OAL (Seating Depth) & What it means to accuracy
- Thread starter Will Lee
- Start date
Jack Roberts
Moderator - Deceased
I would make sure that is repeatable with several 5 shot groups.
Jack
Jack
Will,
Just to throw in my .02 worth, the issue with OAL and accuracy can change from rifle to rifle. As Jack suggested, you need to shoot a few more groups of "5" shots to verify you are where you can best get. Your's appears to entertain getting into the lands and I own some that love it and a few that hate it and love the "jump." But that's what testing is all about, while having fun doing it and finding what you baby likes the best. Folks can make all sorts of suggestions to improve accuracy, but until you try it in your particular rifle, you won't know for sure. Wish you all the best luck in shooting those 5 shot test groups.
Just to throw in my .02 worth, the issue with OAL and accuracy can change from rifle to rifle. As Jack suggested, you need to shoot a few more groups of "5" shots to verify you are where you can best get. Your's appears to entertain getting into the lands and I own some that love it and a few that hate it and love the "jump." But that's what testing is all about, while having fun doing it and finding what you baby likes the best. Folks can make all sorts of suggestions to improve accuracy, but until you try it in your particular rifle, you won't know for sure. Wish you all the best luck in shooting those 5 shot test groups.
It's really hard to change only one variable in the reloading process. For example, if you use the same exact charge but move the bullet out further it changes the pressures and the amount of time the powder has to act on the bullet while still in the case. I find that VLD's have to be into the lands to shoot accurately. With other bullets it just depends. If it was easy to get tiny groups reloading would be no fun. I love to experiment.
Will Lee
New member
Originally Posted By: DazeIt's really hard to change only one variable in the reloading process. For example, if you use the same exact charge but move the bullet out further it changes the pressures and the amount of time the powder has to act on the bullet while still in the case. I find that VLD's have to be into the lands to shoot accurately. With other bullets it just depends. If it was easy to get tiny groups reloading would be no fun. I love to experiment.
Daze - you are so correct in everything you say. I am retired and loading, experimenting, and shooting is my time sponge. I find that Hornady bullets do not like a lot of jump but Barnes bullet like a jump of .050 to .060.
Here is some 223 range data I did a couple of days ago with CFE-223:
Some range data with CFE-223 in my 270 Win:
Daze - you are so correct in everything you say. I am retired and loading, experimenting, and shooting is my time sponge. I find that Hornady bullets do not like a lot of jump but Barnes bullet like a jump of .050 to .060.
Here is some 223 range data I did a couple of days ago with CFE-223:
Some range data with CFE-223 in my 270 Win:
There is no question that there exists inter-relationships that creat change in performance when changing one "variable" in reloading. And it is for this reason that only one aspect of reloading should be changed at a time. But that is what testing is all about and that allows us to entertain ourselves even more. And even with VLD's, there exists the challenge of finding the best setting in terms of bullet depth, whether its .030 into the lands or just touching the land which my 6.5 likes the best in terms of performance. Even the make of bullet can have a huge effect on accuracy as some have found great success using Bergers, while Sierra just won't work for some and then for others, the reverse is true. But that is even part of the challenge in seeking perfection that in some cases like mine, causes one to become ANAL about their reloading in every single aspect of it. But in the end, it's what the target looks like that provides the payoff for all the fun.