Help with bullet seating?

[jethro75]

I am going to seat some 55gr 223 bullets. I did the check where you take a case that has not been sized and put a bullet in it and checked and see where the contact is. My first question is: when this is done are the marks I am looking for the ones that look like the bullet was pushed back in the case and then pulled back out leaving marks just above where the case mouth is. If so then I did it correctly and my next question is: I figured the length to be 2.250 and take of .015 to .030 and I figured to go 2.235 ( I think these are the right numbers I dont have them in front of me but the variences are right) in the seirra book it says the max is 2.260 and they set theres at 2.250. If I loaded at 2.250 wouldnt I be touching the lands and wouldnt that make the pressure higher then what they figured (I am assuming thats why you dont start a max load but work up to it). What would be a good length to start at should I start at 2.230 then 2.235 and so on up to 2.250? I know this is a lot at one time but I just started reloading and I m trying to reload my first batch and keep running into questions that I cant find the aswers for so I hope someone on here can help.

 

[Lennyjoe]

First off, what type of rifle are you loading for?

If its for a bolt then you need to do a couple of things. First off, roll the mouth of the case on your bench a bit to tighten it down. Then insert the bullet just a pinch. Either smoke it with a candle or use a black permanent marker. The bullet should go in the mouth of the case but with a bit of drag as well. Next, insert the round into the chamber and close the bolt. Open the bolt and remove the round. You will see where the mouth of the case removed some of the permanent marker. This is where the bullet was pushed in to when it contacted the lands. Measure the round after you push the bullet back into the case until it reaches the line where it stopped removing the marker.

Also a Stoney point set up would make it more accurate but the way above can be helpfull too.

 

[jethro75]

lennyjoe, Thanks for the reply. That is how I did it, with the marker. I just wanted to make sure the marks I was going by were the correct ones. Any help on the other questions?

 

[Rockstar]

Spend the $20 on the Stoney Point tool!

 

[jethro75]

Thanks for the info. I guess what I am trying to ask is when trying to work up a load should try different OAL's or just seat in deeper to .015 and go with that? I figured it to be 2.250 so should go with an OAL of 2.235 or should I try a range of OAL's from like 2.225 to 2.2405? If so then should I try differnt charges with each OAL? Thanks.

 

[Bullet]

Lennyjoe Quote – “First off, what type of rifle are you loading for?”

Good question.

Are you trying to load for a mag or trying for longer OAL’s?

jethro75 check your private messages.

 

[jethro75]

Bullet: thanks for the info. Its for a bolt action M700 BDL. I am trying to figure out the best place to start. I really didnt want to have to load like 5 to 10 different combinations of bullet seating depths and powder charges.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Start by setting your C.O.L. to the manual printed length.

Load 5 rounds with the min powder charge and work up by around .3-.5gr's until you reach the max load. Mark each load accordingly and take notes.

Shoot and document.

Once you achieve a good grouping with a certain powder charge you can start adjusting your C.O.L. to see which one the rifle likes best.

If you don't achieve a decent grouping to work with then you might want to select another powder.

Fun stuff!

 

[Wilburs Horse]

I am going to seat some 55gr 223 bullets. I did the check where you take a case that has not been sized and put a bullet in it and checked and see where the contact is. My first question is: when this is done are the marks I am looking for the ones that look like the bullet was pushed back in the case and then pulled back out leaving marks just above where the case mouth is. If so then I did it correctly and my next question is: I figured the length to be 2.250 and take of .015 to .030 and I figured to go 2.235 ( I think these are the right numbers I dont have them in front of me but the variences are right) in the seirra book it says the max is 2.260 and they set theres at 2.250. If I loaded at 2.250 wouldnt I be touching the lands and wouldnt that make the pressure higher then what they figured (I am assuming thats why you dont start a max load but work up to it). What would be a good length to start at should I start at 2.230 then 2.235 and so on up to 2.250? I know this is a lot at one time but I just started reloading and I m trying to reload my first batch and keep running into questions that I cant find the aswers for so I hope someone on here can help.

I tried the prussian blue coating and looking for marks etc. then I read about a simple fool proof O.A.L. calculation. With muzzle lower than breech drop one of the bullets you are planning to use into the chamber. With the rifle secure take a small dowel or anything small enough to reach the bullet base and hold it gently in place while gently touching the tip of it with a with a blunt jag on a cleaning rod. Now very carefully put a mark on the cleaning rod even with the muzzle. Now remove the bullet and close the breech. Now touch the face of the bolt with the blunt jag and very carefully mark the rod again. The difference between the two marks on your cleaning rod will equal the length of a round with that bullet touching your rifle's lands. Back off a few thousandths at a time and shoot groups til you find the best combination of powder and overall length. One thing to watch for is whether or not your rifle's best grouping set up is with rounds that won't feed out of it's magazine or worse yet doesn't hold bullets securely. My 700 has a long throat and with my loads of 70gr. or lighter boattails the bullets are barely held in the neck. Also the O.A.L. my 700 likes with 100gr. bullets makes them too long for my magazine.

 

[Wilburs Horse]

Bullet: thanks for the info. Its for a bolt action M700 BDL. I am trying to figure out the best place to start. I really didnt want to have to load like 5 to 10 different combinations of bullet seating depths and powder charges.

When you have a load worked up and documented make one dummy round (no primer or powder) with the bullet seated. Mark it and save it for the next time you need to readjust your seating die to that bullet. Just be gentle when screwing your seating die down to the bullet so as not to push it in deeper. What is the caliber of your BDL? Mine is a 6mm sporter and I can get most bullets in a nickle sized 100yd group with a little tinkering. Talk about a labor of love!

 

[jethro75]

I would like to thank everyone for all there help. I went to the range on Friday and tried my first reloads in my M700 223 w/55 grn soft points. Every load I tried was shooting around 1 inch groups at 100 yards, give or take a couple tenths of an inch. Had one load that was slightly less then a half inch. Going to try some more this weekend I hope. Yesterday I was trying to get my COAL for my M70 7mm STW and found that I am going to have start with the manuals recomended COAL. I came up with 3.787 subtract even .030 got 3.757. The manual says use 3.625, thats about where I have to start because of my mag length. I was suprised by the difference. Is this common and can an accurate load be work out by adjusting the powder charge and not worrying about the distance from lands? (got Reloader 25 anyone tried it?)