| Posted: Wed Sep 16th, 2009 01:36 AM |
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RemMan700
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When I am seating bullets I never get consistent overall length. For example if I am loading to 2.25" I will take my first cartridge and adjust my die down to the 2.250". Then when seating other bullets of the same size I get measurements anywhere from 2.249 all the way to 2.259". I could see maybe a variances of 1 to 2 thousandths of an inch due to nose deformation, but not 9 thousandths. My seater plug and die are tightened down so there is not any play there. This happens when I am loading HP's, Polytips, soft points.
What type of length variations do you guys see? Am I being too picky about my overall length?
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| Posted: Wed Sep 16th, 2009 01:44 AM |
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Rockydog
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RemMan, The COAL is not the key to accuracy. The distance to the point where the bullet ogive contacts the rifling is the important part. The bullet seater doesn't contact (nor shouldn't contact)the tip or all COAL would be the same. The seater contacts the ogive at a certain point and this means that all bullets from a certain setting will contact the rifling at a uniform spot. Don't worry about the COAL unless it's so long that you can't fit cartridges in the magazine. RD
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| Posted: Wed Sep 16th, 2009 01:59 AM |
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RemMan700
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Right, the seater is hitting the bullets at the same point on the ogive. I would think that the bullets themselves would be a little more consistant in their height from base to tip. If the data calls for the bullet to be loaded to 2.26 and I am getting measurements that jump as high as 2.269 it might have feeding issues in a magazine.
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| Posted: Wed Sep 16th, 2009 04:43 AM |
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StretchNM
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RemMan, 2.26 to 2.269 isn;t much variance. Your first example (2.249 - 2.259) is a tad more than that (by .oo1), but even then, it's not alot.
I hear you, though. Mine can vary a hundredth sometimes, but it's never been an issue that I could tell. My groups don;t show because of it - at least that I can determine. I've found Sierras to be pretty consistent. I'm using a Lee seater. Maybe the Redding competition die (at nearly 10x the cost) would seat them a little more accurately.
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| Posted: Wed Sep 16th, 2009 07:12 AM |
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Paul Tummers
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I personally do have my doubts about the better performance of an expensive seater die when it comes to length variability; run-out is a totally different question, apart from ease in use and possibility of reproducing earlier determined settings by a micrometer adjusting system.
The seater stem is fixed in the die and locked by an extra locking nut- no thread play possible, the die itself, I assume, is screwed into the press tightly- no play in the thread.
This goes for the Lee dies as well as for RCBS, Redding and many others.
The bullet seater thus is fixed at a certain distance, determined by you, from the bottom of the shell holder upon which the bottom of the case rests when you seat the bullet.
If there is any play in the press, this might cause a very small difference, if at all, by perhaps different resistance needed to force the bullet down the case neck in the seating procedure.
The only other remaining factor then is the difference in were the seater meets the same diameter of the bullet and touches it-determined by the ogive of the bullet tip.
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| Posted: Wed Sep 16th, 2009 07:46 PM |
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DesertMarine
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If you are measuring from the tip of the bullet, you will almost always have variances in OAL or COL. I have found that measuring at ogive will give you a better picture of OAL. Why, because there is a wide variance in bullet lengths measured at tip of bullet but not if measured at ogive which as RockyDog said will give you a more uniform distance that your bullet has to travel to engage lands. While that is important, bullet runout in loaded cartridge is equally as important. While Redding dies are more expensive, I have found them to help me achieve more consistent results which helps me attain my goals in hand loaded ammo. It is all in what your goals are and what you are willing and able to get, to achieve those goals.
I like small groups and the other dies have not helped me get them.
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