So in my quest to get past the basics of reloading and take that next step down the rabbit hole I purchased a Hornady OAL gauge and measured some eldm and eldx bullets to the lands in both a Remmy factory 7 mag and a custom Sako. Using the tool I found it difficult to determine where the bullet was touching versus jammed. So I pushed it as far as it would go then loaded a dummy round that length and inserted in the chamber by hand. Then took a cleaning rod from the muzzle and pushed back on the bullet and it was jammed a bit. Reduced the coal until there was very little to no resistance pushing the bullet back with the rod from the muzzle. With the eldm I got 3.425 in the Remmmy and 3.410 in the sako. What concerns me is that at .020 off for a starting load I’m .115 past saaimi coal. I know the book coal is an arbitrary number and that individual chambers are different, but man that seems long. With the Nosler AB it’s more like .050 greater. Does the ogive design on the eld make that much difference? Do these numbers seem reasonable? I feel the measurements were fairly accurate.
7mag oal with eldx
- Thread starter WEL
- Start date
These numbers are very good for a factory rifle because you can seat them close to the lands and not have to single feed them. Unless your magazine (or blind mag) is shorter than the 0.020" off the lands COAL.
When Handloading, you want the COAL to be close to the lands and if you can still feed from the magazine then your in luck. Or you just have to load them to magazine length and live with it.
Much of the time, factory rifles make sure the freebore is long enough where if you load to max magazine length you will not have the bullet in the lands.
There are exceptions, like the Savage 10 short action chambered in the 308win length cartridges has a 3.00" magazine, but if you were to load most bullets longer than 2.900" you would be deep inside the lands.
When Handloading, you want the COAL to be close to the lands and if you can still feed from the magazine then your in luck. Or you just have to load them to magazine length and live with it.
Much of the time, factory rifles make sure the freebore is long enough where if you load to max magazine length you will not have the bullet in the lands.
There are exceptions, like the Savage 10 short action chambered in the 308win length cartridges has a 3.00" magazine, but if you were to load most bullets longer than 2.900" you would be deep inside the lands.
I use a fired case, size enough to hold the bullet hand tight, then insert, close bolt, extract, measure, take 0.020" off.
I do this 3-5 times to make sure lands aren't gripping the bullet and giving me false readings.
Most, if not all of my COAL are longer than SAAMI length. And not just for 7mm Rem Mag.
I do this 3-5 times to make sure lands aren't gripping the bullet and giving me false readings.
Most, if not all of my COAL are longer than SAAMI length. And not just for 7mm Rem Mag.
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