crimping cannulare and seating depth????

[mudbug]

I have been reloading for my tikka 338 federal and have purchased some 200 gr hornady sst to try (I've tried 215 sgk, 210 partitions, 180 accubombs...so far the 215 sgk give the best acuracy but drop quite fast). The COAL that I can use "due to the mag" is 2.8" and when I drop a bullet into the brass the cannulare ring is right at that seating depth. So my question is...do I have to use a crimp or will the neck tension without using a crimp hold the bullet firm. I've used sst bullets in my 270 but the bullets are able to be seated way out there without the cannulare ring being near the brass and in that rifle they work great with just the neck tension but the 338 fed is right on the ring.
I realize that with this cartridge it isn't one of the calibers or type of action that should require a crimp but the length has me unsure so I will put my question out there for the wiser and more experianced fellows to educate a barely above rookie reloader.

 

[stubblejumper]

You don't need to crimp.

 

[Boomer]

Load enough rounds to fire a couple of groups with half of the bullets crimped and the other half held by neck tension. If you see an improvement on paper with the crimped ammo, then crimp, otherwise don't bother. The theory is that crimping uniforms bullet pull weight in a similar fashion as a match shooter might seat his bullets into the lands. I crimp all of my hunting ammo that has a crimping groove, because crimping makes me feel better, just like uniforming primer pockets and flash holes does, but lots of guys get good accuracy from their rifles without doing any of that.