constant

What is the correct way to find the distance off the lands in my rifle?

Frank in the Laurel

There is no correct answer to that question and your going to need to give alot more information for anyone to answer that one..

fguffey

Do not know the best way but when going to the trouble make a transfer with the bullet that is to be used.

I drill the flash hole on as many cases 10 cases to save time time the next time. I drill the hole to a diameter that will allow me to insert a small wood dowel or a cleaning rod, the rod is to be used to push the bullet out of the case once the test case and bullet is in the chamber.

with the case with the drilled out flash hole/primer pocket, seat a bullet, the seating depth is not an issue.

Remove the bolt and then chamber the test case, insert a dowel, push the bullet out, when it stops it is against the lands (as a side note I have pushed bullets out of the case before the bullet hit the lands).

Remove the test case and use it as a transfer, raise the seating die in the press and loosen the nut on the seater plug stem and raise the seater plug stem to assure it will not make contact before the set-up is complete. Place the case in the shell holder, raise the rap and then lower the seater die until it contacts (just touches) the mouth of the case, raise the die 1/4 turn (.017 thousands) and secure the die to the press with the locking nut, lower the seater plug/stem until it contacts the bullet then secure the seater stem to the die with the lock nut and lower the ram , remove test case.

When using this technique the die will be set up to seat bullets for your chamber with ZERO thousands off the lands less head space.

With a height gage or a dial caliper the height of the seater stem can be measured for a reference and indexed to .000 (zero), when changing the 'off the lands" with accuracy less head space.

Head space is not included in this measurement because the case is pushed forward with the shoulder of the case against the shoulder of the chamber.

Other choose to shred the mouth of the case to make it easy, I like the bullet hold (neck tension) of the unshredded case mouth.

F. Guffey

constant

I appreciate the help. I'll try that out.

fguffey

then you can take that measurement and transfer it to the seater die, well not quite, but you can place a case in the shell holder with the seater die and seater plug backed out and with a bullet setting on top of the empty case raise the ram, lower the die close but not touching the mouth of the case, began screwing the seater stem down until it contacts the bullet THEN lower the ram a little and screw the seater stem down and began seating the bullet then lower the ram and measure the length of the case/bullet and compare the measurement with the marks on the cleaning rod measurement, once you have established the length of the bullet/case continue seating until the measurements match. Then the next time you want to load that rifle with that bullet use the transfer to adjust you seater die.

Or use a single edge razor with a piece of tap on one side or on the barrel to protect the muzzle, the razor will give you more accurate marks. OR you can cut a cleaning rod off to give you a rod that protrudes from the barrel, no particular amount just make it close when it is against the bolt face, insert the rod, measure the rod protrusion and write it down then stick a bullet you are going to use to develop a load in the chamber and with a weight or pencil drop both in the chamber, bullet first then insert the rod in the muzzle end until as Ridge Runner said, stop when contact is is felt with the nose o fthe bullet, then with the other two hands measure the protrusion of the rod, the difference between the two readings will give you the maximum length of the case for that rifle and that bullet with that case, still again you have a measurement with no place to go, no transfer, still with the measurement you can seat a bullet in a case and set the seater die up to seat bullets, start seating and measuring once you get close use the dial caliper to determine the height of the seater plus to cut down on time when seating bullets.

Or you can get a rod with an adjustable collar with a set screw, insert the rod against the bolt and slide the colar down to the muxle and secure, then place a bullet against the lands and measure the distance from the muzzle of the barrel to the adjustable collar, the reading will give the the maximum length of that bullet in that chamber for that case, still again, no transfer just a measurement.

F. Guffey

thndrchiken

Or you can partially seat a bullet in the case, insert case and close bolt. Open bolt and extract case. back of .0010 or .0020 and that's your max col. Not as precise but it works.

falcon

Works for me too. i put a thin coat of grease on the bullet first.

Wayspr

Or you can get one of these:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=570611

Scott Gags

I do it the same way with a couple refinements. I squeeze the neck of a fired case until it is slightly oval to firmly hold the bullet. I then use a magic marker to mark the bearing surface of the bullet and partially insert the bullet and then carefully chamber the round and extract.

Sometimes the bullet will stick to the rifling and partially pull back out of the case giving a bad measure. If this happens the cartridges neck end will scrape away the marker and reveal the actual max depth the bullet is pushed back.

It is best to trim the brass without chamfering the inside of the case neck when doing this to ensure that the marker is effectively scaped away.

You can then measure the cartridge to verify its OAL either to the tip of the bullet or the bearing surface depending on which you choose to use as you standard of measure.