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Posted: 2/14/2015 2:48:15 PM EDT
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Some info, I have been successfully reloading since 1972 for various calibers, both rifle and pistol.
I can produce some very accurate ammo for the rifles, .5 or less MOA, No misfires since then, as I am very detail oriented with my loading. These loads are for standard hunting rifles, nothing fancy, no heavy barrels, but I have glass bedded or free-floated them, as needed. I want to take this to the next level, so I purchased a neck sizing die and would like to try seating to just off the lands. I took a case with a split neck from my discard pile, and used the neck sizer to just start sizing the neck, so that it holds a bullet, with enough tension that I can hand seat it, but it takes a little effort to move. I barely started it into the case and chambered the shell with the bullet, letting the rifling seat the bullet. I did this at least 10 times and measured it with my calipers. I consistently get an OAL of 2.894in The bullet is barely starting into the case at that length. If I subtract the suggested .0020 from that, the bullet is still just barely started into the case. Is it normal to not have much of the bearing surface of the bullet seated into the case? I usually seat to the cannelure on the bullet, if there is one, or to the reloading manual COL. Doing this longer seating method, just seems like it really isn't seated enough. Am I missing something here? Oh, I normally don't load for max velocity, most of my loads are in the medium pressure level, based on velocity and case reading. |
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Most commercial chambers have too much free bore to allow seating anything but the longest bullets close to the rifling.
This technique works best for VLD style long range bullets, standard match and hunting bullets shoot fine when jumped. Another way to get good measurements is to full length resize a trashed case and use a Dremel tool to make cuts length wise in the case neck. This has the effect turning the neck into a finger style collet which will allow the bullet to slide inward with slight friction. The only .308 chamber that I load long for is my two rifles that have custom (95 Palma) chambers. Everything else gets 2.800" +/- OAL's. |
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2.894" is only .094" more than a very common OAL for .308 Win.
Bullet design and weight have a lot to do with how deep the bullet is seated when loaded to the lands. If you are going to single load each round and NOT feed them from the magazine you only "need" enough bullet in the case to hold it straight. Motor |
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I think FPNI. Stock barrel on a Remington Model 7 with the 20in barrel. It is a stainless model with the tupperware stock.
It was inconsistent at first, then I found one of the two ribs that support the barrel at the front of the stock wasn't making contact. I chewed them out with a dremel, then ran a ring of glass as wide as the original ribs, also skim bedded the action,and filled the recoil lug recess, which had a lot of slop in it. After that, the rifle shoots between 3/4 to 1/2 in groups with a select handload, using a 150gr SST. I seat those to the cannelure and no crimp. Works fine for deer around here, but I want to extend the range out and play with some 175s. Also in the plans, is a form 1 suppressor. I saw a factory AAC Model 7 with the same size barrel, it had an expander on the muzzle that was threaded for a brake/FH to mount the suppressor. I had wondered if the barrel was too thin to do that, until I saw that one. My rifle, with a full size 3x9 scope is right at 6lbs. ETA: That measurement in the first post was with a Hornady 150 FMJ-BT bullet. I don't have the 175s yet, was thinking of ordering some of RMRs 175 Matchking equivalents to try out. Will try the seating measurement with those when I get them. |
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That is exactly what I was thinking (it must be some sort of 150) if it was shallow in the case at 2.894"
I had no problem with 168s as far as seating depth goes when seated to within .010" of the lands of my silhouette rifle. I'm certain you will have no trouble with the 175s. That is very good accuracy from a 6lb. rifle. It must have a fairly thin barrel. Model 7s in my experience are prone to the problem that you corrected with yours especially ones with the plastic stock. I have a SS Model 7 in .300 SAUM its got a heavier barrel than the standard caliber models. Mine has the plastic stock but shoots far better than a deer rifle needs to so I've never messed with it. Motor |
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I thought at first it was too thin of a barrel for a suppressor, until I saw that AAC Model 7 with the adapter on the barrel. It is a really thin profile barrel, but shoots really well.
I have another Model 7, with blued metal and wood stock, that was a nightmare to get dialed in. I free floated the barrel, then glass bedded it, then took all that out and just bedded the action and a small pad at the forend, and finally got it to settle down. I used to enjoy carrying a full sized 700 in 7mmRemMag, but as I got older, the hills got steeper and I come to like the Model 7 more. Not to mention the shorter barrel not hanging up on every tree limb and piece of brush, walking in the woods. I haven't shot anything but 150s in this one, the wood stocked one, I have shot 125gr, but mostly stick with 150s. I tried a 165SST, but didn't find a decent load in it. I also have a Model 700 SS in 300RUM, with no work on the plastic stock, will shoot one jagged hole groups, with the 165SST. I wanted to glass bed it, too, but it shoots so well, I am not changing anything. I am going to order some of the RMR 175 Match bullets to play with. I won't end up shooting them in the RUM, as that's kind of light for it, for long range stuff. |
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Quoted:
That's pretty typical for a stock barrel. You can still move them out a little; it's recommended that you keep 1 diameters worth of bearing surface inside the neck. That is a old rule of thumb and mostly pertains to semi auto's or any time rough handling including feeding from magazines in bolt action hunting rifles goes. At least one very well know caliber does not even have that when FULLY seated. .300 Win. Mag. I've seen a lot of single feed match ammo with bullets seated a lot less than one caliber diameter in the case. This is entirely a different game. Motor1 |
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