Measuring rifle lands for seating depth.
- Thread starter jtoews80
- Start date
I bought a Hornady comparator kit as well but when started using it realized its flaws. Too many parts too many things can go wrong, as many times I measured show 0.001" more or less.
Finally made two W308 dummy bullets: toke a ready to load Lapua case and applied red Loctite inside neck, insert one 2155 Sierra 155 gn bullet and a 2156 in a second sample, chambered the amo, closed the bolt and let these cure for several hours. Not my idea, I saw this somewhere in one of Ultimate Reloaders utube videos.
And yes, the 2155 and 2156 lengths are slightly different probably because of a slightly different shape ogive.
The result is a solid full amo length what I call ZERO seating depth, have these for second year already in my measuring instruments box, and the length won't move.
I have also a L.E.Wilson inline seating die with micrometer. Measured from ZERO and finished the load testing with ladder testing, first the powder and second step with seating depth.
The Sierra 2155 bullet seating depth is 0.028" and it maintains consistent sub 0.4" grouping at 300 meters.
I have not seat the 2156 bullet yet, but most of long range f-class shooters claiming this one likes a 0.050" jump or higher.
Finally made two W308 dummy bullets: toke a ready to load Lapua case and applied red Loctite inside neck, insert one 2155 Sierra 155 gn bullet and a 2156 in a second sample, chambered the amo, closed the bolt and let these cure for several hours. Not my idea, I saw this somewhere in one of Ultimate Reloaders utube videos.
And yes, the 2155 and 2156 lengths are slightly different probably because of a slightly different shape ogive.
The result is a solid full amo length what I call ZERO seating depth, have these for second year already in my measuring instruments box, and the length won't move.
I have also a L.E.Wilson inline seating die with micrometer. Measured from ZERO and finished the load testing with ladder testing, first the powder and second step with seating depth.
The Sierra 2155 bullet seating depth is 0.028" and it maintains consistent sub 0.4" grouping at 300 meters.
I have not seat the 2156 bullet yet, but most of long range f-class shooters claiming this one likes a 0.050" jump or higher.
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LOL, If you think that tool is "fiddly" wait till you try the BS methods that will get posted in this thread.
Just buy the proper tool for the job.
And you would be totally wrong. By your method, there is no possibility of getting within even a few thousandths of an inch. The sharpie marks on the rod will be 30+ thou wide, times two.
That you FEEL like you have a close measurement, doesn't make it true. People absolutely LOVE to deceive themselves about measuring stuff. I once worked in a bread factory and discovered a lab tech "measuring" the height of bread loaves to THREE decimal places. Such precision in the height of a material like baked bread is absolutely ridiculous.
That your rifle is accurate, says not a thing about the accuracy of your measurements to the lands ... not a thing.
You have a measurement and you seat your bullets consistently but there is zero proof that the measurement you have is accurate or correct.
The tool has like 3 parts. What can go wrong with three parts?
You found a measurement of .001" to be unacceptable?
How you mean that? I don't care for dimension what numbers any longer because the L.E.Wilson seating die with micrometer will take great care of it.
I set the Wilson die depth to a ZERO 2155 sample, zeroed the die dial, and add 0.028" for that 2155 bullet.
OK, both of us know how to measure with Mitutoyo calipers.The tool has like 3 parts. What can go wrong with three parts?
You found a measurement of .001" to be unacceptable?
How many times you repeat the measure? I would say 2-3 times to stay accurate.
What I don't like with Hornady is, a one hand aligning operation the cases sitting flat on caliper inner wall. And yes, the deviation can be more then 0.001" that's why we measure multiple times.
The second is an issue with tingling and lack of precision articulation in my fingers. Inherited a neuropathy in my periferials, during two years of chemo treatment.
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I’ll try the rod method to get within 0.25-0.5”, the. Then try the threaded case to get within 0.010” and set my seating die. My biggest concern is getting set to the ogee of the bullet (without buying case comparators for each chambering), not OAL because bullet tips can be pretty fickle. As far as that goes, I like setting .030”+ off the lands due to bullet inconsistencies as well.
I drill and tap my own fired cases for use with the Hornady comparator but I do them in a mini lathe.
I tried drilling and tapping a case by hand but they are nearly impossible to get them perfectly centered that way.
I tried drilling and tapping a case by hand but they are nearly impossible to get them perfectly centered that way.
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- Location
- Delta B.C.
Red loctite the bullet into the case neck - it is simple and idiot proof and the bonded sample piece is very strong, it will stay for long time unless you start banging it with a big hammer.
When I was ready to invest into reloading I watched many videos, the L.E.Wilson tools seem to me a very solid platform, and I bought all the gauges and dies and little inline press from a single source. But I am reloading a single calibre only that was simple.
When I was ready to invest into reloading I watched many videos, the L.E.Wilson tools seem to me a very solid platform, and I bought all the gauges and dies and little inline press from a single source. But I am reloading a single calibre only that was simple.
Same method that I use, slightly insert your bullet of choice into a once fired, un resized case with some red Locktite on it. Chamber the dummy round. Closing the bolt on it will result in the bullet hitting the lands and being forced into the case. Leave it in the chamber for 60 minutes. Remove the dummy round…. Your result will be a dummy round that has zero jump to the lands.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
A good point - is not a "once and done" thing. But I do not know if throat / lands wear is measurable after 5 shots or 50,000 shots - most likely somewhere in between - pick an easy method, so that it can be done often.
Get the tap at a local industrial supply store or even on Amazon and make your own modified cases. It’s really very easy to do.
Or even cheaper is to just make the tool out of a piece of brass rod and brass tube from Canadian tire. Then you don’t need the exotic tap, you can use a cheap one from the hardware store, or out of the tap and die set you probably already have.
