Caliber: .243
Bullet: Hornady 105gr HPBT Match
Dies: RCBS - standard 2 die set.
Purpose: Load Development Testing
Gun: Remington 700
My loading up until this gun has been semi-auto rifle and pistol for plinking. This is the first caliber/gun I'm trying to get "moderately serious" about building some loads that really perform well out of my gun. (And I've been REALLY happy with the results so far.)
My COL goal for these loads was 2.750".
First question: When folks say they want (for example) a COL of 2.750" - what tolerances do you accept as "close enough"? 2.748-2.752? Narrower? Wider? "None of the above! I go for 2.750" with each cartridge!"? Tested COL at Hodgdon's site was 2.76". So I wasn't letting anything through below 2.750"....but I had a few 2.751s.
Second question: What sort of tolerance should I expect when I lock down the seating plug? I was getting frustrated trying to get it locked down. I ended up leaving it loose and after each round I'd back out the plug 1/4-1/3 turn so with each round I'd incrementally bring down the plug until I got to my COL. Prior to doing that I was finding that 1/ when I'd tighten the locking nut I'd screw in the plug more no matter how hard I tried to keep it stationary and 2/ I'd find some cartridges that would end up "considerably" shorter COL - such as 2.744.
If I'm overthinking this - fine. But I'm curious to hear how other people approach these two different items. (How close is close enough? And what sort of COL variance do you expect from cartridge to cartridge if/when the seating plug is locked down? When it was locked down I didn't seem to be getting consistent COLs - they'd vary by .003"-.005".)
Thanks.
OR
Bullet: Hornady 105gr HPBT Match
Dies: RCBS - standard 2 die set.
Purpose: Load Development Testing
Gun: Remington 700
My loading up until this gun has been semi-auto rifle and pistol for plinking. This is the first caliber/gun I'm trying to get "moderately serious" about building some loads that really perform well out of my gun. (And I've been REALLY happy with the results so far.)
My COL goal for these loads was 2.750".
First question: When folks say they want (for example) a COL of 2.750" - what tolerances do you accept as "close enough"? 2.748-2.752? Narrower? Wider? "None of the above! I go for 2.750" with each cartridge!"? Tested COL at Hodgdon's site was 2.76". So I wasn't letting anything through below 2.750"....but I had a few 2.751s.
Second question: What sort of tolerance should I expect when I lock down the seating plug? I was getting frustrated trying to get it locked down. I ended up leaving it loose and after each round I'd back out the plug 1/4-1/3 turn so with each round I'd incrementally bring down the plug until I got to my COL. Prior to doing that I was finding that 1/ when I'd tighten the locking nut I'd screw in the plug more no matter how hard I tried to keep it stationary and 2/ I'd find some cartridges that would end up "considerably" shorter COL - such as 2.744.
If I'm overthinking this - fine. But I'm curious to hear how other people approach these two different items. (How close is close enough? And what sort of COL variance do you expect from cartridge to cartridge if/when the seating plug is locked down? When it was locked down I didn't seem to be getting consistent COLs - they'd vary by .003"-.005".)
Thanks.
OR
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