25-06 Reloading

[DOITTOU2]

First let me say I am new to reloading so bare with me please. I just got a Ruger 77 Mark 2 stainless 25-06 24 in. barrel. After a new trigger I do love the gun but at 22 to25 dollers a box for shells something had to give.
After reading almost all the posts here and alot of outher pages here I am.
First problam: 90 to95% of reples to reloading Nosler 100gr BT calls for a COL of 3.250 even in the books I got calls for the same +or - don't have a gage to check chamber so I used a empty reload to find bolt to lands. seated bullet till bolt would just close sutted bullet put back in gun had good markings where the lands touched backed it off .003 and COL was 3.160. Didn't know if I did something wrong did 2 more time came up with the same thing + or - of .001.
Could some one loading for a Ruger tell me if this seems right or am I doing something wrong?
Factory Fed. 100gr. BTs col is 3.144
Thanks for any help at all............

 

[rick smith]

You need to be measuring to the ogive of the bullet, not the tip. If your rifle is to be used for hunting, I would suggest moving the bullet more than 0.003" from the lands.Rick.

 

[jiggs]

hey bud my tikka is the same way , it just tighter ,not a bad thing just have to seat your bullet deeper

 

[Ol` Joe]

Try a dab of ink on the ogive from a magic marker to be sure your not hitting the lands. Sometimes the marks in the jacket material are hard to see. If a mark shows measure its lenght and subtract that amount from your OAL and you`ll be real close if not "at" the lands.
Once you`ve found the OAL you want, set your seating dies lock ring set screw to prevent it from moveing and measure the die from base to top of seating stem with your caliper. Record this measurment and store it in the box of bullets you`re loading. When ever you load this bullet you can now adjust the die to the record lenght and screw it in the die until the lock ring sets and be at your prefered OAL. The die works off the ogive and not the tip of the bullet and the OAL will return to the proper ogive lenght not the lenght to tip.
Remember each bullet brand, wgt, and style have different ogives and each will have to be played with to find the "PROPER" OAL for that paticular bullet. Thus the reason for recording and keeping the measurments for each. Or you could just buy a Stoney Point gage set, a bit of $ but faster and easier.
:wink:

 

[DOITTOU2]

Thanks to all for the help a friend stoped by today and spowed my what Iwas doing wrong and OL' JOE YOU WAS RIGHT that was the same thing he did and showed my THANKS AGAIN