over/all bullet length,

[zfishingfool]

how far off the lands do they recommend the bullet be seated, if it makes a differents i'm loading  204 ruger,in a remington 700

[SHOOTALL]

It would depend on your rifle . What I have found the more pressure and the faster the bullet travles the farther from the lands a bullet can be in many cases but it ain't chisled in stone. My 2506 can touch the lands and shoot one hole groups at 100 yards. My sons 300 Wetherby Mag won't shoot well unless the bullets has some free bore. When I try a new bullet I almost always see if it is seated where the base of the bullet will be at the base of the neck will it function. Some long bullets won't and some short bullets won't I work from there. Also if the bullet is factory loaded I will use one to set my seating die and try that.

[maddogg]

It might be hard to get close to the lands with a small caliber bullet.

[stimpylu32]

I know that for awhile Nosler said to keep their bullets .070 off the lands , not sure if that has changed over the years , some of the BR guys I know seat their bullets long and let the bolt finish seating the bullet in the case as it jams the rifling . Like shootall said a lot depends on the round your shooting and the cut of the chamber , not sure you could seat a 204 bullet of any style out enough to get there .
 
stimpy

[necchi]

how far off the lands do they recommend the bullet be seated,

As others have said, that's one of the variables we as loaders get to play with while searching for the most accurate load for each rifle.
There are as many ways to get there as there are loaders.
 
It's a good idea to find out how farout/where the bullet your using actually touches the rifling, there's a few ways to do it but tools designed for that task are best.
 
That said, I'll start with the bullet seated at the recommended OAL and work my powder charge looking for the best group.
Once I've found the optimum charge I'll go back and adjust the seating, gradually moving out towards the lands. With something as small as the 204 I'd make changes in .005 increment's all the while looking for group improvements.
 
The whole idea behind the charge and seating is to get the bullet to leave the barrel at the same time during the barrel vibration cycle, each time it's fired. Change the bullet, change the charge or change the powder and all that changes the group and you start over again.
If you start looking at it like that, it makes sense.

[davem270win]

The new Berger manual contains lots of information about this. They recommend different depths depending on the style and construction of bullet. Older style cup and core bullets would be close, like .010, While heavier jacket bullets, like Swifts, might be as much as .040 off the lands. It at least gives you a starting point, from which you can adjust in and out.

[necchi]

The whole idea of bullets close to the lands for accuracy is not carved in stone. There is just so much toodo about it that folks just think it's a norm.
 
Accurate seating needs to be addressed with each individual gun, factory guns are way different than custom gun chambers.
 
I have a 7-08 that shoots 120 barnes TTSX sub moa at 200yrds and the bullet is .120 off the lands
(not a typo,, .120 off the lands)