You should add one other thing. When you're doing this, you should only use brass that's been fired in THIS gun. Since you are not completely resizing the brass, it's easiest to use brass that's fire formed to this gun's chamber. Otherwise you may have great difficulty closing the bolt.
one thing people need to understand is that excessive pressure can be caused by loading a cartridge too short or too long. If the bullet is too close to the rifling it has no chance to get a running start at the rifling and pressure(and velocity somewhat) will spike as a result, like he says you need to find that sweet spot, you don't want too long of a jump but the bullet still needs a running start unless you adjust your load accordingly
Thank you so much for making this video so clear. I have tried using a sharpie, candle smoke etc. but couldn't tell if I was seeing lands marks or just scrapes or what. I tried this method before but got the bullet stuck somehow, I think the key is pushing it in with your finger like you did hear, not using the bolt to guide it.
@thelister4910 From this procedure, it seems my lands touches when I am just under 1/4" longer than the factory load. Since I don't want to risk high pressure, do you think if I split the difference and load 1/8" longer then the factory ammo (roughly .1" shorter than my new OAL gauge) I would see improved accuracy over the factory stuff? This is my first time trying to reload and I don't want to really mess up like with over pressure or something. Thank you for your time.
BTW, didn't mean to sound negative about the OAL gauge you taught us how to make. It works GREAT and gives real life results without calculating based on a measurement from a gauge. If I'd seen your video 10 months ago, I'd never have bought the commercial gauge. Yours works better and is free if you already own the Lee collet neck sizing die for all your calibers. Your series of videos is by far the best available. Your knowledge is extensive and your teaching methods are sound. Thanks
Not all rifles respond to minimizing the freebore. My Savage 12FV will keyhole every bullet until they are seated >.050 from the L&G's. I've been told by other owners of Savage rifles that their guns respond similarly. The chambers on many Savage rifles are long throated and won't even permit seating near the rifling without having inadequate bearing surface inside the case neck. When I first bought I tried your method of measuring and the bullet fell out before touching. Bought gauge.Thanx
I have a new Ruger M77 target rifle in 22-250 and have been shooting thumb nail size groups at 100 yds using 35 gr. of H380, Sierra 55 gr blitz bullets set at 2.340" with Supposedly once fired brass. there have been some signs of pressure; backed out primers or flattened primers. I don’t know if its the used brass or or that the overall length is too long.
I am loading my own cast bullets 8mm RN from a lee mold. They are quite a bit different from the ballistic tip (obviously). Can I use the same process to find the optimum "Sweet Spot"?
Great quality vid's - I learn much from your presentation.
If you're worried about the bullet getting stuck on the lands and grooves, why not spray some WD40 around where you think it'll make contact (not anywhere close to the case, of course)? That way, if it DOES get stuck, you'll have an easier time pulling it out. Do you think that'll work?
My OAL came out to be 2.95 and the manual says not to go over 2.8 is this going to be a problem? Im also concerned about the amount of projectile in the case. Do I need to be? My rifle is a 700 vs in 308.
@chopperdan81 If it's a factory Remington barrel then that is typical. The rifle in this video was a factory Remington when I first got it and that was my OAL. I rebuilt it and when I chambered it I made it 2.810" OAL. You will be fine with that OAL you got but it will not be magazine length.
i do this for every new bullet type i use. my savage .308 with sie match king 168 grainers OAL touching the lands is 2.892 off the top of my head thats the only one i remember. doesnt fit mag tho. i wish factory mags were longer on most guns.
I have noticed that the projectile does not slip into the fired casing, its still quite tight. I am guessing that the .243 casing have only ever been fired once before so thus are still alright.
I have seen a technique where they cut 4 slots in the neck.
You can but I do not suggest it. Another way is to seat the bullet out some and mark it with a sharpie. Then chamber it. The rifling will mark the colored portion of the bullet then measure the marks then seat the bullet that much deeper.
Nice video. Only method I have seen that is easy and doesn't require any additional tools. Is the lanser grooves very visible to see? I have a .243 and worried that reloading is dangerous (whats the worst that can happen?). Also you how far off the groves do you have the bullet seated. You said 2.820 max length and so the bullet seating of 2.810. Or would 2.700 be more suitable?
I'm just starting out reloading, got a lovely sako greywolf in 7mm-08 i wanna reload for. My question about seating depth: Does the depth of the bullet have any impact on the power charge at all, in terms of safety/detonation/pressures etc.
Also, i only have a full length sizing die so i dont think i can use your method described in this video. Or should i stick with the oal suggested in my book of 2.800 inches?
Thanks, any additional info is very much appreciated
excellent info, I was wondering if you have tried this with a .223 savage accutrigger. Every time I tried adjusting the FL sizer to just hold the sabot it just adjusts the top and would not secure it so when I tried loading the round I would get multiple readings due to the pressure being inconsistent around the neck on the bullet. Am I missing something or is it too difficult to do this on a .223 due to its small neck size? thanks.
It's can be difficult. A outside neck turning tool is great. I weigh the cases for consistency.. What king of bullet is it exactly are you trying to seat?
I was seating 50gr. Barnes Varmint grenades and 50 gr. Speer TNT. They both have been shooting decent at 150yrds doing their jobs on ground squirrels, but that nagging doubt about better accuracy is always there.
With a short bullet like the 50gr ones it can be difficult to seat them to the lands and grooves. This depends on how the chamber was throated. Seating them closer to the rifling will usually increase accuracy.
Hello mate, great video's seen nearly all of them now very informative, this oal your making for your rifle, would it be good for me to make one for my sporting rifle in .308, i use it for targeting only at the mo, but this may help my accuracy
Hey great videos.... They have really helped me with my reloading... One thing that im a little confussed about is in the video you said that the bullet read 2.820" and that you would seat it at 2.10" and then later on you say take the measurment and the deduct .10" and thats were it should be.... So if you could shed a bit of light on that it would be much apreciated...
That was a gaff on my part...sorry. I usually make these videos on the fly. I am not as articulate as I would like. I get to tripping over myself when I make these sometimes.
Deduct betwee..003" to.005" and try yor load. Then you can seat either deeper od firther out as you develop your load.
Sometimes true. Remington throats are long for round nose bullets. Mine is throated for the 168gr Sierra Match King. Single loading is my prefered way to shoot. Less scratching done to the brass.
I use an RCBS Precision Mic to determine OAL. I learned the exact procedure you describe above from my dad. Great job on the video. Again, you are using a fire-formed case, correct?
Take a a box of sierra match bullets and measure the lengh of the bullets from the tip. You will find quite a bit of variation and they are rated as the best out there. I would recommend an RCBS mic. They are only $30. I would scrap the bullet jig it comes with and use the method demoed in this this video. Then to measure oal I would use the mic. Which measures oal from the ogee. My 2 cents. I think you then sit the bullet 2/100-3/100ths of an inch back. You then are "oscar-mike".
you need to remove the ejector spring for this to be accurate.
ccmustang73 3 months ago
@ccmustang73 A little more than I want to do...I use this as an approximation. Fine tuning is done at the range.
ammosmith 2 months ago
@carrascojj Yes...I miss spoke. See our HD video on this.
ammosmith 6 months ago
You should add one other thing. When you're doing this, you should only use brass that's been fired in THIS gun. Since you are not completely resizing the brass, it's easiest to use brass that's fire formed to this gun's chamber. Otherwise you may have great difficulty closing the bolt.
muhammedgreenberg 6 months ago
one thing people need to understand is that excessive pressure can be caused by loading a cartridge too short or too long. If the bullet is too close to the rifling it has no chance to get a running start at the rifling and pressure(and velocity somewhat) will spike as a result, like he says you need to find that sweet spot, you don't want too long of a jump but the bullet still needs a running start unless you adjust your load accordingly
AnarchAngel1 7 months ago
@AnarchAngel1 Amen! it's a scientific process that takes time and patience.
ammosmith 7 months ago
Thank you so much for making this video so clear. I have tried using a sharpie, candle smoke etc. but couldn't tell if I was seeing lands marks or just scrapes or what. I tried this method before but got the bullet stuck somehow, I think the key is pushing it in with your finger like you did hear, not using the bolt to guide it.
thelister4910 8 months ago
@thelister4910 From this procedure, it seems my lands touches when I am just under 1/4" longer than the factory load. Since I don't want to risk high pressure, do you think if I split the difference and load 1/8" longer then the factory ammo (roughly .1" shorter than my new OAL gauge) I would see improved accuracy over the factory stuff? This is my first time trying to reload and I don't want to really mess up like with over pressure or something. Thank you for your time.
thelister4910 8 months ago
great video, thanks!
drfroglegs 8 months ago
BTW, didn't mean to sound negative about the OAL gauge you taught us how to make. It works GREAT and gives real life results without calculating based on a measurement from a gauge. If I'd seen your video 10 months ago, I'd never have bought the commercial gauge. Yours works better and is free if you already own the Lee collet neck sizing die for all your calibers. Your series of videos is by far the best available. Your knowledge is extensive and your teaching methods are sound. Thanks
goldenoldie96alpha 8 months ago
Not all rifles respond to minimizing the freebore. My Savage 12FV will keyhole every bullet until they are seated >.050 from the L&G's. I've been told by other owners of Savage rifles that their guns respond similarly. The chambers on many Savage rifles are long throated and won't even permit seating near the rifling without having inadequate bearing surface inside the case neck. When I first bought I tried your method of measuring and the bullet fell out before touching. Bought gauge.Thanx
goldenoldie96alpha 8 months ago
You say deduct .10 from the oal. Did you mean .01 or is it actually 1/10 of an inch? That sounds a lot? Maybe I have it confused. Thanks!
razorseal 9 months ago
what will the extra space inside the brass do to pressures and velocities?
danthman114 9 months ago
What rifle is that sir? And it looks like you have a fantastic paintjob! Kudos
ninjahipp0 11 months ago
@ninjahipp0 This is a rifle I built with krylon paint job.
ammosmith 11 months ago
I was wondering how to get away fro buying one of those OL gauges this seems to be the perfect method. Thanks for posting this. Pat
MrPatF1 1 year ago
@MrPatF1 Thanks for taking the time to watch it. I think a lot of gizmos out there for sale can be made on your bench top.
ammosmith 1 year ago
You are a freaking genius and I'm watching every damn one of your videos.
buckstarchaser 1 year ago
I have a new Ruger M77 target rifle in 22-250 and have been shooting thumb nail size groups at 100 yds using 35 gr. of H380, Sierra 55 gr blitz bullets set at 2.340" with Supposedly once fired brass. there have been some signs of pressure; backed out primers or flattened primers. I don’t know if its the used brass or or that the overall length is too long.
588158 1 year ago
@588158 Back of the charge a little.
ammosmith 1 year ago
Just so it's known, it's spelled Gauge not guage
bledfourdays1 1 year ago
@bledfourdays1 The wonderful benefits of a public education. Ooops.
ammosmith 1 year ago
@ammosmith Oh no knock on you, I actually didn't catch it, my brother did.
bledfourdays1 1 year ago
I am loading my own cast bullets 8mm RN from a lee mold. They are quite a bit different from the ballistic tip (obviously). Can I use the same process to find the optimum "Sweet Spot"?
Great quality vid's - I learn much from your presentation.
vintagesportsman 1 year ago
If you're worried about the bullet getting stuck on the lands and grooves, why not spray some WD40 around where you think it'll make contact (not anywhere close to the case, of course)? That way, if it DOES get stuck, you'll have an easier time pulling it out. Do you think that'll work?
buszero 1 year ago
@buszero Furniture wax works too.
ammosmith 1 year ago
@buszero usually you can gently tap them out with a cleaning rod, ive only gotten one stuck
bjizzle123 1 year ago
My OAL came out to be 2.95 and the manual says not to go over 2.8 is this going to be a problem? Im also concerned about the amount of projectile in the case. Do I need to be? My rifle is a 700 vs in 308.
chopperdan81 1 year ago
@chopperdan81 If it's a factory Remington barrel then that is typical. The rifle in this video was a factory Remington when I first got it and that was my OAL. I rebuilt it and when I chambered it I made it 2.810" OAL. You will be fine with that OAL you got but it will not be magazine length.
ammosmith 1 year ago
i do this for every new bullet type i use. my savage .308 with sie match king 168 grainers OAL touching the lands is 2.892 off the top of my head thats the only one i remember. doesnt fit mag tho. i wish factory mags were longer on most guns.
rroberts383 1 year ago
My good sir, you deserve a Nobel prize.
Extrapolato 1 year ago
@Extrapolato Naw...you don't have to accomplish anything for one of those.
ammosmith 1 year ago
great video, saved me 30 bucks on an OAL gauge!
usn020702 2 years ago
you no your stuff man, great help,10/10
andyeynort1 2 years ago
Thank you very much! I am glad that you find the video helpful.
ammosmith 2 years ago
I have noticed that the projectile does not slip into the fired casing, its still quite tight. I am guessing that the .243 casing have only ever been fired once before so thus are still alright.
I have seen a technique where they cut 4 slots in the neck.
detectiveinspekta 2 years ago
You can but I do not suggest it. Another way is to seat the bullet out some and mark it with a sharpie. Then chamber it. The rifling will mark the colored portion of the bullet then measure the marks then seat the bullet that much deeper.
ammosmith 2 years ago
Nice video. Only method I have seen that is easy and doesn't require any additional tools. Is the lanser grooves very visible to see? I have a .243 and worried that reloading is dangerous (whats the worst that can happen?). Also you how far off the groves do you have the bullet seated. You said 2.820 max length and so the bullet seating of 2.810. Or would 2.700 be more suitable?
detectiveinspekta 2 years ago
I'm just starting out reloading, got a lovely sako greywolf in 7mm-08 i wanna reload for. My question about seating depth: Does the depth of the bullet have any impact on the power charge at all, in terms of safety/detonation/pressures etc.
Also, i only have a full length sizing die so i dont think i can use your method described in this video. Or should i stick with the oal suggested in my book of 2.800 inches?
Thanks, any additional info is very much appreciated
IamSamuelK 2 years ago
Come over to our forum...it's easier to describe what to do.
ammosmith 2 years ago
excellent info, I was wondering if you have tried this with a .223 savage accutrigger. Every time I tried adjusting the FL sizer to just hold the sabot it just adjusts the top and would not secure it so when I tried loading the round I would get multiple readings due to the pressure being inconsistent around the neck on the bullet. Am I missing something or is it too difficult to do this on a .223 due to its small neck size? thanks.
mannyCA 2 years ago
It's can be difficult. A outside neck turning tool is great. I weigh the cases for consistency.. What king of bullet is it exactly are you trying to seat?
ammosmith 2 years ago
I was seating 50gr. Barnes Varmint grenades and 50 gr. Speer TNT. They both have been shooting decent at 150yrds doing their jobs on ground squirrels, but that nagging doubt about better accuracy is always there.
thanks for your opinion.
manny
mannyCA 2 years ago
With a short bullet like the 50gr ones it can be difficult to seat them to the lands and grooves. This depends on how the chamber was throated. Seating them closer to the rifling will usually increase accuracy.
ammosmith 2 years ago
SUBSCRIBED!!!!
jkoenigdesign 2 years ago
Thanks! Check out our forum too!
ammosmith 2 years ago
Hello mate, great video's seen nearly all of them now very informative, this oal your making for your rifle, would it be good for me to make one for my sporting rifle in .308, i use it for targeting only at the mo, but this may help my accuracy
lenthesniper 2 years ago
Yes. I would advise against doing so for hunting...you may have a OAL that would require single loading only.
ammosmith 2 years ago
Great vid... exactly what I was looking for!
bullitt1668 2 years ago
Hey great videos.... They have really helped me with my reloading... One thing that im a little confussed about is in the video you said that the bullet read 2.820" and that you would seat it at 2.10" and then later on you say take the measurment and the deduct .10" and thats were it should be.... So if you could shed a bit of light on that it would be much apreciated...
Many thanks for all your videos
Alex
xh61 3 years ago
That was a gaff on my part...sorry. I usually make these videos on the fly. I am not as articulate as I would like. I get to tripping over myself when I make these sometimes.
Deduct betwee..003" to.005" and try yor load. Then you can seat either deeper od firther out as you develop your load.
ammosmith 3 years ago
Great thank you very much im really looking forward to getting my RPA interceptor....
Btw what remington is that you are using in your video??
Many thanks again
Alex
xh61 3 years ago
I built it up from a Remington 700 VS. It was a year long project.
ammosmith 3 years ago
Sometimes true. Remington throats are long for round nose bullets. Mine is throated for the 168gr Sierra Match King. Single loading is my prefered way to shoot. Less scratching done to the brass.
ammosmith 3 years ago
I use an RCBS Precision Mic to determine OAL. I learned the exact procedure you describe above from my dad. Great job on the video. Again, you are using a fire-formed case, correct?
raa29642 3 years ago
Yes, it makes for a more accurate reading.
ammosmith 3 years ago
I want to do this, but I reload .223 for an AR. Is there a way to make this work on a semi-auto action like the AR?
eriatarka1983 3 years ago
Seat your bullets to magazine length unless you're shooting a Hornady 75-80gr A-Max. Then use this method. I do for mine.
ammosmith 3 years ago
Take a a box of sierra match bullets and measure the lengh of the bullets from the tip. You will find quite a bit of variation and they are rated as the best out there. I would recommend an RCBS mic. They are only $30. I would scrap the bullet jig it comes with and use the method demoed in this this video. Then to measure oal I would use the mic. Which measures oal from the ogee. My 2 cents. I think you then sit the bullet 2/100-3/100ths of an inch back. You then are "oscar-mike".
lovshooting 3 years ago
I found it.. Great video..solves my delema..
fastsporty77 3 years ago
AS USUAL TOP NOTCH
1967spud 3 years ago
The only exception is the Hornady A-Max, they need to be seated out.
ammosmith 3 years ago
Yes I know. The trick with semi autos is to keep the bullets magazine length.
ammosmith 3 years ago
kOOL,, tHANK 4 THE INFO.
cadillacredd 3 years ago
sweet
mreisma 3 years ago
Thanks!
ammosmith 3 years ago