I think I'm seeing a pattern here. Thank you for helping me understand. Pistols it is pretty darn important to never go below minimum COL. People are also admonished to load long as long as the magazine functions. Rifles, reduced COL is less of a factor.
I am going to hazard a guess that Beentown's data is "As tested," not minimum COL. Even if it's from Lee that says "Minimum COL," it is as tested.
That's where I would start or at 2.200" where IMR shows with that powder. Then I would probably seat to crimp groove and see how the rifle likes that.
If you don't have Hornady data, use IMR's with a similar bullet weight. Your bullet should be seated with the base to about the bottom of the neck. Or just run it in until you can crimp in the groove if you are going to crimp.
Try this. Take one case, fill it up with a full charge and look at how much more full it is compared to the minimum charge. At minimum charge, you could seat the bullet to take all that extra space that was taken up by more powder. Make sense? If I have two grains of air in my cartridge or I put two grains of powder in that air space, which is going to produce more pressure?
I should have started out with a congratulations. It is a very good feeling to load and fire your first rounds. I wasn't intending to take the mickey out of you. Let's get those bullets pretty, too!
