RE: im a beginer and have a question about seating my bullets
Jp4,
even that method is about worthless too it will get you roughly in the ball park just like all the other methods but it wont be consistant, I dont know if you ever measured individual bullets from a package of bullets but the overall lengths of each bullet are not consistantly the same length. I have done this with sierra match hollow points being a match bullet you would think they would be the most consistant... Wrong I have had bullet lengths vary as much as .010 from the next bullet from the same package. You may be ok with Jp4's method with ballistic tips and FMJ's.
[quote] Briman "C.O.L.s are meaningless unless you can measure from the point on the ogive of the bullet that engages the rifling, so that you are making the same measurement everytime. A stoney point tool with oal and a bullet comparitor would be an easy way to get an accurate measurement." [quote\]
Briman is completely correct about the COL, But if you have a good load precise COL doesnt really matter. All COL adjustment is good for is to tighten up your group that last 1/8th to a 1/4 inch. with my match 308 loads there is no real difference in groups size between 2.770 and 2.800 COL with both COL's my groups at 100 yards are so close in size you cant tell both groups look like a ragged 30 caliber holes.