H&R Handi rifle seating depth. 308

mohr308 · August 10, 2012, 12:51 PM

I have been reloading for my .308 win. Handi rifle for sometime now. I am going to start experimenting with a new round, Nosler Ballistic tip (green tip) 165 grain Spitzer. I have a good amount ammo loaded for a work up, after that is done I am going to test my seating depth. I checked my depth to my rifling using the method in the Nosler manual. After doing this test 8 times, I'm getting a COL of 3.015"

That means my rounds will be jumping just over .200" thats one hell of a jump. Any ideas of a good seating depth to start with? Using .020" off the lands is just way to far out, the bullet would barely be sitting in the brass. I was considering starting around 2.850-2.900". Any ideas?

Clark · August 12, 2012, 08:09 AM

I always jam the bullet into the lands if I can.

With Nosler ballistic tip bullets, I killed 4 mule deer in 2008, 5 mule deer in 2009, and 1 mule deer and 1 antelope in 2011. I get precious few data points for terminal ballistics and there are out of control variables. Based on those few anecdotes, I think Nosler ballistic tips are the best. [higher ratio of bang-flops].

elkslayer4x5 · August 12, 2012, 09:45 AM

I also have a deep throated H & R Ultra, mine is in .25-06, I don't think I can ever reach the lands, so I load to factory specs. Have been just neck sizing, but if I FL sized a few times how much would the case lenghten? Most likely not enough to be able to reach the lands. Seems to me that the case would be nearing it's last loading by the time it was long enough to cover that .200 jump.

August 10, 2012, 12:51 PM	#1
mohr308 Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2012 Location: Western New York Posts: 466	H&R Handi rifle seating depth. 308 I have been reloading for my .308 win. Handi rifle for sometime now. I am going to start experimenting with a new round, Nosler Ballistic tip (green tip) 165 grain Spitzer. I have a good amount ammo loaded for a work up, after that is done I am going to test my seating depth. I checked my depth to my rifling using the method in the Nosler manual. After doing this test 8 times, I'm getting a COL of 3.015" That means my rounds will be jumping just over .200" thats one hell of a jump. Any ideas of a good seating depth to start with? Using .020" off the lands is just way to far out, the bullet would barely be sitting in the brass. I was considering starting around 2.850-2.900". Any ideas? __________________ Lock and load, the zombies (democrats) are coming (to take your guns)!

August 12, 2012, 08:09 AM	#2
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I always jam the bullet into the lands if I can. With Nosler ballistic tip bullets, I killed 4 mule deer in 2008, 5 mule deer in 2009, and 1 mule deer and 1 antelope in 2011. I get precious few data points for terminal ballistics and there are out of control variables. Based on those few anecdotes, I think Nosler ballistic tips are the best. [higher ratio of bang-flops]. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

August 12, 2012, 09:45 AM	#3
elkslayer4x5 Member Join Date: June 30, 2006 Location: Lane County, Oregon Posts: 66	I also have a deep throated H & R Ultra, mine is in .25-06, I don't think I can ever reach the lands, so I load to factory specs. Have been just neck sizing, but if I FL sized a few times how much would the case lenghten? Most likely not enough to be able to reach the lands. Seems to me that the case would be nearing it's last loading by the time it was long enough to cover that .200 jump. __________________ "Skin that one out, and I'll get ya another!