So when you measure the bullet with the ogive do you push it into the freebore and to the lands or not? Having issues with a rifle like never before. Shot today 5 round and the 6th the bolt didn't want to close to I stopped and went to eject it. I had to strike the bolt with my hand but it came out. So I looked at it and it had marks on the bullet in one spot at what would be the top of the barrel. Put the bore scope in and could see copper there. Shooting all copper bullets right now. Can't really see anything wrong but there is something wrong. I then put in a accubonds bullet and seated it long and pushed it in a little. It also had a mark all the way around the bullet. So I have been putting a slight amount of push when I use the hornady modified case to measure with. Is that correct or just to where you barely feel the bullet hit.
To the lands or just the start of the throat??
- Thread starter tom338
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ImBillT
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What I call “jammed” is the seating depth at which the lands leave a square mark on the bullet. That is to say about as long as it is wide. That’s not really a great place to be for a hunting rig, as sometimes the bullet will lodge in the barrel and when you open the bolt, the empty case comes out spilling powder everywhere and the only way to get the bullet out without blowing up the gun is with a cleaning rod.
Accubonds are very tolerant of just about any seating depth. Solid copper bullets tend to do much better with lots of “jump”. Jump is when the bullet is seated deep enough that it does not touch the lands at all.
Accubonds are very tolerant of just about any seating depth. Solid copper bullets tend to do much better with lots of “jump”. Jump is when the bullet is seated deep enough that it does not touch the lands at all.
Thats what I have always thought. Now why would there be a mark on the bullet before it even touches the lands? Something not right to leave a mark on the top side of the bullet. And I put in in by hand...not the bolt. Accubonds..... I do not own a rifle that will shoot them. I can not for the life of me get them to shoot in any rifle I own. 8 different one's.... plus a couple I don't own anymore. I looked like the start of a carbon ring? could that be it?
BuzzH
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Black sharpie...best .99 cents you'll spend.
Mosquito
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Are you sure you didn't have a" long " one in there ? Was the mark in one spot or all the way around? I know a competitive shooter who seats his bullets .001 over and the cam of the bolt seats it the reast of the way... im not sure how i feel about that. Usually the only time the bolt gets tight is with a load thats too hot where the brass expands to much. Im not really sure just trying to give you some ideas
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Mosquito
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Did that bullet pull out a little bit when you tried to eject it ? Or is that an optical allusion
Its a hammer
I purposely seated this on long trying to figure out whats going on. That way I could see it better
That's what I thought. Use the sharpie trick that Buzz mentioned. Steve would be happy to help out also. 406 261 0010 mtmuley
Brian in Montana
Well-known member
I don't have a great deal of experience with loading solids, but I have always understood they tend to like a jump to the lands. The few loads I've worked up with Barnes bullets certainly bears that out, I wouldn't think Hammers would be much different with that regard.
And I find what you said about Accubonds a little odd. I have not run into a rifle that won't shoot Accubonds. Gotta try different things here and there, but I can always get Accubonds to shoot.
Anyway, and this is just the way my process has developed over time, I've largely stopped chasing the lands. I've found that a little complicated and generally not all that productive. I have a couple Tikkas and I always start a new load at mag length and then try adjusting the seating depths deeper from there, if necessary. In my Rem 700s I can load bullets considerably longer. With those I usually just load them to the max COL published by SAAMI, and like the Tikkas, work back from that length if it seems like the thing to do.
And I find what you said about Accubonds a little odd. I have not run into a rifle that won't shoot Accubonds. Gotta try different things here and there, but I can always get Accubonds to shoot.
Anyway, and this is just the way my process has developed over time, I've largely stopped chasing the lands. I've found that a little complicated and generally not all that productive. I have a couple Tikkas and I always start a new load at mag length and then try adjusting the seating depths deeper from there, if necessary. In my Rem 700s I can load bullets considerably longer. With those I usually just load them to the max COL published by SAAMI, and like the Tikkas, work back from that length if it seems like the thing to do.
I'm glad you can get accubonds to shoot for you. I have hundreds of dollars invested in those bullets and can't get them to shoot. Had a 260 Remington that would shoot them. Then got a carbon ring in barrel. When I got that out it would not ever shoot them again. Shoots multiple other bullet great.
std7mag
Well-known member
Throw away the dang Hornady measuring tool!
I've seen more threads started with "i was using the Hornady comparater", than i care to see!
Use a fired case. Neck size it until a bullet goes in finger tight.
Leave bullet seated long.
Chamber. Do NOT pull the trigger.
Carefully extract. Measure.
This is your COAL to the lands.
Do this 3 times to make sure your not getting a screwy reading.
Subtract 0.050" from your measurement.
This is your COAL for monolithic bullets.
Common cup & core bullets i've found typically like around 0.020" off the lands.
VLDs are entirely different beast.
I've seen more threads started with "i was using the Hornady comparater", than i care to see!
Use a fired case. Neck size it until a bullet goes in finger tight.
Leave bullet seated long.
Chamber. Do NOT pull the trigger.
Carefully extract. Measure.
This is your COAL to the lands.
Do this 3 times to make sure your not getting a screwy reading.
Subtract 0.050" from your measurement.
This is your COAL for monolithic bullets.
Common cup & core bullets i've found typically like around 0.020" off the lands.
VLDs are entirely different beast.
Bountyhunter
New member
Does not matter if you are loading for a magazine gun. Just start at max COAL for the magazine and work backwards. Too many people get tied up trying to make BR rounds for a mag gun that will not load in magazine.
Second the thread above about chamber and extract the round giving you the COAL is wrong. You will be .030-.050 into the lands. Use a magnifying loop and you will see and can measure the marks on the side of the bullet.
IF you really are dead set on finding the lands accurately, go to the Alex Wheeler video.
This is dead nuts accurate.
Second the thread above about chamber and extract the round giving you the COAL is wrong. You will be .030-.050 into the lands. Use a magnifying loop and you will see and can measure the marks on the side of the bullet.
IF you really are dead set on finding the lands accurately, go to the Alex Wheeler video.
antelopedundee
Well-known member
In order to do that you have to have around 1 thou or so of neck tension so that the bullet seats easily. Also you'd like to have the bullet stay seated iffn you decide to extract the round.
devon deer
Well-known member
This advice served me well for years, then I tried the sharpie method, then I bought a comparator, full circle I have gone back to @std7mag method, it's just me but in my rifle 0.50'' off the lands works in my rifle but of course all bullets/rifles as we know are different.
Back to the OP, have you tried factory ammo?
As for Accubonds, I haven't tried them, but my mate has, just could not get them to work in his rifle, went back to Sierras and all good.
Cheers
Richard
This is the method I’ve used for a couple years. It’s the first time I’ve seen this video but I think Gordy Gritters had one of the same process. The money spent on the ejector removal tool is money well spent.
antelopedundee
Well-known member
That's how I make my dummy rounds. I seat to touch [works best while the throat is still new] for each bullet type that I have. A good use for range pickup brass. FL size and expand to .001 under bullet diameter. A word of caution before resizing range brass. Take your decapper/expander stem OUT in case the chamber the brass was fired in is way oversize. You could get a stuck case like I did. In that case [NPI] I just suck a bolt of appropriate diameter down through the top and tapped it out. Once the dummies are made I always have a reference round. The micrometer seater plugs make it easy to adjust seating depth.
