What is the best OAL?

[fshfindr]

I remember reading somewhere that a longer bullet is more accurate than a shorter bullet. I have not had an opportunity to experiment during the winter. I will enter a match in May with my 77-357 Ruger carbine so I'm looking for whatever edge I can get. I will use the Lee 358g 357 SWC (TL358-158) which is very accurate in my GP100. OAL right now is 1.5. Hopefully it will be as accurate in the Ruger carbine. I will probably use Unique 4-6.5 g. I also have Trail Boss and the OAL will help determine how much of that I use. I will listen to any and all advise since I am new to the rifle. Thank you. [smilie=s:

Rich L.
Lib with Guns

[Cowboy_Dan]

SOME rifles like the bullet seated into the lands, SOME like it a bit off, and SOME like a longer run up to the rifling. You will just have to let the rifle tell you what it likes.

[Ben]

This has been hashed and re-hashed many times here on this forum.

The OAL for a reloaded round for any revolver, pistol , or rifle is dictated by the gun itself.

Assuming that a reloading manual is the " last word " on OAL of the loaded round is a mistake.

The magazine length with bolt action rifles and the OAL written in a book may not " Jingo " with each other.

Let the gun tell you the OAL, not the manual.

Many 1911 .45 ACP autos are extremely finicky about the OAL of the loaded round, a couple of hundredths of an inch difference is also the difference in a smooth functioning auto pistol vs. one that jams about 1/2 of the time.

An exception to this is cartridges like the 9 mm Luger in which a deep seated bullet can drive up peak pressures to a danger point. Not seating deeper than the recommended OAL for this cartridge may be in your best interest.

Ben

[Lead Fred]

Yup, first measure your free bore, then adjust the OAL .020 off the lands, and work in from there.

[UBER7MM]

+1 for Ben.

I've seen one instance where the boolit's the bore rider portion had to be sized as a separate step to get the rifle to group. Another gun had to have the boolit seated to where the grease groove wasn't exposed, for practical reasons. I've seen aftermarket 30 carbine mags that had about 1/8" shorter well. That changed the cartridge OAL.

Experimentation is key.

[w5pv]

I load my 45 colt until the bullet is just off the forcing cone,my revolver shoot as close as these old shakey hands and blurred vison can do.My Rossi 92 also likes the arrangement with a grouping of about an inch at 75 yards off a good sandbag rest.Experiment with the load until you get it the way you want.Sometimes just a little change in the powder charge will make a big difference.For the most part I find the lower starting rates give the best accuracy.

[fshfindr]

I am still experimenting with my new rifle. So far at 100 yds I can get 3-4 inch groups with the OAL at 1.63. Next on the list is LRN over 5g & 6g of Unique, 16.5g of LSWCs 1.58OAL w/Lil Gun which I have never used, 5g of Trl Boss LSWC 1.59 OAL too. Also some others of Unique & Trl Boss. I'll let you know how I make out.
3/19/15 Still weathered out.

[fshfindr]

Finally got out there. It was a lousy dayand misty but I couldn't wait any longer, I finally got a match scheduleand the first match is closer than I thought. It's on April 12th and thecarbine still does not have a good zero. I got it down to 2.5-4 inches. I tried I the Buffalo Bore again, 6g & 6.5g of Unique, a fullboat of Trail Boss which is about 5.5g, 16.5g of Lil Gun which felt likeBuffalo Bore. With the BB and Lil G Istarted to twitch a little so that stuff is not for me. At least not yet. The best was 5.5g of Unique which gave me 2-2.5 in @100 yds. I'll stick with that for a while, at least till I get more used to thegun and the 100yds. Thanks for theadvise.

[FullTang]

Yes, the gun dictates what works best, but a lot of that variance is determined by the barrel twist rate. Slower twist barrels generally work best with shorter (lighter for caliber) bullets. Longer, heavier bullets need to be spun faster to stabilize them properly. So, my .357 Rossi M92, with a slow twist 1 in 30 barrel won't shoot 180 gr bullets very well; my Ruger Vaquero, with its 1 in 16 barrel, shoots them just fine.