Basic Question

[mobjacker]

I am just starting out, and have some fundamental questions. When I start out, I will be plinking and not really focusing on max accuracy. I want to load, get experience, and have fun. In preparation for reloading, for about 6 years I have been squirreling away primers, cases, some bullets and powder. I should be set for quite a while. Plus I was fortunate to be given 4 presses by friends and students- and then I bought 2 more. So I can set up dedicated presses for my most commonly used rounds.

First- Seating depth and OAL:
If you take one bullet, and change the seating depth, the oal will change.
1. When you change bullets, the bullet length can change. If the oal remains the same the seating depth changes.
2. Or you could keep the seating depth the same, and alter the oal.
What I am getting at, is there a min/max seating depth and the oal can change (if it fits in the gun)?

Second- Keeping the same power, charge, and seating depth- using a longer bullet will change the weight of the projectile. Is this significant, and if so- to what degree? ie, can you go from 55 to 65, but not 55 to 100??

Sorry if these are foolish questions.

 

[Hockey7711]

Good questions actually!

 

[243winxb]

First- loaded round needs to fit chamber & magazine. This sets the aol. The seating depth (bullet shank in case) will be different. https://saami.org/ has listed maximun & minimum OAL.

Second- Length & weignt, bullet construction comes into play here. A general rule- if no loading data for a 55 gr bullet, use the starting load for the next heavier bullet (60gr). But bullets need to be of same construction type.

You should not use the same power, charge, and seating depth for a bullet that is longer & heavier.

 

[ImjinScout85]

You can also look at it as case volume. You could have the same OAL for 2 loads with 2 different bullets, but the bullets could have a different length which affects the case volume. I always try and match the bullet I am using to the load data and as always work up slow to get the best load for your guns,

 

[WrongHanded]

The best thing you can do is buy some reloading manuals. Read them and follow the data.

1. The case volume available under a given bullet weight is a factor in determining peak pressure. So if you change the seating depth of a given bullet and a given powder charge, you change the resultant pressure.

2. A heavier projectile has more inertia to overcome. Or to reiterate, a heavier bullet won't begin to move (or accelerate) as easily as a lighter bullet. So for the same powder charge, a heavier bullet will cause a higher pressure to be built.

You really should get some reloading manuals if you don't have any.

 

[LightninST]

Are you talking about pistol or rifle bullets ? 223/556 ?

 

[Hartkopf]

As WrongHanded wrote, get and read loading manuals.

If using a different bullet than what the data calls for, (different brand with different length but same weight and construction) I like to make sure the bullet base is set at the same height as the original data calls for. So that the volume under the bullet is the same as the data calls for.