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Thread: Question about seating depth

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold Doonered's Avatar
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    Question about seating depth

    Hi. I’m fairly new to casting and wonder if anyone can help with the following query.
    I’ve just cast some really nice looking .223 bullets from a new NOE 70gn rn mold. On checking for the correct coal for my Ruger American ranch I found it to be 2.026. At this length the bullet sits really deeply into the case. I know that due to it being a round nose it will sit shorter but have some concerns as to wether it will cause problems with pressure etc. Has anybody loaded for this bullet/rifle combination? And if so did you have similar problems? Many thanks. Doonered.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I would start at beginning load possible even a little lower in published data and work up to where I wanted to be as to accuracy and velocity. My Jacketed 80 grn ( VLD) 223 load was around 2.250 had to single load it but 600yds was slow fire. If this bullet is a nose ride design the nose may be slightly bigger than your bore is causing this. Slug your barrel an see what the bore groove sizes are and compare to the measured nose dia of your bullets.

    Working up you should be safe, Start at least 10% low and work up in no more than .5 grn increments till you get where you want or pressure sighs start showing.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Take a case and put a little slit in the neck so that it does not grip the bullet too tightly. Put your test bullet in the case with a very long Overall length and gently chamber the round, then take it out and measure the overall length. If you do this several times you can find out just how long of a COL will work with your rifle. You might be able to seat it longer than the books say. If the length that fits is still pretty deep, start low on your loadings and work up. Pressure due to seating deep usually is not a problem unless, or until, you approach maximum loads. Just start low and watch for pressure signs.
    Hick: Iron sights!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master waco's Avatar
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    Take all the guess work out of finding were your bullets touch the lands. Buy this once and be done with it.
    Buy one modified case for each caliber you want to test. Cheap, easy, and super accurate.
    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/57...ge-bolt-action
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  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy sparkyv's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hick View Post
    Take a case and put a little slit in the neck so that it does not grip the bullet too tightly. Put your test bullet in the case with a very long Overall length and gently chamber the round, then take it out and measure the overall length. If you do this several times you can find out just how long of a COL will work with your rifle. You might be able to seat it longer than the books say. If the length that fits is still pretty deep, start low on your loadings and work up. Pressure due to seating deep usually is not a problem unless, or until, you approach maximum loads. Just start low and watch for pressure signs.
    YES! What he said.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Is this a gas check design? Be careful if it is. 22 cal gas checks coming off in barrel and staying behind can be a problem. That is if they are below case neck which it sounds like it will be. Doesn't take much to create a spike in a 22 at anywhere near max. I can't help myself but to check every round fired if the gas check is below the neck. I actually pull the bolt and look down the barrel. Extreme I know but I don't like surprises. Gator gas checks seem to stay on no matter what but I don't want to be the "guy" posting on here with my disaster.

  7. #7
    Boolit Mold Doonered's Avatar
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    Thanks for all of the advice gents. I have seated it at the stated depth after measuring the coal using the split case method. I measured it 10 times and then took the average the depth of 2.026 is that to the lands. It’s just that the bullet looks really short in the case. I will upload a picture of it later. Thanks.

  8. #8
    Boolit Mold Doonered's Avatar
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    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	8E2424B5-634F-43A1-8B1D-6FEA3C2F340F.jpg 
Views:	30 
Size:	33.1 KB 
ID:	219170

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Is this the mold /boolit you are using?
    http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product...oducts_id=1478

    If it is, "I" would be concerned about what Oily said in post#6 about the gas check getting either stuck in the bbl, or just inside the neck of the case when firing them.

    It surely does look short due to that seating depth & that "chubby" RN ogive is what is likely the reason why it was ending up that way/loking "short", when you were checking for setting OAL in that rifle chamber.

    IMO, I would reconsider using that boolit style in that particular rifle.

    Your choice of course, but I am just stating an opinion.


    BTW, if you were to take a pic with the boolit themselves you have, in the pic with the rounds and placed side by side as they would be when seated, it would be easier for folks to see just where each one sits in the case.


    G'Luck! regardless , and I hope you figure this out.
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  10. #10
    Boolit Mold Doonered's Avatar
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    Thanks for taking the time to reply. I will take a pic of the bullet out of the case and post it. I’m also going to contact NOE and see what they say. Thanks again.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    YW, although I did not do much. Most everyone here tries to help out another handloader.


    Best of Luck!
    2nd Amend./U.S. Const. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

    ~~ WWG1WGA ~~

    Restore the Republic!!!

    For the Fudds > "Those who appease a tiger, do so in the hope that the tiger will eat them last." -Winston Churchill.

    President Reagan tells it like it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6MwPgPK7WQ

    Phil Robertson explains the Wall: https://youtu.be/f9d1Wof7S4o

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master 303Guy's Avatar
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    Just do this.



    I made a gauge rod that tells me how the boolit fits in the throat relative to the case neck junction. I don't use gas checks so that isn't an issue to me but I have found boolit base riveting when they protrude past the neck junction. Hardening the alloy makes that go away and so does not using a case filler. I now use a small tuft of Dacron to hold the powder in place (and to stop the powder from spilling out should I eject an unfired cartridge that leaves the boolit behind - something that only happened once IIRC). I did try a small tuft of cotton wool down on the powder and it did cause a pressure spike in the neck area, expanding the neck into rust pits).
    Last edited by 303Guy; 04-25-2018 at 01:14 AM.
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  13. #13
    Boolit Mold Doonered's Avatar
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    Customer service from NOE has been excellent. I received the following which has helped to clear things up.
    Martin

    Sounds like the bore is to small for the nose of the bullet.
    It is a bore riding nose.
    Try changing your alloy and see if you can get it to cast smaller
    Or size the nose of the bullet down.
    COL should be 2.28”
    It is a bench rest bullet and with a little work it has shot very well.

    I have been very impressed in all of my dealings with NOE.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    Al does make a nose size die as well. Sounds as if you may need one.
    Wayne the Shrink

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  15. #15
    Boolit Mold Doonered's Avatar
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    As suggested a picture of the bullet outside the case Attachment 219233
    it seems a real shame as the mold cast some excellent bullets.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Attachments haven't worked for at least the last three updates.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  17. #17
    Boolit Mold Doonered's Avatar
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    Thanks for letting me know Wayne.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check