Bullet Seating Depth - Somebody Shoot Me!!!

[MuleDeerCrazy]

OK, this is the one piece of reloading that has always puzzled me.  The reloading manuals all give you a maximum cartridge length, factory ammo is usually sustantially shorter than that and the actual seating depth to the lands is normally substantially longer than maximum.

Case in point, I'm playing with my brother in laws STW... the factory ammo I have is 3.564", max. in the book is 3.6", but distance to the lands puts it at 3.785" and is so long it looks funny (I know .2" of an inch doesn't sound like much, but it's a big difference).

So for you more experienced reloaders, where do you start and why...and then how/where do you start tweeking from there?

Thanks for any insight!

[fremont]

You also have the magwell length to worry about.....

[Bob33]

"max. in the book is 3.6"

I would end up near that.  The closer a bullet is to the lands, the higher the pressure.  If you seat your bullets out to the lands, make sure you back off on the powder charge.

[carpsniperg2]

  like said, make sure you back the load off a little. if the bullets going to touch the lands. Very bad pressure signs or worse could happen. Most my guns like there bullets just off the lands. RELOAD AT YOUR OWN RISK

[JackOfAllTrades]

Freemont and Bob33 are spot on.  I'll add, that for any bottle neck case, don't seat out so far that you end up with less than 'one caliber' dimmension of seated depth. As much as many of us try for that extra tad bit of accuracy/consistancy 'not' seating a bullet deep enough to have enough friction to hold what's in the magazine kinda defetes the intention. Also, if the bullet isn't sufficiently stabilized before it jumps to the lands, accuracy/consistancy from round to round will most likely vary.

The first concerns with seating depth should be function through the magazine, bolt cycle, and fit in the chamber. Stretching the limits beyond design spec should be approached with care.

-Steve

[C-Money]

I go just under what the manual sais is max length. I load one and make sure I can close the bolt on my rifle and I check a few to make sure they are all the same length. Dont sweat my friend, you cant go wrong if you follow the max length in the book.

[demontang]

I have my .338 win seated .06 off the lands which is over max coal in the book. Any time you reload like has been said check the function of the rifle and make sure it feeds with out a hiccup with every round you reload, cause the last thing you want is a mad animal after you and a jammed up rifle

[BOWHUNTER45]

Reloading is a touchy subject and when starting out its best to go by the book .. factory ammo is loaded to work in all types of guns ...One way to tell if your loads are to hot is to look at the back of the casing where the primer is located and look to see if the primer is backing out of the casing ... The primer should be flush with the back of the casing ..if  it is not after firing it then your loads are a lttle on the hot side...and check your casings to be sure there is to damage to the casing ... look for cracks in the casing ....I usually load a casing 4 or 5 times and then sheet can it !!

[MDGrand]

There are MANY different philosophies for how to load your own ammo. That is what makes it so popular. That and the fact you can refine results to your rifle and make more accurate rounds.

My philisophy after talking with many veteran reloaders is employ the following method when making a new load, and as it pertains to seating depth:

1. Get an OAL gauge, modified case for your caliber and bullet comparator to measure your rifle's bore from where the ogive of the bullet touches the lands

2. Choose your powder and brass and load each round with 5-10% off the recommended max load, pretty much follow the receipe.

3. Load each round -0.02 off the lands. Load 5 rounds, 3 different powders, go shoot. Anything closer can cause pressure problems but most bullets shoot better the closer to the lands they get. make sure that mutiple rounds can feed through your magazine though by loading 2-3 and cycling them through.

Good luck.

[BOWHUNTER45]

There are MANY different philosophies for how to load your own ammo. That is what makes it so popular. That and the fact you can refine results to your rifle and make more accurate rounds.

My philisophy after talking with many veteran reloaders is employ the following method when making a new load, and as it pertains to seating depth:

1. Get an OAL gauge, modified case for your caliber and bullet comparator to measure your rifle's bore from where the ogive of the bullet touches the lands

2. Choose your powder and brass and load each round with 5-10% off the recommended max load, pretty much follow the receipe.

3. Load each round -0.02 off the lands. Load 5 rounds, 3 different powders, go shoot. Anything closer can cause pressure problems but most bullets shoot better the closer to the lands they get. make sure that mutiple rounds can feed through your magazine though by loading 2-3 and cycling them through.

Good luck.