Difference of OAL

[SJB358]

I have been shooting 160 AB 2nds for quite some time. They measure and OAL of 2.952" when seated in the 7WSM. Well I was almost done with the loading but needed about 10 more. Well I broke open a new box of 160 AB and started seating them. They seated at 2.968". Both sets of bullets seated within .001 everytime. The lot number for the 2nds is AB4510.

I'm not worried about a thing as I'm still the same distance off the lands and hope they'll shoot the same, but did Nosler change the profile in the last few years? Just wondering if anybody else had ever noticed that with their favorite loads.

 

[JD338]

Scotty<

I have not noticed any change with the 160 gr AB but I have not bought any recently.

JD338

 

[hubcap]

I have been shooting 160 AB 2nds for quite some time. They measure and OAL of 2.952" when seated in the 7WSM. Well I was almost done with the loading but needed about 10 more. Well I broke open a new box of 160 AB and started seating them. They seated at 2.968". Both sets of bullets seated within .001 everytime. The lot number for the 2nds is AB4510.

I'm not worried about a thing as I'm still the same distance off the lands and hope they'll shoot the same, but did Nosler change the profile in the last few years? Just wondering if anybody else had ever noticed that with their favorite loads.

Oh yes sir. I,ve found the same situation with NP,AB,s,BT,s in .270 cal. as well the 30:06. Thats why I always recheck em when I open up a new box. I have been considering the difference from box to box as a normal situation.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

the last lot of accubonds I bought were different, I changed the BC in my program from .62 to .58 so my charts matched my trajectory, never thought about possibly the profile was changed, just assumed it was a condition change, but the different profile makes more sense, the .62 BC was spot on for 6 years, then with a new lot of bullets I was hitting low.
RR

 

[rick smith]

Are you measuring to the ogive or tip?Rick.

 

[SJB358]

Are you measuring to the ogive or tip?Rick.

Rick, measuring to the tip but being as the die setting hasn't moved, and seats off the ogive something is different. They are seating consistently to the same place, just a touch longer. We will see on the range.

RR makes sense to me. I've shot all 2nds up to this point. First new box of bullets I've had.

 

[DrMike]

Scotty,

Pull the seater plug and verify that it is contacting the ogive. I find that some bullets rest on the tip rather than engaging the ogive. Of course, this is especially bad with VLD bullets. I don't keep dies for all the cartridges for which I load, and I tell guys to buy VLD seater plugs. No one pays attention to me, and I work with what is delivered to me, but even among some of the bullets I like a lot (Nosler, Hornady, Swift, etc.) I notice that the seater plug doesn't always engage the ogive. I conclude that there are changes in the jacket, tip, bearing surface, etc. from time-to-time.

 

[Guest]

Scotty,
I've had the same experience, I measure off the ogive as it seems to be more reliable for me vs measuring off the tip. Bullet length can vary but then so can the ogive too. I just separate the longer or shorter ones re-adjust the die and re-seat them.

I switched to a Forester Bench Seating Die for the 300 RUM from the previous RCBS Die and don't recall having the issue as much, but maybe it's just me thinking that too.

Like anything mechanical we use in life, mechanical things need to be Serviced and cleaned as well as Loading Dies. I tear mine apart time to time and clean them just to help eliminate problems.

Don

 

[SJB358]

Thanks Mike/Don. Checked the seater plug. The bullet engages the ogive. I think it is just a slightly different bullet.. They were about 5 years old. The white tipped ones are brand new. I will find out if they shoot different when I hit the range.

 

[Guest]

Good luck Scotty,
Let us know how it turns out.

Don