8mm seating question

[prid93]

Hey all, I have a question about the seating depth of 8mm mauser rounds.
The max OAL for the cartridge is supposed to be 3.250in. I'm using 175gr sierra bullets and have set the die to seat the bullet for the max cartridge length. At this length the bullet doesn't make contact with the rifling and is seated about .100in into the case...so should I just use this seating depth for these rounds at the max OAL?
Thanks for the input,
Dan

 

[NCsmitty]

so should I just use this seating depth for these rounds at the max OAL?

No!

COAL is a flexible dimension and needs to be based on the bullet being used. Every bullet used, can theoretically have a different COAL. I set my COAL and mark the bullet box with the dimension as well as logging it into my data list.

You should try to maintain a caliber diameter depth to maintain proper bullet neck tension.

www.hodgdon.com shows a COAL of 3.100 for the Sierra 175gr bullet in the 8x57 data listing.



NCsmitty

 

[prid93]

ahh...thanks for the info...gotta set them a bit deeper then. First handloads ever so I've been trying to make I get EVERYTHING perfectly correct.

 

[Steve C]

As NCsmitty wrote: COAL is a flexible dimension ....

SAAMI COAL is usually determined by what length will fit in the typical rifle magazines be they removable or box type. Shooters willing to feed them one at a time in a bolt gun can seat the bullet out as far as it will hold lin the case mouth to get just off the rifling if they desire.

 

[SmokeySam81]

Agreed, not to mention that round nose bullets will contact the rifling more quickly, and mil-spec chambers can be fairly long, it varies a lot, and there are advantages to going short and to going long.