How do you measure your c.o..a.l?

I take a retired casing, slice the neck with a hacksaw in order to allow the bullet ease of sliding back. Put the bullet into the end of the casing at its longest length and then slowly chamber the round. When drawing it out carefully remove it so the bullet does not move in the casing and then measure the overal length. This should give you a true allowable length to the lands. Then subtract .1 of an inch and then that should suffice for what you need for c.o.a.l for better shooting accuracy.

I also created several "casings" on my lathe at different c.o.a.l's to assist in setting up my press and dies. His eliminates the multiple press method to find the appropriate c.o.a.l.
 
I have had excellent results using the Hornady® Lock-N-Load® OAL Gauges and Modified cases. Simple to use and very effective.
 
I use a normal brass and insert a bullet to about where I think it should be and color the shoulder of the bullet with a felt marker. Chamber it, If there are marks from the rifling, adjust your seating die, remark the bullet shoulder and rechamber. If there aren't any marks, pull the bullet slightly, readjust your seating die a bit longer. When you have the rifling just marking the felt marker on the bullet shoulder, you now have a starting point.
Now the fun starts, reload 5 at your starting point, 5 more at +.010, 5 at .020, 5 at -.010, 5 at -.020. This should have you shooting some good groups, at least some will be better than others. Some target bullets may need to be set back even more.
 
I am not competitive, or manic... I try every bullet with the bullet seated to the depth of the cannalure first.. I only play with OAL if it is required. My Swede and my Chilean mauser could not care less. 300 wing mag and 7mm mag it makes quite a difference. I am looking for MOA, and I know lots of you guys are looking for much better than this..
 
I only care what fits in the magazine for most rifles... generally seat the bullet out as long as I am able... with my Ruger No.1's, I use a sleeve bullet to check the longest seating possible, chamber it and then measure COL... I set the bullets back and work forward to just shy (couple thou) of my max COL for that chamber.
 
Take a fired case. Pinch the neck slightly so that it is oval - it will grip a bullet. Use a magic marker and colour up a bullet. Gently start the bullet into the case, leaving it way too long. Carefully chamber the assembly, then extract. The bullet ogive will hit the lands and the case will slide up the bullet. The pinched case will score the magic marker showing you exactly where things stopped. I read of this technique by John Barsness in Handloader magazine; also, I believe it is one or other of the loading manuals that I have.
 
Potashminer said:
Take a fired case. Pinch the neck slightly so that it is oval - it will grip a bullet. Use a magic marker and colour up a bullet. Gently start the bullet into the case, leaving it way too long. Carefully chamber the assembly, then extract. The bullet ogive will hit the lands and the case will slide up the bullet. The pinched case will score the magic marker showing you exactly where things stopped. I read of this technique by John Barsness in Handloader magazine; also, I believe it is one or other of the loading manuals that I have.
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I used the above method for years and it worked well for me. I got the information from the Nosler reloading manual. I recently purchased the Hornady Lock and Load COAL guage and find that easier, accurate and repeatable.
 
Varmit said:
I use the rod and stop collar method Dogleg and H4831 described here.
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I use the same method I think.
I have brass rods that I have covered with tape and 2 stop collars that I can lock to the rods.
Insert the rod from the muzzle till it comes in contact with the bolt face with the bolt cocked and safety engaged.
Slide both collars against the mussel and lock the outer collar to the brass rod. slide the rod out about 3" and remove the bolt.
Insert your bullet into the chamber and push it into the bore with a dowel until it stops at the rifling.
Slide the rod in till it touches the nose of the bullet and lock the second collar against the end of the barrel, measuring the distance between the two collars will give you the OAL of your load. I measure at least 3 bullets from each new box.
This method is sure fire and has worked for me every time. As far as magazine length is concerned, I have just run across a rifle that has such a short throat that you cannot seat a bullet to the published OAL or any where close to the full length of magazine.
I have seated the measured bullets into a prepared case with .005" of extra length than my measured length and they will not chamber.

David
 
I load to manual spec's unless I experience a problem. When that happens I employ the black marker technique as mentioned by silver 55. Just keep seating the bullet deeper and deeper until the marker comes out untouched.
 
nomad 68 said:
Just curious on everyone's methods. I partially seat a bullet and cycle it in the action 3 or 4 times to make sure results are consistent and repeatable.
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Hornady Loc and Load COL gauge with modified cases is what I use..........best thing since sliced butter, no biscuits, ahhhhh cake, no not that either, ahhhh, oh yea, bread.
 
nomad 68 said:
Are those lock n load gauges and modified cases only suited for bolt actions? I have a mixed bag. While most of my rifles are bolt action, I do own some levers and dare I say......a semi.
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Hornady also makes an rod with a 90 deg sweep to it that will allow for the use in pumps, semis and levers.
 
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