22-250 C.O.A.L. Set-Back ?

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345 DeSoto

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I seated a bullet in a snug fitting case and loaded it into my rifle to check COAL to the lands...it came out to 2.4455 on the micrometer. First off, does this seem to be a little bit on the long side, or am I laboring under a misconception? I got the same length with an RCBS 22-250 Precision Mic gauge. Second, how far back from the lands do some you 22-250 Shooters seat your bullets, for accuracy?...
 
.it came out to 2.4455
If it will fit in the mag, it is not too long. I would suggest starting at .020 off the lands, and then .010 off the lands etc. until you get to .020 into the lands and see if your gun has a preference. (assuming these OAL's will fit in the mag)
 
I load mine about .005" to .010" off the lands.
In my Remington, this makes for an OAL much longer than the recomended OAL, but that is ok.

What Brand rifle are you shooting?
 
While this is not what you asked for you might consider this (copied from another forum)-

“There are some pretty universal rules about seating a bullet. You first seat the bullet to a given depth and then work up with the charge. To do otherwise might lead to a pressure excursion. Do you know how to read pressure in a rifle case??? If the radius of the primer is gone,the bolt lifts hard,you can see the extrusion of brass back into the elector hole,see the machine marks on the bolt face in the brass or the primer flat falls out of the case the load may be a bit hot. BUT, this can and will happen regardless of where the bullet is seated if you tip the powder bottle too much. Here's a very easy way to develope a load:
1)-Set the bullet into the lands(if you can reach them) as much as the neck tension of the case will allow.
2)-Start with a minimum listed powder charge or -10% for the bullet weight
3)-Work the powder charge up till the groups get as small as they will get.
This depends on the rifle.
4)-After getting as small a group as the rifle will shoot at the jam,back the bullet off.002/.003 at a time and see if the groups improve.Depending on the rifle they may or may not.
5)-If you decide on trying another bullet back the powder down and go back to the jam length and start again.
What this saves is guesswork. If the bullet is seated HARD into the lands then the only way to go with it is shorter. If the bullet is seated HARD into the lands and you have a safe working load pressures will NOT increase as the seating depth is shortened. If you, at any point,. get pressure signs, STOP. Back off the powder and start up again and see if it repeats. Be aware that a load shot at 70 degreesF. may not be a safe load at 100 degrees F.Back a load off when you change ANY part of that load including changing lots of the same brand of powder. Never assume anything;prove it to yourself. There is not really a lot of rocket science in rifles; experience is much more important”
 
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