I might add : when you mesure Oal ... Do you rule out the "plastic tip" , do you mesure from the base to the tip of the bullet without the plastic tip?
OACL is the most meaningless figure in all of reloading and I pay no attention to it, other than checking to see if the cartridge will work through the magazine.
Here is my procedure for seating a bullet and setting the sizing die.
I take an empty that has been fired in the rifle to be loaded and squeeze the neck down a tiny bit, just so a bullet will hold securely in the neck. Then start a bullet of the type you will be loading into the neck.
Bring out your rifle and carefully start to chamber the empty with the bullet sticking out of it. If your rifle is a controlled feed, like a Mauser, take the bolt out and set the empty in the bolt face, behind the extractor. Carefully put the bolt, with the empty sticking out, into the rifle and slowly push the bolt forward and close the bolt handle.
The bullet will hit the rifling and will be pushed back in the case. When the dummy cartridge is removed the bullet will be seated to just touch the lands.
Screw the sizing die into the press. You don't want to crimp for a bolt action rifle, so screw the die down until it comes to within about 1/8 inch of the shell holder, when the handle is full down. Lock the die in that position.
Loosen the lock nut on the centre shaft of the die and turn the bullet adjusting screw well out.
Put your dummy load in the press and push the handle full down. Carefully turn the bullet adjusting screw down until you feel it touch the bullet. Remember, the bullet is not a solid fit in the neck, so be careful not to accidentally move it.
You likely will want the bullet to clear the rifling a bit, to ensure the bolt of your rifle will close. So turn the adjusting screw, maybe half a turn, after it touches the bullet.
Lock the adjusting screw with the lock nut.
Remove the dummy load and check it to see if it will work through the magazine, if desired, and go from there.
If it doesn't take you long to get to the range, or other safe area where it would be OK to shoot, load only one cartridge and take it and your rifle to your safe area and see if it will chamber and the bolt will close fully on it.
If the bolt closes OK, go home and load away.
(good call labrador76) 
I shot some S&B 308W match loads in my Savage 112 BR. After firing the brass I found that a bullet would not fit in the case neck, this was prior to resizing. I also found the primer pockets to be tighter than normal.
