Disappointing outcome..
 

So after reading on different comments about the distance from the bullet to the lands and how it could make a rifle more accurate, I decided to get the Stoney Point O.A.L. gauge with the modified brass for the different cartridge I shoot. I was happy when the parcel finally came in.

Last night I decided to check it out. I was trying to be very careful in taking measurements as to making sure I was doing it correctly. After it was all said and done the result came out that the bullets would be to long to fit into the clips if I would try to make it close to the lands. Now I know. Has this happen to anyone else and what else can I use this gauge for ?

RE: Disappointing outcome..
 

You can still use the guage to check the OAL of your cartridges!! This just lets you know that you have to make them to fit in your magazine, not your chamber. Guns these days are being built like that so you can't get a cartridge that is too long for the chamber into the magazine. Keep the guage, and put it to good use by making sure each cartridge is of consistent length from the next one. Or you can just send it my way:D

RE: Disappointing outcome..
 

So Charlie, what’s your address, just kidding of course. I’ll keep it just for checking lengths of bullets or something....;)

RE: Disappointing outcome..
 

Almost all my calibers cannot reach the lands and still fit in my mag. But every once in a while you find one that has a real short neck like my 7mm08. Thats where the stoney point comes in handy.

RE: Disappointing outcome..
 

I've run into this issue more times than not. At this point, I just don't get too concerned about seating the bullet close to the lands....I usually go with the recommended COL in the loading tables. Accuracy doesn't seem to be a problem, even in my long-throated Yugo Mauser. The recommended COL will usually fit in the magazine, in my experience - so I let this be the determining factor.

RE: Disappointing outcome..
 

You can still use it, different brand bullets and even different weights of the same brand will have different C.O.L. and not all of them will use the magazine length as the C.O.L. I just loaded up some 110gr Hornady SP at 3600 fps for my 300 WSM and the C.O.L wasshorter than the magazine length. If you ever get a single shot you will not have a magazine length to limit the C.O.L. My Ruger #1 in 7x57 mauser has a very long C.O.L. of 3.147" with a 150gr BST. it looks funny but it increases the case capacity.

RE: Disappointing outcome..
 

To tell you the true facts,for the MOST part about getting your bullet seated next to your rifling is not needed. According to the Nosler company that did a real long extensive tests on this theory came to the conclusion that this didn,t help accuracy at all.All it did was increase chamber pressures and or Velocity was all. Your new purchase was in a good thought but they have your money now. Just reload your shells to the OAL and you,ll be fine. just passing it on. vangunsmith

RE: Disappointing outcome..
 

I would love to understand nosler's idea about that.Bench shooters strive to be right in the rifling with outstanding results.I have found most of the timeguns with long throatsare much more finicky that rifles with short throats where you can get close to the rifling. I found the need toneck turn and check concentricity when dealing with weatherbythroaghts or even RUMthroats. I seriously doubt that remington has to contend with remington and winchester brass on thier extensive testing. And if they really do hold that position, then I am very disappointed and doubt I will take much what they say seriously.
Anybody with much experience with various calibers knows different.

RE: Disappointing outcome..
 

BC,I have heard many times from bench shooters, that the way the bullet strikes
the rifling thats the way it's going to print andcome out. They like for the bullet
to be aleast .025 to .030 off the rifling. .020 is the thickness of a matchbook cover.
Weatherby has 3/8" freebore. If the bullet cants .001 or .002 before it prints on the
rifling the rifling is not going to straighten it out.

Hey, for hunting, I'm not going to worry if I am 1/4" from the rifling.

RE: Disappointing outcome..
 

Benchrest shooters also have purpose build rifles with custom cut, short throat, tightnecked chambers.Comparing theneeds of highly customized BR rifle shooting specialized, precision handloaded cartridges to the off-the-shelf rifle that thetypical handloader loads for is likecomparingthe needs of annitro drag car to aToyota Camry. Apples and oranges.

I can't see how you can just arbitrarily dismiss the findings of a study by a company like Nosler, especially considering that the results of their studyhave no impact on their bottom line, just because their findings don't coincide with your opinion or limited(relatively speaking) experience.Nosler hasa proven reputation forquality, accurate bullets, and with access to the extensiveballistic lab facilities, a huge assortment oftest firearms inalmost every available cartridge, and a staffof trained ballisticians and engineers who develop more loads from scratch in a year than mostof uswill work upin their lifetime.

Unlike yourexperience, I've found that with every cartridge I've handloaded for (and my experience is also limited I'll admit), seating depth has been non-critical. I've found that with the right load I can make every rifle I own shootjust as wellwith thebullets seated outnear thelands as I can with the bulletsseated to fit inthe magazine, but all my rifles are off-the-shelf. If I had a precision BR rifle things might be different.

Mike