Question on Lee Book OAL.

[newbie1234]

On every ammo type, the Lee Book has the picture and the ammo dimension. I would like to know if the OAL in the ammo dimension is :
(1) The MAX of ammo OAL ? Must reload at this length or shorter.
(2) The IDEAL of ammo OAL ? We can set the OAL couple thousand of inche longer ?
(3) I had been reload with the mid-point of book's Min-OAL and the ammo OAL dimension picture. Is that OK or I had done wrong for all of there years ?

[tabascoz28]

I think it's min because of dangerous pressure. Over OAL decreases pressure and just won't chamber correctly.

[pacrat]

On every ammo type, the Lee Book has the picture and the ammo dimension. I would like to know if the OAL in the ammo dimension is :
(1) The MAX of ammo OAL ? Must reload at this length or shorter.
(2) The IDEAL of ammo OAL ? We can set the OAL couple thousand of inche longer ?
(3) I had been reload with the mid-point of book's Min-OAL and the ammo OAL dimension picture. Is that OK or I had done wrong for all of there years ?

[1] ... NO

[2] ... NO-YES or more

[3] ... It's OK.

Manuals, no matter the publisher, are "GUIDELINES". Nothing is cast in stone. Each firearm is an anomaly unto itself.

EXCEPTION, to my above opinion, is advice given universally in all loading manuals. START LOW ... WORK UP SLOW, in small increments.

What is/was perfectly safe in the published testers pressure barrel or another persons rifle. May be drastically unsafe in yours.

[baih777]

If you want to make your loads with the bullet seated against the rifling .
You should use this Hornady guage or make a special case to use with the bullet your going to use to see how long you can seat your bullet.

https://www.hornady.com/modified-cases#!/

I use the hornady guage for every bullet i load for each rifle.