Author Topic: Bullet Seating Depth (Read 783 times)

BigMac53 · « **on:** August 23, 2004, 09:51:22 AM »

Can anyone give me suggestions on how to determine the seating depth at the rifling of an Encore? I am shooting a 22-250 but the pricipal should apply across the board.

DW

5Redman8 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 23, 2004, 09:53:58 AM »

Sucky answer but the BEST seating depth is where it shoots best, what ever that may be.....in the lands......015" off the lands......whatever works best....

I usually start .015 off the lands.

Kyle

ra · « **Reply #2 on:** August 26, 2004, 01:56:06 AM »

I don't have an Encore but with 6 Contender barrels I have never been able to seat bullets nowhere near the lands.
The throats are so long that to reach the lands there is hardly any bullet in the case. I usually seat to the overall length in the reloading manuals.

drichi · « **Reply #3 on:** August 26, 2004, 03:33:59 AM »

I really like using a sized case and cutting a couple of slits in the neck with a dremel tool. and then just starting a bullet in it and closing the action and open and measure the length. I usually do it a few times and compare the readings. should get you very close. my 22-250 is easy to get to the lands with a 450 grain bullet, but not a 40 grain. dave

5Redman8 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 26, 2004, 03:50:26 AM »

WOW a 450gr 22cal bullet.....that thing would reach the muzzle end of a 26" barrel..... :eek:

Just ribbing you drichi!!! LOL

My barrels are custom made and I had the barrels designed for specific bullets. I have only fooled with factory barrels for friends and have been able to reack the lands in most.

Kyle

drichi · « **Reply #5 on:** August 27, 2004, 10:36:12 AM »

looks like I should have read my post one more time before I pulled the trigger on it, should have read 50 grain bullet. dave

Buffalogun · « **Reply #6 on:** September 02, 2004, 03:47:39 PM »

BigMac53,

This is how I determine seating depth. I read it in a Layne Simpson article and he called it the "HLEP"(Head to Land Engagement Point) method.

Here goes:
Into one of your fired and unsized cases, insert one of your flattest based bullets, backwards. Place this cartridge into the chamber and gently close the action. You want the bullet to slip, but stay in place when you pull it out. This will measure the distance from the case base to the beginning of the rifling. Do this several times to verify the distance.

Record this measurement!

Now place one of the bullets you are loading, into the muzzle(point in first) and spin lightly so the rifling will leave a ring on the bullets ogive.
When you seat this bullet in the normal manner, you can measure from the ring to the base of the cartridge and adjust as far off the rifling as you want.
Use this bullet in your first loaded cartridge and set the seating depth with it.

I hope this is clear! :shock:

Buffalogun

BigMac53 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 07, 2004, 09:15:06 AM »

Thanks for your explanation Buffalogun. I have done as you suggested and now have the measurement to work with to adjust the bullet seating Depth!

Bigmac53