ABLR Minimum Bearing Surface Case Neck

I am loading some 129 ABLR bullets in a Howa 6.5x55. The magazine length and throat will allow me to seat these bullets way on out there. In trying to decide on my seating depth though, I am concerned about the bullet's bearing surface on the case neck. The bullet has a LONG boat tail. I am at a COAL of 3.1 right now and the bullet only has a bearing surface of .19 inches. Is that .19 inches enough?

It's pretty far out of the neck at .019" seat, I would seat it deeper with bearing surface almost flush with the bottom of the neck so it can centralize the bullet better. A little jump won't hurt it. Give it a try.

I would try them at .050 off the rifling to start off with. I'd probably want a little more bullet in the neck but if they are seated straight and that is where you end up I probably wouldn't sweat it too much. I'd just worry a little about concentric rounds with so little bullet in the neck.

Thanks. I went ahead and seated them more deeply. I did a little more research and saw where a general guideline is seating as deeply as the bullet's diameter.

I have a Howa 1500 in 6.5x55. I have loaded using the 129 gr Nosler ABLR with a COAL for 3.1. I use a Lee Factory Crip Die with a light crimp. I am getting 1/3" groups with the ABLR's.

hainleym":2pdw6leo said:

I have a Howa 1500 in 6.5x55. I have loaded using the 129 gr Nosler ABLR with a COAL for 3.1. I use a Lee Factory Crip Die with a light crimp. I am getting 1/3" groups with the ABLR's.

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What powder and charge if you don't mind?

My load is 44.5 grains H4350, CCI 200 primers, Nosler 129 grain ABLR, Norma brass, 3.1 OAL, slight crimp with Lee Factory Crimp die. It is a very nice accurate load low recoil.

Seems like I read, admittedly years ago, ( at least in their 8x57/200gr machinegun rounds)the Germans used (metric equivalent of course) a minimum of .25" and then used some kind of crimp ( usually the stabbing kind). They wanted powder space! I myself have always liked a full caliber or very close, but then, I found out that I really like the results of the FCD, so for the past many years I crimp, no matter what.