How much into the case?

[Bullet94]

I’ve read that your bullet should be into the case the same amount as the bullet diameter. .308 bullet = .308 into the case. If you are loading long enough to reach the lands but your bullet is not in the case the same amount as bullet diameter,something less). Does this matter? Should your bullet still be into the case the bullets diameter when loading into the lands? How much should the bullet be into the case when loading into the lands?

 

[Rust]

Well, I do not like the base of the bullet,meaning the bottom of a flat base or the full diameter portion of a boat tail) to be at or past the neck/shoulder junction of a case. As a matter of fact I would prefer it to be slightly above that point. Helps keep neck tension more uniform from round to round which helps keep ES/SD more uniform, increases usable case capacity which allows a bit more powder and a bit more velocity if you need it to hit a good barrel node.

Another thing worth noting is that if the cases are forming donuts, seating deeper past the neck/shoulder junction can cause some pressure irregularities, some of which could be severe.

And thus the dilemna; seating the VLDs long which depending on the cartridge doesn't always make a round fit well in a short action, seating the VLDs deep into the engine room of the cartridge, or going to a longer action.

 

[Forum Boss]

Assuming you have enough action and port length to extract a loaded round, having one bullet diameter of bearing surface,full-diameter shank) in the neck, is a reasonable "happy medium". That said, we've seen shooters who set their bullets into the rifling get away with as little as 0.130" of shank in the case. As a general rule, we like to have at least .180" of bearing surface in the neck with 6mm bullets. You may need more with larger-diameter bullets.

 

[Bullet94]

Thank you for your replies.