OAL/COL question

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luckey

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Hi,

I have read lots of the gurus here talking about loading for the optimal OAL/COL for a particular gun by using the barrel.

In my case, first of all, I am kind of lazy(sorry.. :) ). then I am NOT shooting in any competition. at last, I am NOT a bullseye shooter, but aiming at a "relatively" tight group within 25 meters(so far I am at half of that distance).

With this in mind, would it be ok to use any factory or commercial reloaded ammo that I am happy with and copy the OAL/COL of those to begin with?

if this is ok, in the case of the reference ammo is longer than the COL/OAL on the loaddata charts, I just need to add powder charge as needed. if the other way around, just reduce it accordingly. right?

Thanks
 
luckey said:
Hi,

I have read lots of the gurus here talking about loading for the optimal OAL/COL for a particular gun by using the barrel.

In my case, first of all, I am kind of lazy(sorry.. :) ). then I am NOT shooting in any competition. at last, I am NOT a bullseye shooter, but aiming at a "relatively" tight group within 25 meters(so far I am at half of that distance).

With this in mind, would it be ok to use any factory or commercial reloaded ammo that I am happy with and copy the OAL/COL of those to begin with?

if this is ok, in the case of the reference ammo is longer than the COL/OAL on the loaddata charts, I just need to add powder charge as needed. if the other way around, just reduce it accordingly. right?

Thanks
Click to expand...

WHOA!

Do not add or reduce the powder in the load, because of the seating of the bullet.
Figure out the load you are going to use for stated weight bullet, seat the bullet so the bolt will close on the chambered cartridge and so it will feed through the magazine.
Seat the bullet deep enough in the neck to hold it securely.
Forget that you ever saw the letters OAL, or COAL and if you see them in any loading chart, ignore them.
Shoot away.
 
H4831 is right... if you're loading for one firearm only.
If loading for "various" firearms in the same chambering do follow the coal.

For example, I own 2 savages in 223:
One has a very long throat in which I can seat the bullets as long as the mag allows.
The other one has a short throat that only accepts bullets seated to the book coal.
 
No worries. I was not saying I will create my own powdge load out of blue. When I said "add/reduce" powder, I will ALWAYS stay within the stated powder weight range which is the same as you mentioned.
what I meant was that, for example, if in the manual, with a OAL 1.20", the powder range is from 6-7gr. and 6.3gr gets 1000FPS. if I measure my own OAL to be 1.23", to get the same 1000FPS, I would probably need 6.4 or 6.5gr.

H4831 said:
WHOA!

Do not add or reduce the powder in the load, because of the seating of the bullet.
Figure out the load you are going to use for stated weight bullet, seat the bullet so the bolt will close on the chambered cartridge and so it will feed through the magazine.
Seat the bullet deep enough in the neck to hold it securely.
Forget that you ever saw the letters OAL, or COAL and if you see them in any loading chart, ignore them.
Shoot away.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Ganderite, not sure I understand why you mentioned ogive location specifically. If I measure, say randomly from a few boxes, 30 out of 100 to be around the same OAL with difference in 1-3/thousands of an inch. And I have been shooting over 10000 rounds of the same ammo with any problem in any of my guns. would this measured OAL be a good reference?

I did read many of yours and others' posts on how to determine the OAL for one particular gun, just like H4831 just said, which is an absolutely golden rule. It's just that for my stated usage, to not too complicated things for a new reloader like myself. I thought 'stealing" the OAL from my good working commercial ammos should work too, right? Thanks.

Ganderite said:
Find the OAL that clears the rifling of YOUR pistol with the bullet you use. The bullet in the commercial ammo could very well have a different ogive location.
Click to expand...
 
luckey said:
No worries. I was not saying I will create my own powdge load out of blue. When I said "add/reduce" powder, I will ALWAYS stay within the stated powder weight range which is the same as you mentioned.
what I meant was that, for example, if in the manual, with a OAL 1.20", the powder range is from 6-7gr. and 6.3gr gets 1000FPS. if I measure my own OAL to be 1.23", to get the same 1000FPS, I would probably need 6.4 or 6.5gr.
Click to expand...

I had presumed it was a rifle you were loading for, but it appears to be a pistol.
 
luckey said:
Hi,

I have read lots of the gurus here talking about loading for the optimal OAL/COL for a particular gun by using the barrel.

In my case, first of all, I am kind of lazy(sorry.. :) ). then I am NOT shooting in any competition. at last, I am NOT a bullseye shooter, but aiming at a "relatively" tight group within 25 meters(so far I am at half of that distance).

With this in mind, would it be ok to use any factory or commercial reloaded ammo that I am happy with and copy the OAL/COL of those to begin with?

if this is ok, in the case of the reference ammo is longer than the COL/OAL on the loaddata charts, I just need to add powder charge as needed. if the other way around, just reduce it accordingly. right?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Just go by what the reloading manual says and you'll be fine
 
my bad. should be more clear. only pistol. too much space to store rifles in my tiny apartment. besides, my indoor club is only 25 meters. :)

H4831 said:
I had presumed it was a rifle you were loading for, but it appears to be a pistol.
Click to expand...
 
The book OAL info is almost useless, unless you have the same gun they do.

Chambers are cut to similar dimensions, but there is a big difference in the throat dimensions. When we talk about OAL, we are not concerned about the length of the cartridge (so long as it is short enough to fit the mag).

Were are concerned about the shoulder of the ogive. This is where the bullet engages the rifling. Some bullets are quite rounded, whereas others are more pointy. The OAL me be identical, but one might engage the rifling when chambered.

If you use a particular brand of bullet, this is a measurement you only have to do once. Or, just take the first loaded round you make, and chamber it. Eject it and look to see if there any rifling marks. If none, you are good to go.

I start with the START load, and make 10 of each in 0.3 gr increments, to the MAx and test to see what groups best. Most guns will show a clear preference.
 
luckey said:
what I meant was that, for example, if in the manual, with a OAL 1.20", the powder range is from 6-7gr. and 6.3gr gets 1000FPS. if I measure my own OAL to be 1.23", to get the same 1000FPS, I would probably need 6.4 or 6.5gr.
Click to expand...

A chronograph would tell you more than guessing what something will "probably" be. Just remove the barrel, see how a factory cartridge sits in the chamber. Make a dummy cartridge and leave the bullet seated long. Keep putting it back in the press and reduce it's col a bit until it chambers correctly in the chamber. It's that simple.
 
Got it. so true. I neglected the possible different physical shapes among the bullets. thanks for being patient with the newbie. :)
will do the dummy rounds as mentioned. looking at campro as it seems to be the cheapest quality plated bullets around. any suggestion on that? I don't want to shoot lead unless absolutely have to.

Ganderite said:
The book OAL info is almost useless, unless you have the same gun they do.

Chambers are cut to similar dimensions, but there is a big difference in the throat dimensions. When we talk about OAL, we are not concerned about the length of the cartridge (so long as it is short enough to fit the mag).

Were are concerned about the shoulder of the ogive. This is where the bullet engages the rifling. Some bullets are quite rounded, whereas others are more pointy. The OAL me be identical, but one might engage the rifling when chambered.

If you use a particular brand of bullet, this is a measurement you only have to do once. Or, just take the first loaded round you make, and chamber it. Eject it and look to see if there any rifling marks. If none, you are good to go.

I start with the START load, and make 10 of each in 0.3 gr increments, to the MAx and test to see what groups best. Most guns will show a clear preference.
Click to expand...
 
Changing the OAL of a handgun cartridge doesn't do anything to or for velocity. Using 6.4 instead of 6.3 will alter velocity just a wee bit. Thirty thou of length difference might be enough to cause grief. Operative word being 'might'.
As mentioned, follow your manual and you'll be fine.
 
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