determining safe max OAL for bolt action rifles, just off the lands

[john keyes]

probably should have a RCBS precision mic or stony point comparator, but..


can I just seat the bullet more and more as I try to chamber, when it chambers easily go a little more and thats it?

could be a bad situation if the bullet is touching the lands?

I tried smoking the bullet and using a sharpie but can't see much.

thanks in advance.

[drdougrx]

Hi John,

I actually do that sometimes although depending on your guns make and model the point may be moot, ie, OAL for ruger 77 rifles is dependent on  the length of the magazine box which I believe is around 3.35".  Remington is an entirely different story and will allow bullets to be seated much further out than spec.

I also take a cleaning rod, close the bolt, slide it down the barrel and make a pencil mark at the muzzle.  I then remove the bolt, insert the desired bullet into the chamber, held tightly against the lands and grooves with another rod (usually an unsharpened pencil) and then insert my cleaning rod into the muzzle and again make a mark.  Then measure the distance between the marks and you have your max OAL to play with.

GL!!

[john keyes]

found this at larrywillis.com, pretty cool idea

[Kurt L]

You can also used a fired case from that gun and most times it will still hold a bullet,and start the bullet in the case and put in and close the bolt or just push it all the way in with your fingers and take it out and measure it.
if your case don't hold the bullet just bump the mouth in a sizer or even just pinch it with pliers a touch to get it to hold the bullet.
It just has to hold tight enough to stay in the neck and not fall out or move on it's own.

[1sourdough]

 I measure each chamber with a rod that goes down the barrel with settings for bolt closed & bullet in position measurements. I found out the hard way that the listed COL in manuals can be to long for a chamber & lead to a stuck bullet. At least it was after the deer was down.

[DCT]

I use the method that Kurt L mentioned in the post above.
DCT

[corbanzo]

The closer you seat a bullet to the lands, the higher the pressure is going to be, most of the time you will back a load off if seating far out, and then work up and watch for pressure signs at your longer oal. 

[PA-Joe]

Also check the final COL against your magazine length and feeding the round from the mag. In most cases the mag and feed length is the limiting factor.