Author Topic: ''seating'' bullets  (Read 1030 times)

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Offline ratherbefishin

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''seating'' bullets
« on: July 23, 2007, 03:52:21 PM »
how do you know how deep to ''seat'' bullets?My friend who was having accuracy problems with his cast 9.3 bullets, didn't seat  the next batch as deeply in the cartridge,and says his accuracy improved.why?

Offline jhalcott

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Re: ''seating'' bullets
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2007, 05:57:05 PM »
  Maybe because the bullets did not have to make a big jump from the case to the rifling. If the cast bullets are just touching the rifling they usually are started straighter in the bore, which helps them fly truer.

Offline ratherbefishin

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Re: ''seating'' bullets
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2007, 04:42:04 AM »
How do you check that-by trial and error?,or loading a bullet with no powder and chambering it?

Offline Sir Charles deMoutonBlack

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Re: ''seating'' bullets
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2007, 05:27:02 AM »
I use the cleaning-rod method.  Close the action, and insert a flat tipped rod from the front (Whatever!)  Mark the rod with a pencil.

Remove rod,open action, remove bolt if necessary. Drop one of your bullets in and tap it just a "tad" to get it to stick.  Insert your rod gently to avoid dislodging the bullet and mark again.

The difference is the maximum seating depth.

For smokeless jacketed bullets I load about 1/16" shorter.

For cast bullets I seat to the measured distance.

In all cases try a dummy round for function, and experiment by careful shooting tests.  Only change one factor each time

Offline VTDW

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Re: ''seating'' bullets
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2007, 02:44:16 AM »
How do you check that-by trial and error?,or loading a bullet with no powder and chambering it?

I insert a boolit/bullet with no powder, chamber the cartridge completely.  That lets you know where the lands touch the bullet/boolit.  I then seat the bullet/boolit .005 deeper.  You can use steel wool to polish off the marks left in the lead by the lands and use the boolit/bullet again and again until you achieve the desired seating depth.  This method works extremely well for lever actions as you can easily find the maximum COAL that will still cycle thru the action.  Watch for pressure signs!!!

Dave 8)
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Offline muffinman

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Re: ''seating'' bullets
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2007, 03:43:13 PM »
I have used the method described by VTDW with great success. Every rifle will like a diffrent seating depth. Mark

Offline haroldclark

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Re: ''seating'' bullets
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2007, 08:22:23 PM »
I have cast, loaded and shot cast bullets in large quantities over the past decades.  Engagement into the lands with a cast bullet will give you the best accuracy in most cases.  I expand the case necks with a Lyman M-1 die.  I leave the flared end of the case as is, if it fits in the chamber as mine do.  I don't make much fuss or fanfare over how close or far away the cast bullet is from the lands.  Jacketed bullets are another story, though.  I usually load my cartridges one at a time, so OAL is not an issue as far as the magazine is concerned.

My current 308 Winchester caliber cast bullet rifle is a CZ 550 Varmint.  I use a Lyman 190 grain 311644 and I cram it up into the lands so that the land leaves an eighth of an inch marking on the bullet.  I use 18 grains of Blue Dot powder.

Last week, at 200 yards we were shooting at suspended steel disks starting at 12" and going down to 2" and 1.5".  My 308 cast load will hit the 1.5" disk 3 out of 4 times at 200 yards.  I'm sure that my heart beat and a little wind could have caused the cast bullet to stray from the 1.5" disk.  Although, it was probably my shooting. 

My buddy, with his Ruger Varminter in 308 with a Saeco #315 bullet (175 grains) and 27.5 grains of Reloader 7, could hit the 2" disk 2 out of 3 shots.  The bullet engages the lands severely and helps allign the cartridge with the bore. This is my loading for the #315 bullet.  By the way, I got this load recommendation from a Lyman Reloading Handbook and it works great.  I chronographed this load at 2045 fps from a 25.6" barrel.  The 308 caliber Saeco #315 bullet is tapered and lends itself to lands engagement.

Keep on shooting cast bullets.

Harold Clark

Offline Possum

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Re: ''seating'' bullets
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2007, 12:05:23 PM »
How do you check that-by trial and error?,or loading a bullet with no powder and chambering it?

I insert a boolit/bullet with no powder, chamber the cartridge completely.  That lets you know where the lands touch the bullet/boolit.  I then seat the bullet/boolit .005 deeper.  You can use steel wool to polish off the marks left in the lead by the lands and use the boolit/bullet again and again until you achieve the desired seating depth.  This method works extremely well for lever actions as you can easily find the maximum COAL that will still cycle thru the action.  Watch for pressure signs!!!

Dave 8)

Works for me too.