Nosler Accubond seating advice

[bob_dobalina]

I've read to seat Accubonds at .050, and also at .100+ off the lands. Here is an image of an AccuBond in my magazine at .100" off of the lands - so I can't even fit a the .100" in my magazine. I wish I could find an aftermarket magazine.

Last year I did a ladder test and determined a good powder charge for a starting point and loaded up a group .125" off of the lands, and did not get a good group at all.

I would like to shoot ABs but may stick with TTSXs because they shoot well for me .22" off the lands. I always thought that was crazy, but Barnes recently added some details to their reloading page that validates this.

I've never tried seating ABs that deep simply because I've never read anyone advising this. Anyways, any advice on where to go from here? File the tips down?

 

[TackDriver284]

Would grinding / cutting out a slight U on the forward part of the magazine, if its plastic, work to accommodate extra length the bullet? Hope that helps.

 

[bob_dobalina]

Would grinding / cutting out a slight U on the forward part of the magazine, if its plastic, work to accommodate extra length the bullet? Hope that helps.

I have considered this. I gotta think factory ammo is seated pretty deep to accommodate most magazines, maybe I should try seating the NAB as deep as I seat the Barnes. I think you find accuracy in a couple seating zones might be worth a try

 

[TackDriver284]

What caliber is this?

 

[SJB358]

Would grinding / cutting out a slight U on the forward part of the magazine, if its plastic, work to accommodate extra length the bullet? Hope that helps.

I have considered this. I gotta think factory ammo is seated pretty deep to accommodate most magazines, maybe I should try seating the NAB as deep as I seat the Barnes. I think you find accuracy in a couple seating zones might be worth a try

I’d try seating at max magazine length and then working up your powder charge again Bob. While .100+ is more than I usually shoot Accubonds at it doesn’t mean they won’t work fine. I’d bet your most accurate charge is still good but just requires a little tweaking. My little 7-08 Tikka doesn’t have a bunch of magazine room but I swapped over to the M+ magazines they supplied with the 6.5 Creedmoor and it allows me to get out to 2.920.

 

[Richracer1]

I usually start at .020 of the lands, if I'm limited by magazine length, I'll start out by what will fit and function in the magazine with no jamming.

Seating depth for my Rem Ultra Mags are limited by the magazine. I found that 3.67" is what will fit and function in the RUM magazine, so I started there for them.

 

[Guy Miner]

Ya, try seating them a little deeper. That's essentially a no-cost option, just the price of 5 or 10 bullets, then try them on paper.

Guy

 

[Nimrod84]

Would second the magazine modification.

Also, seating them deeper might very well work; but I think it is possible that you would get into neck tension affecting accuracy. Down the page at: https://precisionrifleblog.com/2020/04/ ... ment-tips/ - Cal gets into some of the issues that can arise when the bullet bearing surface is below the case shoulder junction.

 

[BruceP]

Personally I'd leave that magazine alone. Not because I'd be totally opposed to altering it but I would continue working on seating them deeper. i would probably try some at .150", .175", .200" and .225 if needed. I don't remember ever seating any bullet that deep but I have never had to because of the magazine either. I do remember on a couple of guns that I really varied seating depth on that they both had some decent groups at maybe around .20" off then while working about .10" at a time deeper the groups opened up then tightened up again around .60" or so. If I had kept going I expect that it would repeat somewhere down the line. I could be wrong about your gun but that is what I would try first. Next I would try switching powders.

Bruce

 

[bob_dobalina]

Thanks all this has given me a lot to chew on.

My COAL of an AccuBond to the lands would be about 3.02. (I measured the OAL of my test one pictured in my first post, seated what I think is .1 off, to be 2.92 is how I came up with that).

So using Nosler load data's tested length of 2.83 would put me .19" off the lands.

To measure to my lands, I'm just using the hornady (stoney point) gauge, comparator, and a bullet fired from my gun and sent to Hornady to make a case tool to measure. I've always wanted to visit a gunsmith and have them double check my measurement. I don't know if the distance to my lands seems long, or the magazine length seem short.

 

[SJB358]

Magazine is probably short since all it needs is 2.8 to be within SAAMI for the cartridge. I wouldn't sweat it, work within the magazine and I'll bet you hit pay dirt.

 

[Elkman]

Keep shortening them, in small increments. I love the AB's and hunt with them, but they can be cranky to load.