OAL/Bullet depth question

[walker]

Trying to load the most accurate for my 30-06.
How shallow can you seat the bullet in the neck?
After trimming the cases the neck length measures .380, since the bullets are boat tails, the actual length of the bullet touching the inside of the neck is
.190. The result is the bullet touching only 1/2 the length of the neck.
Is this a problem and just how shallow can you get away with?

Loading 165gr Nosler AccuBonds. I dont want to change bullet or grain weight.

Thanks.

 

[shortgrass]

Where is the bullet in relationship to the rifling?

 

[walker]

Where is the bullet in relationship to the rifling?

.002" off rifling.

 

[shortgrass]

If it shoots the way you want it to, I'd leave it alone. I'd make sure I had enough neck tension to keep the bullet in place, those in the magazine not getting shoved back under recoil, and an unfired round being removed from the chamber intact. I guess I could go on and mention the theory stating " neck length at least the same as bullet diameter". But, in my opinion, that's bench rest/target stuff, custom chambers cut with custom reamers (with no throat or lead) and then throated for a chosen bullet with a seperate throating reamer.

 

[walker]

They will get crimped so they dont move. Depth same as bullet diameter would put the bullet .118" from the rifling, that would put the bullet touching aprox 3/4 of the case neck. Guess I could just try it set at the different depths and see how it shoots. If I did jump to a 180gr I could set the bullet the same length as the diameter and still be up to the rifling like I want to try, I just dont want to loose any velocity cuz I'm trying to pop deer at 500 yards with this load.

 

[Shadowrider]

.002" off the rifling is pretty darn close. Did you verify this with a comparator like stoney point? Are you sure that your press repeats this closely? I've got a RCBS single stage and a progressive and I don't trust either one that close. It's more of a neck tension and bullet ogive consistency thing than press repeatability.

.020 gives you more safety factor. Now if you've worked up your load to be safe with it touching the rifling that's another matter. "Off the lands" vs. "touching the lands" can make a dramatic difference in pressure. Just my

 

[walker]

Not gonna have it touch the lands either way. Just need to know how shallow you can get away with seating the bullet in the neck so I will know how close I can safely push it towards the lands to improve accuracy.