Reloading **Freebore vs Seating Depth**

[brotherbrown831]

I am very new to shooting and reloading, I am working on developing a load for the following setup:

Mossberg 800A .308 20" barrel 1n12 twist.
Hornady 150 gr FMJ-BT #3037
Remington Brass
Winchester LRP
Varget 42-44.5gr

I have spent a good amount of time shooting different powder charges from minimum to 80% of max. For this stage of the test I used the Hornady recommended COAL of 2.78. I have found 44 grain to be the sweet spot. Now I am starting to play with COAL and that's where I am getting confused..

My rifle has what you might consider a generous chamber. I can lock the bolt down with a COAL of 2.89 however at that length the bullet is barely seated in the brass. I tested a few different lengths from 2.75, 2.78, 2.80 and found the longer the COAL the better the group. I want to go out further but don't want to do anything dangerous. Are there any potential problems or dangers to not seating the bullet deep enough in the brass??

 

[JCW355]

Some rifles freebore length is just too long to seat the bullet, say for example a couple thousandths, from the lands. When I tried loading 55 grain bullets in my .243 there was no way I could put the bullet close to the lands like an 87 grain bullet, just too short of a bullet. I had to decide on a safe COAL and be happy with that for the smaller bullet.

 

[swampratt]

If you seat out too far and stick the bullets into the lands and need to remove that round before you shoot it off
it may stick the bullet in the lands and when you pull the bolt back you may only pull the brass back.

This will dump all the powder into the gun.
That is seated too far.
As long as accuracy improves and the bullet stays in and does not tip sideways when you jar it you are good.
Some people say you need .308" worth of bearing surface into the neck of a round that measures .308" diameter..
and .243" for a 6mm

Can't get that all the time...I feel that is wives tale anyhow.
Watch for pressure signs.

I have found short bearing bullets like that like the higher speeds in my guns. and like to be seated close to the lands or in them

 

[daniel1daniel2]

I don't like to let the bullet touch the lands I have heard that when it does it causes a pressure spike at the very beginning (can't verify but I figure better safe than sorry) most of the stuff I seat is about 5-10 thousands off and am getting .3 MOA with it. And don't worry about your chamber being 11 thousands longer (or more) than the suggested length I have a gun that I run the bullets over 200 thousands long(no that is not a typo) and am still way out from the lands but that is as long as will fit in the magazine and even being over 75 thousands out I am still shooting under .5 MOA at 100 yards no problems
If you don't know how to check your lands do a search on here there should be a thread from a while back that explains it