Seating a bullet.

HAWKEYE10 · #1 03-03-2012, 04:29 PM

Is there a good way to seat a bullet for the best accuracy in a bolt action rifle without spending a lot of money? I don't have to worry about it being to long for a magazine as I am using a single shot adapter. Don

Jc85 · #2 03-03-2012, 04:34 PM

I'm just gonna jump in here and repeat what Ive heard / read.
"just off the lands.". give that phrase a search. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

spaniel · #3 03-03-2012, 05:10 PM

Some bullet like to jump, some don't. It's a good idea with most bullets (VLDs can be different) to start a couple thousandths off the lands and work your way out. I am cheap so the way I find the lands is to start seating a bullet and slowly test it in the chamber. I seat it back a couple thousandths at a time in the press until I can close the bolt. Then I paint the bullet in black sharpie, set it back a tiny bit more, and verify that it does not touch the lands when chambered by looking for marks in the sharpie. Once I have the max OAL that will chamber, I seat a set a couple thousandths deeper and test for accuracy, repeating with a deeper seating if necessary. So far, a tad off the lands has worked for all of my guns.

Personally, I do a ladder test and find an accuracy node with seating a couple thousandths off the lands first, and then fine-tune seating depth.

HAWKEYE10 · #4 03-03-2012, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaniel

Some bullet like to jump, some don't. It's a good idea with most bullets (VLDs can be different) to start a couple thousandths off the lands and work your way out. I am cheap so the way I find the lands is to start seating a bullet and slowly test it in the chamber. I seat it back a couple thousandths at a time in the press until I can close the bolt. Then I paint the bullet in black sharpie, set it back a tiny bit more, and verify that it does not touch the lands when chambered by looking for marks in the sharpie. Once I have the max OAL that will chamber, I seat a set a couple thousandths deeper and test for accuracy, repeating with a deeper seating if necessary. So far, a tad off the lands has worked for all of my guns.

Personally, I do a ladder test and find an accuracy node with seating a couple thousandths off the lands first, and then fine-tune seating depth.

I am new to rifle reloading but not handguns. I was thinking that you could fined the lands like you suggest and back off a few thousands, with a dummy round. I just wasn't sure if it would work. Spaniel thanks for the help. Don

Hobie1 · #5 03-03-2012, 08:43 PM

Here's a page from Sinclair.
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/ci...easuring-Tools

I've used the OAL guage to determine bullet ogive to lands lengths with good results. It's important to measure to the ogive rather than the tip of the bullet as there can and will be slight variances in bullet dimensions, length-wise. Very small in most cases using name brand upper to top end bullets, but when you're talking .001s and the difference between sticking the bullet into the rifling or not, size does matter.

It's fun for me to tinker with this sort of thing. Makes my lovely child-bride wonder what I'm spending all my time doing in the basement .

Hobie

ChuckS1 · #6 03-03-2012, 08:44 PM

Here's what I do. Take a fired case and make 3 cuts in the neck with a Dremel cutoff wheel or hacksaw. Insert the bullet and seat it so that it barely stays in the neck. Then, gently chamber it, closing the bolt. then, gently eject the case and measure the OAL. If done correctly (and I do it 5X just to make sure I get consistent results), you should know how long the OAL is to seat against the lands. Having said that, I measure off the ogive, not the tip so as to ensure I get accurate length. If you use a soft tip bullet, it'll drive you nuts if the tips are mashed.

txbirdman · #7 03-03-2012, 08:51 PM

I do what ChuckS1 does.

Forrest r · #8 03-03-2012, 08:52 PM

I’ve always done mine the opposite way from most people. I start with the bullets seated at the recommended OAL & test loads to find which one is the most accurate. From there I’ll walk the bullet out fine tuning the load for accuracy.

I not sure, maybe it’s just me but I’ve found that smaller bullets (.223’s) like to be seated 10/1000’s or so off the lands & grooves. And bigger bullets (30 cal) seem to better 50 to 60/1000’s off the lands & grooves. I’ve watch the groups walk right in & tighten up and the open right back up as the bullets too close to the lands & grooves with the 30 cals.

Lenny_D · #9 03-07-2012, 01:26 PM

I take a bullet that you are reloading and drop it down through the camber and give it very light taps to catch it in the lands. Then I turn the rifle muzzle up and take a cleaning rod with a flat faced jag as close to the caliber size while not being to tight to slip down the barrel and gently lower it till it rests on the bullet. I use a scripto to darken the area of the rod near the muzzle and use a knife or something against the muzzle and spin the rod cutting a line in the darkened area of rod. Tap out the bullet and close bolt and redo the above without allowing the drop of the firing pin. The rod then sits against the bolt face. Take a pair of vernier calipers and measure between your "cuts". That will be your overall cartridge length with that particular bullet style. Adjust .010" shorter and shoot and adjust in or out till you are satisfied . Make a dummy round with that bullet and next time you load that bullet set your seating die till you just touch your dummy round's bullet.

fredj338 · #10 03-09-2012, 03:19 AM

Lenny's way works well. ANother way is to take a fired case, smash the neck just enough to firmly hold the bullet. Carefully chamber it & then extract it & measure the OAL. THat is into the lands. DO it 2-3 times & then back off 0.10" to start.

Bomberman · #11 03-09-2012, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredj338

Lenny's way works well. ANother way is to take a fired case, smash the neck just enough to firmly hold the bullet. Carefully chamber it & then extract it & measure the OAL. THat is into the lands. DO it 2-3 times & then back off 0.10" to start.

That's exactly the way I do it too. Easy as pie!

JohnK · #12 03-09-2012, 11:10 AM

As above.

I used to test myriad bullet/ powder combos, looking for accuracy. A waste of time, in my opinion.

I take my preferred bullet, usually a Nosler Ballistic Tip, and choose the CORRECT powder (the one or two, that give the highest velocity, with the least pressure) for the load/cartridge.

Simply varying the seating depth, will give you much increased accuracy without screwing with a lot of different combos. I usually vary by 0.010 or so, to find that "sweet spot".

As often, as not, a longer jump to the lands, gives you the desired accuracy I seek.

I have MANY different rifles/calibers. This has never failed me. You DO have to start with a quality bullet, such as the Nosler BT.