Need Help with Inconsistent OAL

[AeroEngi]

Hey guys, so I've only been reloading for about six months but I think I've pretty much gotten the hang of it. The only thing I can't figure out is why my OAL's are coming out inconsistent. I even measured using the Hornady bullet comparator and they're still inconsistent.
I use Lee and Hornady rifle dies and I set the die so the first round gives me my desired OAL. The problem is after the first round I load. Sometimes I get OAL's that are about 0.020" longer than I want.

Can any of you guys shed some light please? Let me know if you need anymore info.

Thanks.

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[Colt562]

some dies will alter .002+-. which die are you using to seat your bullets?

[Arcaporale]

A few things besides dies come to mind. First off what caliber are you loading? Are you using quality projectiles, what kind? Also if you are using mixed brass this can also contribute to inconsistent OALs. Is the variance using the comparator as much as .020"? That would seem pretty darn excessive.

Once I mixed 2 different lots of 60gr Nosler partitions together and saw my OAL for my .223 loads vary consistently between rounds. When I was done loading I had 50rds. measuring 2.255 and 50 measuring 2.245 or something like that. I then realized what I had done and separated them. I found the 2.245 shot better for that load, so I reseated the 2.255's down a little to 2.245.




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[klewan]

I was going to suggest the Hornaday deal, but you already have it. So it's the bullets are not the same dimension. Go get a 100 of the Lapua, Berger, Norma bullets. The stuff that costs a fortune, if those are consistent, it's the bullet and not the measuring device that is causing the problem.

[Bill Steele]

To eliminate the bullets, you can use the comparator and measure just the bullets, base to ogive. If they are consistent within say .001", then you know it is likely not the bullets.

What press are you using? Sometimes it can be slop in the press.

Another thing to look at is how the seating stem sits on bullet, the meplat should not be touching the seating stem (that is, the stem should be pressing on the sides of the bullet, not the point). For the same reason you use a comparator to measure the seat depth with the ogive, a stem pressing on the point will yield inconsistent seats.

Good luck.

[AeroEngi]

First of all, I wanna thank you guys for helping me out. I really appreciate it. Sorry it took a while to respond.

some dies will alter .002+-. which die are you using to seat your bullets?

I use Lee seating dies for my .308 and that's the one that I have most of the inconsistent OAL's with. I have Hornady dies for .223 but the also give me inconsistent OAL's.

A few things besides dies come to mind. First off what caliber are you loading? Are you using quality projectiles, what kind? Also if you are using mixed brass this can also contribute to inconsistent OALs. Is the variance using the comparator as much as .020"? That would seem pretty darn excessive.

Once I mixed 2 different lots of 60gr Nosler partitions together and saw my OAL for my .223 loads vary consistently between rounds. When I was done loading I had 50rds. measuring 2.255 and 50 measuring 2.245 or something like that. I then realized what I had done and separated them. I found the 2.245 shot better for that load, so I reseated the 2.255's down a little to 2.245.




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I'm loading for .308 and .223. I'm using Hornady 55 gr fmjbt projectiles for .223 and I'm using Hornady 178gr hpbt match projectiles for .308. I'm getting max .020" variance using the comparator but I'd say the average is about .010" to 0.012".

To eliminate the bullets, you can use the comparator and measure just the bullets, base to ogive. If they are consistent within say .001", then you know it is likely not the bullets.

What press are you using? Sometimes it can be slop in the press.

Another thing to look at is how the seating stem sits on bullet, the meplat should not be touching the seating stem (that is, the stem should be pressing on the sides of the bullet, not the point). For the same reason you use a comparator to measure the seat depth with the ogive, a stem pressing on the point will yield inconsistent seats.

Good luck.

I'm actually gonna try that out. I haven't measured the bullets themselves to see if one is shorter or longer than the next. Sounds like a good idea.

I'm using a Hornady single stage LnL press.

[M27]

I had this issue with a press I got at a garage sale. There was just too much slop in the handle giving a twist to the ram at the end of each stroke. A few spring washers and fixed.

also are you pulling your handle the same every time.

on my hornady press it is very easy to change the OAL by pushing harder on the handle even after it has camed over and seemed to have bottomed out.

[Chontkleer]

If the Hornady is anything like the SMK's, then you will not get a consistent measure of seating depth by measuring OAL -- the tips are just vary too much.

[Sheldon]

If the Hornady is anything like the SMK's, then you will not get a consistent measure of seating depth by measuring OAL -- the tips are just vary too much.

He mentioned he is using a comparator to measure the loaded rounds so the bullet tip variance shouldn't be an issue. As mentioned already, if the tips of the bullets are bottoming out on the seater stem then the bullets will seat with as much variation as is present in the oal of the idividual bullets.

[Pete1979]

+ 1 on the seating stem, the amax is super pointy and the tip may be touching before the ogive. Look for a faint ring around the bullet about 3/16 back from the tip after seating, if its not there, the die is pushing on the tip.

[707electrician]

What is your load. I would bet you are compressing your powder

[Bill Steele]

What is your load. I would bet you are compressing your powder

Another good consideration.

[Chontkleer]

What is your load. I would bet you are compressing your powder

Good point, in light of "...after the first round I load. Sometimes I get OAL's that are about 0.020" longer than I want"

[AeroEngi]

+ 1 on the seating stem, the amax is super pointy and the tip may be touching before the ogive. Look for a faint ring around the bullet about 3/16 back from the tip after seating, if its not there, the die is pushing on the tip.

I'm not using the 178gr Amax. I'm using the 178gr hpbt match and I actually have seen the ring around the ogive that you're speaking of. Thanks for the reply though.

What is your load. I would bet you are compressing your powder

I'm setting up for a ladder test that I wanna do soon so I'm loading up 42.0gr to 45.0gr of Varget in 0.5gr increments in brand new, full-length sized Lapua brass. I'm using CCI LR primers and trying to seat at a mag length of 2.80".

I usually hear powder compressing at around the 43.0gr to 43.5gr mark. Would compressing powder really change the OAL in that way?

Do you guys think I should increase my OAL? I was thinking about doing it 0.020" from the lands but in my rifle that's an OAL of about 2.94". If I load to this length then I won't be able to use my internal magazine. What do you guys think?

[Bill Steele]

I'm not using the 178gr Amax. I'm using the 178gr hpbt match and I actually have seen the ring around the ogive that you're speaking of. Thanks for the reply though.



I'm setting up for a ladder test that I wanna do soon so I'm loading up 42.0gr to 45.0gr of Varget in 0.5gr increments in brand new, full-length sized Lapua brass. I'm using CCI LR primers and trying to seat at a mag length of 2.80".

I usually hear powder compressing at around the 43.0gr to 43.5gr mark. Would compressing powder really change the OAL in that way?

Do you guys think I should increase my OAL? I was thinking about doing it 0.020" from the lands but in my rifle that's an OAL of about 2.94". If I load to this length then I won't be able to use my internal magazine. What do you guys think?

At some point the OAL consistency will be affected by compressing the powder. You can get the powder to settle more creating more room (and a more consistent level). The way I do it when I am really up against it is after weighing I pour the powder along the side of the funnel, letting it pour in more slowly than a normal drop. Another option is a longer drop tube. In any case, loading the powder slower will yield a little more room and a more consistent level drop to drop.

When I am loading for maximum accuracy for my .308 usually means close to max load in my 700. That means I usually have to load long. The good news is my gun likes less jump, so single loading is pretty much the only way I get everything I want (except using the magazine).