Seating below the shoulder

604shooter

604shooter

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
200   0   0
Location
Neither here nor there.
I'm going to load up some 165 Accubonds with Varget for my Remington 700 in 308. Unfortunately, the mag box is only 2.830 so I'm going to have to stick with an OAL of 2.800 to ensure I won't have any feed issues. However, doing so requires the bullet to seat past the bottom of the shoulder by an 1/8 of an inch or so. I've never had to seat a bullet that far into the case before. Are there any problems with seating the bullet that far into the case? I'm going to be working up from 42grs.
 
Last edited:
604shooter said:
I'm going to load up some 165 Accubonds with Varget for my Remington 700 in 308. Unfortunately, the mag box is only 2.830 so I'm going to have to stick with an OAL of 2.800 to ensure I won't have any feed issues. However, doing so requires the bullet to seat past the bottom of the shoulder by an 1/8 of an inch or so. I've never had to seat a bullet that far into the case before. Are there any problems with seating the bullet that far into the case? I'm going to be working up from 42grs.
Click to expand...

Sometimes accuracy decreases when you seat past the shoulder because the bullet can enter the throat out-of-alignment due to the decreased support/guidance that is normally provided by the neck... you'll just have to see in your case.

Seating past the shoulder also decreases case-capacity so make sure you start below max values and keep an eye out (pardon the pun), for pressure signs.
 
1. Are the loads for hunting or shooting at the range? If not for hunting you can load them to whatever OAL fits in your chamber (push-feed rifle, one at a time).

2. I have loaded lots of bullets in various chamberings where the bottom of the bullets was south of the neck, never had a problem (yet). As stickhunter mentioned, watch out for pressure signs. I do not have enough experience with Varget to know how it reacts to being compressed, but I have also shot lots of compressed loads, using other powders, with no issues. (BUT NEVER WITH VARGET!)

Doug
 
A couple of my loads seat back of the shoulder (eg. .375 H&H - 300gr. TSX). You will be getting full neck contact and good neck tension, so that's a good thing. Some rifles actually like a bit of a jump to the rifling, my M70 XTR does. So in that aspect, you are good to go. As far as compressing Varget, myself, like Doug, I have no experience, so start low....which is always rule anyways. :)
 
Seating deep

I am seating the 155GR Lapua Scenar to 2.775 OAL which is 25 thou from the lands in a .308 Barnard. Therefore the boattail and more are into the case and no longer being supported by the neck. I'm using 46.00 GR of Varget and getting 2950 fps on average.

I have always been told that you should have at least the caliber's diameter seated in the case neck as a minimum!!! Never heard of a maximum.
 
All the short magnums are loaded that way from the factory,270 WSM the bullet goes 1/4 past the shoulder.And they are loaded hot.There is no problem with this.
 
pfxsys said:
I am seating the 155GR Lapua Scenar to 2.775 OAL which is 25 thou from the lands in a .308 Barnard. Therefore the boattail and more are into the case and no longer being supported by the neck. I'm using 46.00 GR of Varget and getting 2950 fps on average.

I have always been told that you should have at least the caliber's diameter seated in the case neck as a minimum!!! Never heard of a maximum.
Click to expand...

This must be a heavily compressed charge. I'm using the same bullet at 2.828, which is just touching the lands with 45 grains, and getting a nice crunch when seating the bullet.
 
It shouldn't be a problem provided that the ogive of the bullet isn't back inside the neck.

Make sure you trim your brass if you have to load short, and keep a good eye on your crimp if you use one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom