Reloading for a Rifle with Freebore?

[edh]

Any hints or tricks for reloading for a rifle with freebore? In this case it's a Sako 85 in 338 Federal. COAL to the lands is 3.00", the magazine will handle 2.95", and 2.90" will cycle out of the action. The only SAMMI data I've seen for this is from the Shooting Times article, which listed it as 2.860". Speer loads to 2.820" most are 2.800.

Thanks,

Ed

 

[fredj338]

Rifles w/ freebore can & do shoot quite well. I would start w/ bullet of your choice loaded to function through the mag. You can alos go Barnes TSX, which actually like to be loaded well off the lands.

 

[SOTN]

edh:
Freebore can be an advantage for reloading. You can seat the bullet where you want. The base of the bullet, at the base of the neck, for example, (Barring any constraints of magazine length.) and maximize powder space.
Smitty of the North

 

[R Flowers]

I am sure I will catch a lot of flack for saying this, but I think OAL is a much over worked thing to worry about in reloading. I know, I know, lots of so called "experts" say that is the most critical thing you can do to fine tune a load. I do not believe it.

I own two Remington 700 Classic that are chambered for Weatherby cartridges. They are both freebored, big time. I simply load Nosler Partitions as far out as the magazine will allow and both shoot quite well, thank you.

With guns with standard throats I still just load 0.030 to 0.050 from the lands and go for it. Sure, I have messed with shorter or longer seating, just never found much improvement one way or another.

When the 200 grain Accubonds hit the market Layne Simpson did a big article on them in Shooting Times. He claimed they would not shoot in his 300 Wby Mag till he seated them quite short, as seen in factory ammo. I tried any number of OAL in my 300 Wby Mag and they still would not shoot for beans.

If 2.90 will cycle well in your action just load to that and go for it.

I have seen several guys think they had the trick load by loading out to the lands. Then they went hunting and wound up with a bullet stuck in the lands and powder spilled in the action when they removed a loaded round from the gun. No thanks!

 

[FOTIS]

Seat them to mag length. Works for my weatherbies!

 

[JD338]

Seat them to mag length. Works for my weatherbies!

+1

I load my 338 RUM to the magazine length and get sub .5 MOA.

JD338

 

[SOTN]

Granted, changing seating depth will effect the pressure curve, so in some circumstances one seating depth might work better than another. IMO, there is nothing wrong with attempting to tune a load with different seating depths, if you wanna. It might work for you. I do other things, myself.

However, I can’t believe that seating close to the lands, is a magic formula for accuracy, like some people seem to think.

I think you’ll find that most factory loads have considerable jump to the lands, and factory loads can be very accurate.

In my 7mm Weatherby, I load to the Industry Maximum OAL which is the longest that I can go and eject a loaded round from the chamber. Like R Flowers, on standard throats, I keep .030 to .050 from the lands. I might even go .020.

The trouble with seating very close to the lands is, there is so much variation in measuring, and loading them that way, it’s not a sure thing. Eventually, sticking a bullet in the lands is almost a sure thing. Especially one with a long ogive.

JMO, limited by my limited experience. I’m glad to hear what others think.

Smitty of the North

 

[JD338]

SOTN has some exellent points. I have read but never verified that some if not most rifles have two sweet spots for COL, close to the lands and then again quite a bit further off the lands.

JD338