Reloading "Chamber formed brass" Reloading

[JJ1911A1]

If your only .002 off the lands I would seat a few at .020 off the lands and see how they chamber. .002 is not much to account for manufacturing tolerances of the bullets, and discrepancies in the reading you are actually getting with the tool. Mikej has some solid advise about using a modified case to find your OAL. If you really want to get in the weeds we can start talking about bullet ogive length vs cartridge OAL. You find where your bullet touches the lands and measure from base to ogive rather than tip of bullet. Much more consistent, and then you know your not in the lands. Hornady makes a tool for that as well.

 

[dmatzinger]

How does the tool know the profile of the bullet?

It is a modified case that you put the projectile on. when you install it in the chamber, you can slide the bullet forward in to the lands of the chamber. You can then measusre the overall length, and set the bullet seat die appropriately. In this case as i am hand loading each round, i set it to minus .002.

Lock-N-Load® O.A.L. Gauges & Modified Cases - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

Lock-N-Load® O.A.L. Gauges Regulating seating depth and the resulting jump to the rifling is widely regarded as fundamental to improved accuracy. A few thousandths of an inch change between the bullet and the rifling can make the difference be...

www.hornady.com

 

[dmatzinger]

I will play with the bullet seat in the case,
thank you all for your feedback, greatly appreciated.

 

[Koda]

It is a modified case that you put the projectile on. when you install it in the chamber, you can slide the bullet forward in to the lands of the chamber. You can then measusre the overall length, and set the bullet seat die appropriately. In this case as i am hand loading each round, i set it to minus .002.

Lock-N-Load® O.A.L. Gauges & Modified Cases - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

Lock-N-Load® O.A.L. Gauges Regulating seating depth and the resulting jump to the rifling is widely regarded as fundamental to improved accuracy. A few thousandths of an inch change between the bullet and the rifling can make the difference be...

www.hornady.com

.002" is too close. Hand calipers can be squeezed more than that and the Hornady gauge is strong enough to wedge the sample bullet into the lands giving a false reading.

Why are you trying to seat so close to the lands?

 

[kmk1012]

Has anyone asked if the chamber is squeaky clean? I know it's not a semi auto with the dirty DI system but a slightly dirty chamber had me scratching my head before.

 

[dmatzinger]

.002" is too close. Hand calipers can be squeezed more than that and the Hornady gauge is strong enough to wedge the sample bullet into the lands giving a false reading.

Why are you trying to seat so close to the lands?

I have been working on playing with it to compare depth with accuracy

 

[dmatzinger]

Has anyone asked if the chamber is squeaky clean? I know it's not a semi auto with the dirty DI system but a slightly dirty chamber had me scratching my head before.

Now that you mention it, I have not tried cleaning it, and I will try that too before I head back out to the range

 

[Koda]

I have been working on playing with it to compare depth with accuracy

yes, but .002" is impractical to start at. Lots of tolerances can easily add up to over .002" causing jamming into the lands and a possible pressure spike. Better to find a seating/accuracy node farther from the lands, start at a respectable .020" off the lands and work in .005" increments either direction for accuracy. I would stay away from the lands no less than .010"

What is the caliber and rifle your loading for? What is the use of the handloads for?

 

[dmatzinger]

yes, but .002" is impractical to start at. Lots of tolerances can easily add up to over .002" causing jamming into the lands and a possible pressure spike. Better to find a seating/accuracy node farther from the lands, start at a respectable .020" off the lands and work in .005" increments either direction for accuracy. I would stay away from the lands no less than .010"

What is the caliber and rifle your loading for? What is the use of the handloads for?

I did start at .020, and worked my way down,
I am using hand loads and varing parameters in search of the prefect load.

I did the same build my 6.5 CM load, and really enjoyed the process and the results were great,

I just started this in 300 black out, for no reason other than I enjoy the process .

I have a log of each change and the results on target at 100yard

I like to collect the data, and then let the data drive the final product

 

[Koda]

I did start at .020, and worked my way down,
I am using hand loads and varing parameters in search of the prefect load.

I did the same build my 6.5 CM load, and really enjoyed the process and the results were great,

I just started this in 300 black out, for no reason other than I enjoy the process .

I have a log of each change and the results on target at 100yard

I like to collect the data, and then let the data drive the final product

I haven't needed to play with seating depth that much, seems like you should have found an accuracy node long before you got within .002" of the lands. At the end of the day, your load has to cycle thru the rifle and your handloading needs to be consistent enough... .002" is really close to the lands to account for all the tolerances stacking up.

How far out do you shoot the 300 Blackout?

 

[dmatzinger]

I haven't needed to play with seating depth that much, seems like you should have found an accuracy node long before you got within .002" of the lands. At the end of the day, your load has to cycle thru the rifle and your handloading needs to be consistent enough... .002" is really close to the lands to account for all the tolerances stacking up.

How far out do you shoot the 300 Blackout?

I understand what you're saying, i am not trying to "end" at .002, but for data collections i plot the data, and let the data speak to what is best, like in the case of my 6.% CM, best was .008, but i still collected the data down to .002.
for this load specifically,
the goal is 5 shots at 100 yards and all rounds touching, trying to get to <.5MOA. other than archiving that goal, i don't shoot this for anything other than fun.

 

[Mikej]

It is a modified case that you put the projectile on. when you install it in the chamber, you can slide the bullet forward in to the lands of the chamber. You can then measusre the overall length, and set the bullet seat die appropriately. In this case as i am hand loading each round, i set it to minus .002.

Oh, that's right. I knew of the modified case, I just failed to remember that the bullet in question goes in the modified case.
The only shouldered rounds I load are M1 Garand and Swede Mauser. The Swede case neck/bullet shoulder to lands is WAY generous with 120-240gr bullets. And the Garand, no issue with 150 grain spitzers.