General seating depth question

[Exercion]

I read a comment recently about making certain one had the right seating depth to keep the pressure ring on a bullet in the right place. However, nothing was said about where in relation to the neck/shoulder junction this should properly be. I'm always interested in learning new things to help me improve my craft so to speak, so where should one optimally set the pressure ring?

Eric

 

[jlmurphy]

Generally speaking, you want the bullet to be near the rifling, either .010' away or jammed into the rifling. With a custom chamber cut for a specific bullet, you can even control the bullets placement in the case.

 

[Forum Boss]

Pressure rings tend to be more prominent with flat-based bullets intended for short-range shooting. Normally you'd want to keep that ring, or the base of the bearing surface on a boat-tail bullet, at least .030' above the neck-shoulder junction in your brass. As you approach the neck-shoulder junction neck tension tends to rise, and that may create inconsistencies from round to round.

As far as seating relative to the lands -- it depends on your bullet, barrel, load etc. Some bullets work well .030' in the lands, some work well at .010' in the lands, others work well .020' jumped or even .040' jumped. You won't know 'til you test. If you list your bullet, freebore and cartridge, people on this board can give you a starting point. For example, many folks have very good luck seating a Berger 105 VLD .010-.015' into the lands with a 6BR or 6 Dasher. Conversely a lot of guys are shooting the Berger 108 .020' off the lands with success,but the same bullet might work better in the lands in a different gun).