bullet seating question from a beginner

[Draperbowhunter]

I am just beginning my reloading odyssey, and am concerned about not setting up my dies to seat the bullet at the right depth. I read different instructions on how to determine the proper depth for a particular rifle, but the number I came up with is so much different from the book. I have a Remington 700 adl 30-06, the book (speer #13) says col was tested at 3.100" for a 125 gr . when I follow the seating depth instructions, I come up with 3.330". Is this normal? What is the best method for determining the proper depth? I am trying to load the nosler ballistic tip 125 gr. #30125. Thanks!

 

[Val]

If I were you I would start out with the reload manual cartridge overall length (COL) and look for the most accurate load. It may require trying different powders. Often for hunting loads the limiting factor for increasing the COL is the length that the rifle magazine will allow. Many competitive target shooters try and set their bullets right off the lands for increased accuracy. For hunting purposes you can get loads well under MOA just by using the recommended COL. After you become comfortable and more expierenced then you may want to play with the seating depth.

 

[1st cav sgt ret]

the normal cartridge overall length for a 30-06 180 gr bullet is 3.300 so the methodology that you are useing (as described in your reloading manual) is correct
whenever rifle mfg's chamber a rifle they must consider All the ammunition that could be used in it
the 125gr Bt is a Very short bullet in comparison so much so that a COL of 3.1 would be correct in order for the neck to have a good enough purchase (grip) on the bullet

IMO

 

[brandon chaffee]

best accuracy will depend on you particular rifle, but the best way to determine your particular bullet seating depth...slide a bullet into the chamber, set it gently with your finger or a rod, insert your cleaning rod down the muzzel gently so as NOT to move the bullet, as it's seated on the lands, mark the rod with a felt tip marker. (sometimes a 2 man operation) and begin seating dead cases. insert your cleaning rod each time, and look where your marker marks are. IF your mark will go JUST below the muzzle (put your glasses on!) you have a good place to start. Put a bit of prussian blue, or magic marker on your bullet to make sure you're not touching the lands. Remember, your rifle might shoot best at .030 away fron the lands...maybe at .001??? NEXT...make sure your shells will clear the chamber in a bolt action. If not, you should seat them further(.001 at a time) until they will clear. Hope this helps!

 

[brandon chaffee]

best accuracy will depend on you particular rifle, but the best way to determine your particular bullet seating depth...slide a bullet into the chamber, set it gently with your finger or a rod, insert your cleaning rod down the muzzel gently so as NOT to move the bullet, as it's seated on the lands, mark the rod with a felt tip marker. (sometimes a 2 man operation) and begin seating dead cases. insert your cleaning rod each time, and look where your marker marks are. IF your mark will go JUST below the muzzle (put your glasses on!) you have a good place to start. Put a bit of prussian blue, or magic marker on your bullet to make sure you're not touching the lands. Remember, your rifle might shoot best at .030 away fron the lands...maybe at .001??? NEXT...make sure your shells will clear the chamber in a bolt action. If not, you should seat them further(.001 at a time) until they will clear. Hope this helps!

 

[brandon chaffee]

Also remember....when you change bullets....the seating depth will change too. The ogive of every bullet is different. The books will give you only a ballpark length, not an accuracy length for your particular bullet. practice makes almost perfect!
Brandon

 

[444marlin]

You can do one of 3 things.

take a deprimed case and stick a bullet in the mouth of the case just enough to hold it, then stick the dummy round in the chamber of your rifle and close the bolt, this will/should seat the bullet right on the rifling, then seat the bullet .005 to .015 deeper.

Or you can buy a cartridge comparitor from cabelas to measure your OAL by the bullets ogive.

Or you can just do it the easy way and go buy some factory load .30-06 125gr ammo and seat the bullet just as deep as the factory ammo. Thats the way I did all my loads for years untill I bought a Lyman Caliper.

 

[squirrelsniper]

If I were you I would start out with the reload manual cartridge overall length (COL) and look for the most accurate load. It may require trying different powders. Often for hunting loads the limiting factor for increasing the COL is the length that the rifle magazine will allow. Many competitive target shooters try and set their bullets right off the lands for increased accuracy. For hunting purposes you can get loads well under MOA just by using the recommended COL. After you become comfortable and more expierenced then you may want to play with the seating depth.

My thoughts exactly. If you're just starting out, I would stay fairly close to the manual's recommended OAL for a given bullet weight. After you get more experienced at the loading process and tuning a load with different powders and bullets, then you can worry about altering the OAL to better suit your particular rifle.

 

[martinbns]

In my expeience which granted is only loading for 4 rifle's, the 30 thou off the lands isn;t the best for many rifle's (none of mine) If your dies oad straight anmmo it's irrelelvant, In my 3006 (Win M70) the various methods of determing OAL to .030 results in long cartridges, the best loads with three different bullets are all well back off the lands. I don;t know what the magazine length is for your gun, but in a short action remington 700 I have I can't get any where near the magical .030 so I just load to the magazine length. Incidently you will probably never get a 125 gr bullet out near the lands loaded straight because with the bullets so short the neck of the case will barely be holding it.

 

[brandon chaffee]

Chris J is right on about finding your bullet depth, but if you've popped your primer and sized your brass with an RCBS ( I presume?) then your neck will be too small to let your bullet slide? Best thing to do is get a set of Lee carbide dies, you will have to to do it this way... slowly screw the bullet set die in (it only takes about 1/8 of a turn at a time) until you can move the bullet in the neck by hand, but not real easily, THEN.....put er in and close the bolt (I'm a single shot guy, so bear with me) close your bolt, go easy, do everything real carefully so as not to move the bullet in the case. Just like Chris says, this will give you a dead length to your lands, you can then easily mic that length, (write that down) seat your full lengths from there, start with the longest that will fit in you r magazine, and you're laughin! Shoot a bunch and keep records. Bolts are a bitch, go to a single shooter, you won't be sorry! Can't hit 'er in 1???.....quit shootin. You will learn easily to finger your next rounds in your fingers IF you need another shot,,,God firbid! Shoot clean, kill clean my friend.

 

[brandon chaffee]

Chris J is right on about finding your bullet depth, but if you've popped your primer and sized your brass with an RCBS ( I presume?) then your neck will be too small to let your bullet slide? Best thing to do is get a set of Lee carbide dies, you will have to to do it this way... slowly screw the bullet set die in (it only takes about 1/8 of a turn at a time) until you can move the bullet in the neck by hand, but not real easily, THEN.....put er in and close the bolt (I'm a single shot guy, so bear with me) close your bolt, go easy, do everything real carefully so as not to move the bullet in the case. Just like Chris says, this will give you a dead length to your lands, you can then easily mic that length, (write that down) seat your full lengths from there, start with the longest that will fit in you r magazine, and you're laughin! Shoot a bunch and keep records. Bolts are a bitch, go to a single shooter, you won't be sorry! Can't hit 'er in 1???.....quit shootin. You will learn easily to finger your next rounds in your fingers IF you need another shot,,,God firbid! Shoot clean, kill clean my friend.