how to measure maximum overal length

[bobfm10350]

How do you measure the max overal length while reloading. I've tried a few methods but the're no very consistant. (i get a bullet and color on it w/ a crayon then seat it in brass so its just barley in it. Then i put the round in the rifle and then extract it. After that i measure where the mark is that the rifle made.) <- this doesnt work consistantly on my 22 hornet
How do you guys do it?
Deric

[Okiegunnut]

Look at hornadys website they have tools to make the job pretty easy.

I use the stoney point (now Hornady) COL tool. But I got sick and tired of buying thier cases. So, I have went back to taking a fire formed case, and just neck sizing it, and I take my dremel tool, and put a cut in the neck. And I then put a bullet in long, and load it in the gun and extract and measure.

What I found is, its about .006" longer than if you use a stoney point.

I did a bunch of tests a few years ago comparing split case method vs. stoney point COL tool.
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1079115&mpage=1&key=stoney%2cpoi nt&#1079115

[SJAdventures]

I do all my bullet seating depth with the comparator. The Stoney point comparator is now the Hornady Comparator. You still need to figure out where the ogive of the bullet touches the lands though. I did the cleaning rod method and that worked good but I also did it the way the Lyman's 48th edtion suggested to do it to measure where your ogive makes contact with the lands and I personally feel it is the most accurate way. Take aunsized case (aka fired formed)that the bullet your loading will slide into easily and without the bullet in it make a very slight indention on the case neck by just slightly putting pressure on the side of the case neck against your bench, this will flatten the case neck just enough to make the bullet stay in the case but not very tight. Put the bullet just barely into the case just enough to hold it. Then blacken the bullet with a felt marker and gently put it into the chamber of your rifle and carefully close the bolt and lock it. This will push the bullet back into the case as it touches the lands. Take it out being careful not to disturb the bullet and carefully pull the bullet back out of the case so you can see where the black has been scraped off or the line made by the bullet being pushed back into the case. Push the bullet back into the case exactly to where you can see the line in the black and the case mouth line up. Now measure the OAL of your bullet (I use a comparator and measure the ogive). They recommend you do this procedure 3-5 times measuring everytime to make sure you get a consistant measurement and that will be the precise measurement of the distance between your bolt face and the lands of your rifle. It is the most precise way to measure your OAL IMHO.

[haugenna]

One question. I am doing this for my 270 WSM. I think my RCBS seating die uses the tip to force the bullet in. I could be mistaken. How do I consistently load to the ogive when my die uses the tip?

[falcon]

"How do I consistently load to the ogive when my die uses the tip?"

1. Take acartridge case that has had about .1 inch of the neck re-sized.
2.Seat the bullet long, put some grease on the bullet.
3.Insert the dummy round into the rifle and close the bolt. You have just jammed the bullet further into the case. The ogive of the bullet is now touching the rifling lands.
4. Eject the dummy round and measure the OAL.
5. Repeat 1-4 at least three times.
6. Set your bullet seating die to give you acartridge with an OAL .010-.050 shorter than the dummy round.

You may have to play around with the OAL a little to get the best accuracy. Make sure that the cartridge OAL is at least .010 shorter than the dummy round: Firing a roundwith the bullet touching the rifling causes pressures to go up dramatically.

[SJAdventures]

I use a RCBS seater die and still measure from the ogive.

ORIGINAL: haugenna

One question. I am doing this for my 270 WSM. I think my RCBS seating die uses the tip to force the bullet in. I could be mistaken. How do I consistently load to the ogive when my die uses the tip?

I have been known to drill a seater stem due to that. If you have a drill press, it works.

[Ridge Runner]

here's what I use, works great! http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=52212062&an=0&am p;page=0#52212062
RR