum length may well be longer than will feed from your mag.

Some target shooters load shells to single load, that won't work through a mag. They could care less if it wouldn't work through the mag. The desire to get the bullet closer to the lands of the rifling over rules the mag length.

Theory has it that the closer you can get to the beginning of the rifling, the more accuracy you can squeeze out of a rifle.

bill k · December 10, 2004, 03:09 PM

Thanks for the information.

Smokey Joe · December 13, 2004, 06:25 PM

BillK--you don't want the bullet actually touching the lands of the bbl--that builds up pressure very considerably in the chamber before the gases can get the bullet moving. So you do want a very small "jump" between the bullet in the case neck and the bullet entering the lands.

Can't remember the minimum proper amount of "bullet jump" and am at work so can't refer to my manuals. Check any manual and it should have a section on the minimum amount of bullet jump.

Harry Bonar · January 22, 2005, 03:03 PM

Sir:
The best loading manual that answers virually all loading questions for rifles is "The A-SQUARE SHOOTERS MANUAL - ANY SHOT YOU WANT," It is, in my opinion the best most enlightening manual extant! It can be had on the internet from MIDWAYUSA.com
It's really good!

rwilson452 · January 22, 2005, 11:45 PM

I wouldn't worry about exceeding the published max COAL. the reason is that published value is the SAMMI spec. Sadly most modern MFG bore the throat long so you can load any factory load in it. just go ahead and load it. every gun is different for every bullet. generally the best accuracy will be somewhere between .03 and .015 off the lands. you just need to tinker with it to find the sweet spot. to squeeze the absolute max accuracy you tune the powder load. then the COAL and repeat. then change to a different primer and repeat. change powders and repeat. Every time you change one thing it will effect the rest. Do this enough and you can wear out the barrel changing powders, primers and bullets. just how accurate is good enough?

December 10, 2004, 11:37 AM	#1
bill k Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2004 Location: Dog Creek, CA Posts: 457	Proper bullet seating I'm trying to improve my reload performance. Does anyone know how to determine the proper bullet seating dept for an indiviual rifle? I know how to seat the bullet in the reload and to make sure it's below the maximum ssami overall cartridge length. However when I measure the bullet depth for my rifle and reduce it by .015 the round still exceeds the maximum length. I use the Nosler reloading manual.

December 10, 2004, 02:29 PM	#2
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	Mag length Bill, the lengths listed in the loading manuals are standardized lengths that will work through the magazines of most rifles. Your maximum length may well be longer than will feed from your mag. Some target shooters load shells to single load, that won't work through a mag. They could care less if it wouldn't work through the mag. The desire to get the bullet closer to the lands of the rifling over rules the mag length. Theory has it that the closer you can get to the beginning of the rifling, the more accuracy you can squeeze out of a rifle. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

December 13, 2004, 06:25 PM	#4
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	Caution! BillK--you don't want the bullet actually touching the lands of the bbl--that builds up pressure very considerably in the chamber before the gases can get the bullet moving. So you do want a very small "jump" between the bullet in the case neck and the bullet entering the lands. Can't remember the minimum proper amount of "bullet jump" and am at work so can't refer to my manuals. Check any manual and it should have a section on the minimum amount of bullet jump. __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe

January 22, 2005, 03:03 PM	#5
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	case length Sir: The best loading manual that answers virually all loading questions for rifles is "The A-SQUARE SHOOTERS MANUAL - ANY SHOT YOU WANT," It is, in my opinion the best most enlightening manual extant! It can be had on the internet from MIDWAYUSA.com It's really good! Last edited by Harry Bonar; January 22, 2005 at 03:03 PM. Reason: spelling

January 22, 2005, 11:45 PM	#6
rwilson452 Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2004 Location: Tioga co. PA Posts: 2,647	Coal I wouldn't worry about exceeding the published max COAL. the reason is that published value is the SAMMI spec. Sadly most modern MFG bore the throat long so you can load any factory load in it. just go ahead and load it. every gun is different for every bullet. generally the best accuracy will be somewhere between .03 and .015 off the lands. you just need to tinker with it to find the sweet spot. to squeeze the absolute max accuracy you tune the powder load. then the COAL and repeat. then change to a different primer and repeat. change powders and repeat. Every time you change one thing it will effect the rest. Do this enough and you can wear out the barrel changing powders, primers and bullets. just how accurate is good enough?

December 10, 2004, 03:09 PM	#3
bill k Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2004 Location: Dog Creek, CA Posts: 457	Thanks for the information.