Need advice on 155 smk palma seating depth.

J996

J996

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I did a search here as well as in the reloading section and did not find the answer to my question.


I load the 175 smk's at 2.240 to the ogive, same for 178 bthp's. This is optimal for my rifle. The space in my magazine is 2.920 max (178's OAL is 2.895) so I have the room for long bullets.

Sierra has the OAL with the palma listed at 2.775 which seems really short for such a streamlined bullet so I loaded a few to 2.820 OAL as a starting point and they shot 1/2 moa in my rifle (5 round groups at 2700 fps). However when I measured those cartridges to the bullet ogive they were only 2.159 which is a hell of a long jump to the rifling. Is this fine or should I seat them farther out?

How far out are you guys seating the 155 smk palmas in the .308?
 
155 SMK's both the old 155's and new 155's are very tolerant for jump. It has been a while since I used these bullets so I do not remember off hand what the OAL was. I do know that my barrel liked every 155 gr bullet .020" off the lands.
Last May when I was in the Barbados for the West Indies Championship the supplied ammo was HPS Match. Loaded down 1 gr from their normal load for the West Indies climate, using old 155 SMK's loaded to 2.780. This ammo was very good and great scores were shot at long range.
 
Thanks maynard, that is reassuring news as at 2.240 to ogive they were not properly seated in the case neck since their ogive is so far down the bullet. Loading them shorter seems to be working. I will whip up another batch to feed the AI.
 
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