Sweetroels

Finding the best OAL

Instead of going by store bought ammo OAL, purchasing a Stony Point tool or the recommended OAL in the Lyman manual I determined the OAL to the lands in my guns the old fashioned way recommended by threads on this board and reloading manuals. I use exclusively Barnes TSX bullets and due to the groves sometimes the bullet rattles around instead of slides nicely in when you close the bolt on the dummy ammo. So I had to use make sure the dummy ammo was tight in the neck otherwise it would slide out a bit when I extracted the cartridge. Some of the OAL measurements were longer than the maximum OAL in the Lyman manual and much longer than purchased ammo. Is this normal? Did I screw it up?

This is what I ended up with:

My measurement Lyman OAL
243 Ruger Compact 2.755 2.71 (mine is a bit long)
7-08 LSS Mtn. Rem 2.811 2.800 (looks good?)
300RUM Rem 700 BDL 3.640 3.600 (mine is a bit long)
30-06 760 Rem. 3.448 3.340 (way long)
348 Model 71 (going with Lyman OAL)

Barnes bullets are long, maybe the measurements are OK?

The 760 Rem. is a pump and maybe I should just stick with the recommended OAL?

I was going to back off these measurements .050 then focus on charge weight and powder type to work up best load. Then I was going to fiddle with seating depth some more. Maybe I should just go with Lyman recommended OAL and get a Stony Point tool (now Hornady)?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks K-man

Prarie_Boy1

The OAL in the reloading manual doesn't take in to account the chamber's of everyone's firearms if your OAL is longer than whats listed in the book I wouldn't worry to much. My rem 700 is over what the reloading manual OAL suggests I seat my barnes TSX approx .050 off the lands as well. Hope this helps

SJAdventures

Many times I believe the book OAL is set at maximum for magazine functionability purposes. The OAL on both my rifles is more than what the manuals list them at but what the books has listed happens to be the maximum I can seat my bullet at and still have them cycle properly through the magazine of the rifle.

steve4102

From AA Powders manual.

SPECIAL NOTE ON CARTRIDGE OVERALL LENGTH “COL”

It is important to note that the SAAMI “COL” values are for the firearms and ammunition manufacturers industry and must

be seen as a guideline only.

The individual reloader is free to adjust this dimension to suit their particular firearm-component-weapon combination.

This parameter is determined by various dimensions such as 1) magazine length (space), 2) freebore-lead dimensions of

the barrel, 3) ogive or profile of the projectile and 4) position of cannelure or crimp groove.

fguffey

Sweetroles, Iuse the old fashion way, I drill (5 cases) the flash hole/primerspocket large enough to allow a cleaning rod to pass through the hole, or small wood dowel. I size the case and seat the bullet, remove the bolt and chamber the round, I then place the rod into the drilled flash hole and push the bullet out of the case as far as it will travel, I then remove the cleaning rod, remove the test case, the test case is MAXIMUM OVERALL LENGTH for that chamber using that bullet, it does not mean the test case will feed from the magazine/box, the test case could be too long. The loader can subtract COL from MOL to determine the distance the bullet is seated from the lands.

If a different bullet is to be used, another test case must be used.

Transfer: A term unknown in the field of hand loading/reloading. The test case does not need a Stoney Point to transfer the transfer, the test case MAXIMUM OVERALL LENGTH can be transfered straight to the seater die by raising the seater die and raising the seater plug with the test case in the shell holder, raise the ram, then lower the seater die until the case contacts the the crimp portion of the die, stop, raise the die 1/2 turn and secure the die with the lock nut, then screw the seater plug down until it contacts the bullet, when the plug contacts the bullet, secure the seater plug. The measurement of the test case at this point has been transferred to the seating die. (remove thetest case)The height of the seater plug stem above the die is the maximum length a case can be seater without hitting the lands, the bullet seating depth can be adjusted by measuring the height of the stem with the aid of thedepth/heightend of the dial caliper, (for a reading of .020 off the lands)just 'O' the caliper, adjust the stem and measure until the reading is -.020. Or you can purchase the $70.00 precision seater die from any number of suppliers, and that means one for each caliber you load for, still, how do you transfer the chamber dimensions to the seater settings without a transfer?

Mark the test case with the serial number and caliber of the rifle for setting up the die when loading that bullet for that chamber.

Seater-a die that seats the bullet

Sweetroels

This info helps a lot guys, thanks!

BTW my test loadsdeveloped at the OALI posted earlier, worked great! Best groups ever. I just need to narrow down the powderweight!

Also if anybody can suggest a bullet that is constructed as well as the TSX and shoots as well, let me know! Those TSX bullets add up $ when your shooting 5 guns for the afternoon. The only other bullets I've tried are Hornady Interbond and they worked OK.

Thanks again. K-man

falcon

I take an empty, neck sized unprimed case andseat the bullet long. ThenI grease up the bullet and chamber the round. You have just jammed the bullet into the rifling as far as it will go. Then I measure thelength of the round and adjust the seating die so the bullet is.015-.040 off the lands. This mayleave the round too long to feed from the magazines of some guns.