how to tell how far your bullet is seated off the lands
- Thread starter sdwatt
- Start date
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
What I normally do is leave the bullet seated out considerably over length & coat it with black felt pen. Then place it in the chamber and gently try & close the action. Eject it and look for rifling land marks. I keep doing this until the marks don't show and then adjust for the amount of freebore I want. A couple more determining factors, in a magazine set up is make sure the finished product fits in the mag & in a lever gun, make sure it is short enough to go through the ejection port. Hope that helps.
daniellybbert
CGN Regular
there are two simple ways of doing this 1 buy a stoney point overall length gauge for about $60 and a modified case that your chamber is for another $7
you can get these at wholesale or russels
the other way is to take a fired brass and neck size it then put a little slit in the neck and seat your bullet then slowly chamber the round and it will seat its self into the lands and then you can take the measurement
Daniel
you can get these at wholesale or russels
the other way is to take a fired brass and neck size it then put a little slit in the neck and seat your bullet then slowly chamber the round and it will seat its self into the lands and then you can take the measurement
Daniel
A third way is the simplest.Take a fired case,put a small dent in the neck so that a bullet can still be pushed into the neck with your finger.Barely seat a bullet in the case,place it in the chamber,and slowly close the bolt.Carefully remove the round and measure the overall length.Repeat several times until you obtain a consistant reading.Be aware that this dimension can vary for every bullet reguardless of style or weight.
To set your bullet 15 thou off the lands you set it against the lands by any previously described method... and then adjust the bullet seater down exactly 15 thou......
Usually that is accomplished with a micrometer adjustable bullet seating "top" on your die.
The reason measuring the overall length of the case to the tip of the bullet does not work, is most bullets are not consistant in actual length.
Usually that is accomplished with a micrometer adjustable bullet seating "top" on your die.
The reason measuring the overall length of the case to the tip of the bullet does not work, is most bullets are not consistant in actual length.
The easiest method for me is to use a cleaning rod. Ensure that the tip is closed, i.e. put blunt jag tip on it. Close the bolt, no round in the chamber. Put the cleaning rod down the bore from the muzzle. With a fine felt tip marker mark the cleaning rod right at the muzzle. Remove the bolt, put a bullet only, not a complete round (for which you want to find out max OAL) into the chamber. Hold it tightly against the lands with dowel. Now put the cleaning rod down the barrel again and mark at it again the muzzle. The distance between the two marks on the rod is your maximum OAL with the bullet touching the lands. Subtract 10 or 15 thou and you have your OAL. It takes almost longer to read this than to do it 
