newbie reloading question - bullet touching rifling

[Romanski]

Hi All,

I really can use some help with my new reloads. I'm new to reloading and loaded my first batch of 15 rounds of 308 the other day but I think I may have an issue with bullet touching the rifling so I wanted to ask the experts for some advice. Here is what I have

caliber 308
once fired federal casings
case resized length: 2.05
bullet: SGMM 168g
primer: FGMM large rifle
powder: Reloader 15 @ 42g (claimed 2600fps) - got this load from 6mmbr

Rifle: Savage 10FP

I followed the Redding die setup instructions and did a "one turn counter clockwise" to the seating die from contacting the shell holder. Per instructions this is to avoid placing a crimp on the bullet.

I measured for overall length with the Hornady oal gauge and the 308 modified case and got a reading on my calipers of 2.812 to the rifling. I subtracted .015 for the "jump" and adjusted my seating die and loaded my bullets. I took one of the rounds and chambered it but the bolt was a little bit hard to close and on ejection I felt some resistance pulling back. I looked at the bullet and there was a lite bar of diagonal groves just near the case mouth but markings were only on 1/4 of the diameter of the bullet (NOT a band completely around). I figured I was on the rifling so I decided to seat the bullet deeper. I seated the bullet another .010 but still had a marking on one side of the bullet although lighter and chambering was easier. I seated a few bullet even deeper up to where they are currently at 2.752. At this OAL there is no resistance closing, opening, and ejecting the cartridge but there are some very light diagonal groves just slightly above the mouth of the case.

I'm a bit confused about what is going on with this load. I followed the instructions of the OAL gauge and got a reading of 2.812 which would put me at the rifling with cartridge completely seated. Now I'm at .06 below that and there is still rifling contact or are these markings caused by something else?

I always zero'd my calipers

Can anyone advice me what I should do? I measured some factory Federal Vital Shok and they're at ~2.730 OAL and have no rifling contact marks although they're small in diameter than the FGMM bullets.

[Romanski]

another thing I just noticed, is when I roll the bullet on the table, the bullet seems to wabble just a bit.

[J-cat]

2.812" will not put you anywhere near the rifling with a 168 in a Savage. You did not measure correctly.

The marks you see on the side of the bullet are from the bullet rubbing one side of the freebore.

I'd stick with the 2.812" setting (which is mag length) and work-up a load from that point.

[J-cat]

another thing I just noticed, is when I roll the bullet on the table, the bullet seems to wabble just a bit.

That is called runout. The bullet is not straight in relation to the case centerline. It is also the reason it is rubbing on one side of the freebore.

[Romanski]

Thanks J-cat for the help

Here is what I did to get OAL:

Took bolt out, put modified case in the gauge, put bullet in modified case, ran the case into the bore until it stopped, and slowly, moved the bullet up into the bore until it showed resistance, tightened knob, removed whole assembly and measured with calipers from front of case to bullet tip = 2.812 ..

Should I have tried to seat the bullet further into the rifling? Instructions said about 3lbs of pressure.

How bad is runout?

[J-cat]

Runout is bad if it exceeds .004" because the bullet does not start straight into the bore. It will open-up your groups a bit.

I use a slit case. I take a sized case, cut a slit in the neck all the way into the shoulder, remove the burrs, insert a bullet, seat it long, chamber and slowly eject while keeping pressure on the side of the case with my fingers so that the ejector does not force the bullet against the receiver, and then carefully measure with my calipers.

Your distance to the rifling should be in the 2.850" range unless you have a factory fluke.

[Romanski]

I really appreciate your help. So is it safe to shoot these cartridges or should I unload them?

[J-cat]

They should be safe.