Bullet depth issue.

[Bud Kerr]

Newbie to this forum and Reloading. I'm reloading loading for my Ar15,. 223. Checking the depth to have the bullet contact the rifling, I get a measurement of 23.53 (average of 5 checks). I know this is extreme as the Lyman Reloading manual says the maximum length should be 22.60. There was no way to seat the 115 grain bullets at 23.53 as I would only have the bullet seated 1/8" into shell.

I seated the bullets to the cannalure and will crimp with a Lee factory crimp tool. Here is my questions:
*Will having the bullet that far from the rifling negatively affect accuracy? I am working up loads.
*Should the difference in my measurement of 23.53 and the recommended 22.60 be considered normal?
*Is it okay to seat and crimp the bullet short if the cannalure?
*Would I be better served seating at the 22.60 rather than at the cannalure which measures 22.28?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Jet]

Bud


Smart asking questions when you are unsure.

Few things for you here.

Recommend you find a reloading mentor in your area to work with you and get you started safely. If that isn't an option, try to attend an NRA reloading course. If that still is a no go then you need to do a lot more reading and research.

Your decimals are in the wrong place. According to Lyman, max length for mag loaded AR ammo it 2.260. I would not load your ammo longer than that for the time being.

115grain .223 bullets? Make sure your aren't getting confused with other calibers.

This likely doesn't help but may get you started right.

Good Shooting

Rich

 

[Bud Kerr]

You

Bud


Smart asking questions when you are unsure.

Few things for you here.

Recommend you find a reloading mentor in your area to work with you and get you started safely. If that isn't an option, try to attend an NRA reloading course. If that still is a no go then you need to do a lot more reading and research.

Your decimals are in the wrong place. According to Lyman, max length for mag loaded AR ammo it 2.260. I would not load your ammo longer than that for the time being.

115grain .223 bullets? Make sure your aren't getting confused with other calibers.

This likely doesn't help but may get you started right.

Good Shooting

Rich

Are right about the decimals. And I am loading 55 Grain bullets.

 

[Bud Kerr]

Here is a re-right.
Newbie to this forum and Reloading. I'm reloading loading for my Ar15,. 223. Checking the depth to have the bullet contact the rifling , I get a measurement of 2.353 (average of 5 checks). I know this is extreme as the Lyman Reloading manual says the maximum length should be 2.260. There was no way to seat the 55 grain bullets at 2.253 as I would only have the bullet seated 1/8" into shell.

I seated the bullets to the cannalure and will crimp with a Lee factory crimp tool. Here is my questions:
*Will having the bullet that far from the rifling negatively affect accuracy? I am working up loads.
*Should the difference in my measurement of 2.353 and the recommended 2.260 be considered normal?
*Is it okay to seat and crimp the bullet short of the cannalure?
*Would I be better served seating at the 2.260 rather than at the cannalure which measures 2.228?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Bud

 

[SS427]

You never know about accuracy. Some barrels/bullets like a big jump and others like to be engaged with the lands. You have to test and see. All my bolt rifles like to be either very close to the lands or engaged into the lands.

I don't think there is anything regarding throat depths as normal in factory barrels. Weatherby rifles tend to have a deep throat. My Remington's have come with both short and long throats...seems to be the luck of the draw. With ARs it is probably the same way too. I would say your situation is not the least bit unusual.

Lots of bullets don't have a cannelure, and the few I have used I have never worried about crimping the brass into the cannelure. In fact I don't crimp any rifle bullets at all, cannelure or not.

I would seat your bullets to magazine length, provided you have at least a decent length of the bullet still in the case. I would not go with 1/8th of an inch, but I do load some cases at less than caliber depth. (Meaning with a .224 bullet I might load with only .180 bullet in the case.)

 

[Bud Kerr]

Good info, thanks!

 

[yukonal]

If it's a hunting rifle where you will use the magazine, forget about the lands. You are safely out of them...that's all you can do.

Load your load development rounds .010"-.015" shorter than your magazine ID, and vary your powder charges in 2/10 gr increments from low to high, and see what shoots best. If that is a no-go, do the same thing with a different bullet.

As long as your chosen bullet is not in the lands at magazine length...and you want to use your magazine...all you can change is your choice of bullet, and your powder charge. (unless, for some strange reason your rifle likes your bullet EVEN FARTHER OFF the lands, the you can seat the bullets farther off-or make the cartridge shorter)

 

[SheepDog]

If you are going to crimp then you should crimp in the cannelure. Auto loading guns usually have lots of movement to the lands, probably most military guns as well. This doesn't seem to adversely affect the accuracy and is necessary to allow easy chambering.
I have not needed to crimp for my AR but I am just beginning with this gun. In 45 years of reloading and shooting I have never before felt the need or desire for an AR - until they started offering three gun matches at the local range. I do have a .223/556 in a single shot so I have loaded for it but there are differences between an auto and single shot/bolt gun.

 

[yukonal]

I have not needed to crimp for my AR but I am just beginning with this gun.

Me neither. I've loaded for 4 AR's for 8 years, and have never crimped a case. No problems yet.

 

[Bud Kerr]

As a followup question, it looks as if I will have a . 125 (1/8") jump in the chamber. I am going to work up loads with this. Does that seem excessive for a semi auto?

 

[Ned Ludd]

You can still adjust seating depth to find a spot that shoots well, it's just that your seating depth test window will start at ~.125" off the lands and move farther off the lands, never going above 2.260" COAL. In other words, the load can still be tuned using seating depth the same way any other load is tuned.

For those that do not crimp their semi-auto (AR) loads and/or do not use cannelured bullets, how much neck tension are you using?

 

[yukonal]

.125" is not that excessive depending on the bullet.

I just built a load for one of my 6.8's using 110 gr TTSX. Magazine only allowed me to get the ogive .257" off the lands. It still shoots sub moa.

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gstaylorg....002 neck tensions on my 6.8's, I'll have to dig thru some paper work for the 223. Pretty sure it's the same. I try to keep under 3 thou tension with the use of bushings.

Never had any bullets moving around on me, and all my AR's shoot between 1/2 moa, and 3/4 moa.