Figuring how deep to seat.

[Barkoff]

I gave the dowel method I read on this forum a try. Taking my first crack at finding a load for a tipped 168 tsx for my Rem 30-06 CDL

Dropped a bullet into the lands, gently held it there with a piece of dowel. Slipped another dowel down the muzzle, then marked the dowel with a knife flush on the muzzle.

Pulled the bullet out, put the bolt back in, locked it in, then put the dowel back down and marked the dowel again. This in a sense will give you a measurement of where the ogive of the bullet meets the lands, correct?

Came up with 3.515, subtracted .055 for 3.460

What I came up with seems so much longer than the factory rounds, I just want too throw it by some experience loaders?

I notice the TSX is still in the neck not below it at all, and I'm not sure about the neck showing the groves in the TSX, is something wrong there?

This is new Win brass that I didn't re-size, should I re-size brand new brass?

From left to right, a Hornady 150grn, Federal 165grn, then what I got using the magic marker, finally the result of using the dowel method. The round cycles through the receiver OK, and the bolt locks down with minimal pressure, boy it sure seems long.

[Barkoff]

Sorry about that location.

[ar15barrels]

Factory throats are quite long.
These are what we call "lawyer chambers".
Being long like that keeps pressures down, but also compromises accuracy potential.

When you re-barrel a rifle with a custom barrel, you usually get a much shorter throat that will allow seating of bullets much closer to the lands while also staying within magazine length limitations.
With most factory barrels, you can't get to the lands and keep the loaded round to magazine length.

[Jpach]

Factory throats are quite long.
These are what we call "lawyer chambers".
Being long like that keeps pressures down, but also compromises accuracy potential.

When you re-barrel a rifle with a custom barrel, you usually get a much shorter throat that will allow seating of bullets much closer to the lands while also staying within magazine length limitations.
With most factory barrels, you can't get to the lands and keep the loaded round to magazine length.

Yep, my .308 AR has this issue. I seat my bullets to the maximum length that my mag will allow (2.840? IIRC) while still functioning. I still get sub-MOA accuracy out of my rifle but obviously it would be better if I seated them just off of the lands. I may just do that and single-load it.

[swerv512]

This is new Win brass that I didn't re-size, should I re-size brand new brass?

i always resize new brass- even though most companies seem to size them for excessive headspace from the factory. this way you should get a more consistent cartridge headspace for each piece of brass- uniformity is what matters...