can't reach cannelure

[bluebayou]

I am loading some 150gr Hornady SP in 270 Win.  Seating to what Hodgdon manual recommends I am .060 short of the cannelure even touching the case mouth.  What gives? 

[PaulS]

I am loading some 150gr Hornady SP in 270 Win.  Seating to what Hodgdon manual recommends I am .060 short of the cannelure even touching the case mouth.  What gives? 

Unless it has a tubular magazine there is no need to crimp the round. The data is probably for a bolt action and is not crimpped. Seating a bullet long gives more room for powder. Or it could be that your cases are a bit too short, did you measure them?

[PA-Joe]

Have you checked the Hornady Manual, the COL is most likely less.

[bluebayou]

I don't have a Hornady manual.  That is on my Christmas list.  I did see a Google result where someone asked the same question, but there was no real answer.  This guy was saying that the bullet originally had the cannelure much lower to the base.  Maybe the bullet was changed but Hodgdon never updated the OAL.  I emailed Hornady but I don't have high expectations.  If someone has a Hornady manual then please chime in.  I am hesitant to load 50 odd grains of 4831 behind something that could be seated too deep.

[Cheesehead]

According to Hornadys third edition manual, the 270 C.O.L is 3.285 with the Hornady 150 grain spire point and the brass length is 2.540.

Cheese

[dave375hh]

There is no reason to crimp a .270 unless it's a semi-auto, or tube magazine(no tubes that I'm aware of). Crimping will not improve accuracy in rifle rounds no matter what Richard Lee states in his books. His claims are designed to sell his products and are not factual. There's nothing wrong with Lee equipment but his loading manuals should be used for bullet penitration tests only.

Crimping handgun ammo does often improve it's performance and accuracy. It is required in large magnums to allow the powder time to fully ignite, when using ball or other slow powders.

[bluebayou]

As much as I hate to say this (and if you saw my car or some of my rifles then you would wonder) but:

It just looks goofy.  Seating the bullet with the cannelure so far forward is goofy.  Why did Hornady mold the bullets this way if the cannelure isn't to be used?  Weird.  I read an article on another website where John Barnesnes (whatever) was saying that he gets the 150 SP with the cannelure in different positions even in the same box of bullets.  Some are correct some are too far forward.  Weird. 

[dave375hh]

BlueBayou,
Pretty is as pretty does. The only thing that matters is how it shoots, or kills game. Hornady spirepoints in my .308 and .375 both leave the cannelure exposed when loaded to their propper length. The .375 loaded to 3.600(Magazine length) leaves the cannelure 3/16 above the case mouth, and it shoots max loads into 7/8". The .308 is an honest 1/2" three shot rifle, but loaded to the cannelure it's lucky to shoot 1 1/4". Performance is what counts not looks. You show someone little groups on a target, or a whole bunch of dead critters, they won't remember what your ammo looked like, other than asking what your load is.

[Don Fischer]

If your not shooting a pump, lever or autoloader, I can't see why your worried about the cannelure. Two things you need to know; 1)will the loaded round fit your magazine well and cycle into the chamber, 2)will the loaded round go into the chamber and allow you to close the bolt without jamming the bullet into the lands. If it will do both, then it doesn't matter where the cannelure is.

[bluebayou]

Thanks to Cheesehead for the Hornady info, by the way.

Just to clarify:  my concern really isn't about the looks of the loaded ammo, it is about "I am hesitant to load 50 odd grains of 4831 behind something that could be seated too deep".  Having never seen any ammo loaded with the cannelure forward of the casemouth I assumed that I was doing something wrong. 

Thanks for the info.