Overall length and rifling

[cipher]

I am loading .22 cal 73 grain Berger BTs for my Handi .223 HB over 24 grains of Varget and have had very good luck so far with this recipe.  But now I have a question about how to measure the COL to have the bullet just touch the rifling.  I have taken unprimed, unpowdered brass, started a bullet and then with this in the chamber, closed the action.  I have gotten a consistant length 5 times this way but wonder if this is valid.  Any ideas?

[quickdtoo]

See the Fred's simple OAL gauge in the NEF/H&R Centerfire FAQs and Help sticky.

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,26264.msg504312.html#msg504312

I used one of Randy Reeve's tools, very simple to use and repeatable.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,26264.msg566554.html#msg566554

[beemanbeme]

Sounds valid to me.  Set your seater up for that length and make a test run with a uncharged case.  blacken the bullet with a magic marker and you should get the lightest of marks from the lands.  If everything is kewl, mark it as a sample and put it in your box with the dies so you'll have it if you need to adjust the dies for something else.  You know you'll have to change your length oh about once a year as your throat erosion grows don't you.  Then you need a Chrony.