Seating depth Q

[ShooterAZ]

For those who cast the Lee .430 TL 240 SWC, do you seat to the top lube groove or 2nd or 3rd one down? This will be for Ruger BH. Thanks again for everyone's help.

[292]

I just loaded some for the first time, I seated mine to the top groove. I'm confused about seating depth and ninimum overall length.

[randyrat]

For light under the max loads seating can vary. For heavy on the edge of max loading you don't want seat shorter than the MINIMUM length in the book, as this will increase pressure. Short will increase pressure
For tumble lube target loads Way under max load data= seat to the best accuracy for your gun.

Ask again if this does not make sense your fingers and eyes could depend on it.

[ShooterAZ]

Now two noobs looking for the same advise on the seating of this boolit...Thanks!
Anyone?

[ku4hx]

Always opt for published and verified loading manual data. That being said, sometimes you can't find data for a certain boolit. In those cases you have to know what will get you into the most trouble the quickest and steer clear of those situations.

As long as the round functions in your gun, maximum cartridge length is not necessarily a critical dimension. That's as long as it works for you. Often times you will find an optimum maximum cartridge length for your gun.

Of a much more critical nature is the situation where too deeply seating the boolit raises pressure levels to a dangerous point. But be careful, the same can happen with a too long cartridge if the charge is at or near max and the boolit impinges on the rifling.

So how do you know what the real answer to your question is? The real answer is there is more than one right answer and you have to do as all of us old farts have learned to do in way or another: start with a minimum safe charge of your chosen power and work up the load you want. "Work up" also includes experimenting with seating depth within known safe parameters.

[HoosierShooter]

For a given bullet a shorter overall length means less volume in the brass and higher pressures for a given load. So isn't the key factor not the overall length, but how much of the boolit extends inside the brass?

[MBTcustom]

Best accuracy will be found in reduced loads, so run 'em somewhere in the middle of the load data, and seat to a depth that gives best accuracy.
Develop your powder charge first. Pick seating depth that is safe and average. Work with the powder charge until you find the best accuracy for it. When you are satisfied with the powder, start tweaking the seating depth. If you find an accurate load on the high side of the powder charge (unlikely), then exercise caution with the seating depth. If its somewhere in the middle of the charge range, then let the gun tell you what it likes.

[runfiverun]

i always seat cast as far out as i can.
if i can unload the gun without pulling the boolit thats where i go.
if i need a crimp and a revolver does usually i find the closest spot to crimp in.
but neck tension is more important and that boolit will give you lots of boolit pull.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

For those who cast the Lee .430 TL 240 SWC, do you seat to the top lube groove or 2nd or 3rd one down? This will be for Ruger BH. Thanks again for everyone's help.

I have not loaded that boolit yet.
But when I load for one particular revolver...and we are talkin' revolvers here.
I use a dummy round to see how deep each of the chambers are. If they are not the same, I seat to the shortest throat. l like to seat boolits as near to the throat as possible...all within reason. also if you end up seating them much longer than Max OAL length, you should probably label the ammo respectively if you plan to store it for some time.
Jon

[ihmsakiwi]

Best accuracy will be found in reduced loads, so run 'em somewhere in the middle of the load data, and seat to a depth that gives best accuracy.
Develop your powder charge first. Pick seating depth that is safe and average. Work with the powder charge until you find the best accuracy for it. When you are satisfied with the powder, start tweaking the seating depth. If you find an accurate load on the high side of the powder charge (unlikely), then exercise caution with the seating depth. If its somewhere in the middle of the charge range, then let the gun tell you what it likes.

Resurecting this old thread. I am getting a new barrel made in 30BR specifically to shoot the NOE 155gr boolit. So where do I seat the boolit to make the dummy round for the gunsmith to cut the chamber? Just cover the lube groove or as far out as it is well supported?
Your opinions would be gratefully accepted.
Kind regards, Peter.