C.o.a.l or o.a.l.

[ms6852]

For reloading purpose particularly for an AR15 in which all cartridge am I understanding the terms correctly? If I read that coal is 2.250 it is only referring to the length of the brass cartridge and o.a.l includes the base of the cartridge to the tip of the bullet that is already seated or c.o.a.l includes the seated bullet as well?

I tried doing a search but no luck.

 

[243winxb]

Oal or col

LENGTH, OVERALL 1. Firearm: The dimension measured parallel to the axis of the bore from the muzzle to a line at right angles to the axis and tangent to the rearmost point of the butt-plate or grip .2. Ammunition: The greatest dimension of a loaded cartridge, i.e., from face of the head to the tip of the bullet for centerfire or rimfire or to the crimp for shotshells or blanks (not to be confused with the uncrimped length in a shotshell.)

http://www.saami.org/glossary/display.cfm?letter=L

 

[ms6852]

Thanks 243winxb, never thought of looking at it under SAAMI. Other places I encountered measured to ogive and others did not. The key here is "loaded cartridge, and head to tip of bullet.

Big Help.

 

[Walkalong]

Some people use coal, and some use oal, but both refer to the same thing, the length of the loaded round.

 

[jr_roosa]

The other term is case length or sometimes trim length, and that deals with the brass itself without the bullet.

Cartridge OverAll Length is what COAL stands for.

http://accurateshooter.net/pix/223Rem.png

-J.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Like said above, COAL and OAL are the same exact thing.
COAL = Cartridge Over All Length and some times they leave off the "cartridge" part and say it as Over All Length.

Don't over thing this one, OAL=COAL...

 

[Louca]

At the risk of overstating the obvious here, a "cartridge" refers to the completed entire product that gets loaded into a chamber for shooting. In the case of the round for the AR, a cartridge consists of a brass (or other metal) case, a primer, gun powder, and a bullet. So there is no such thing as the length of the brass cartridge; there is a length of the brass case (or casing). I guess in the case where blanks are fired, the COAL is equal to the brass casing length since there is no bullet.

Another misuse of terms is when people refer to "buying some bullets for their gun" when they really mean cartridges.

I am not sure why reloading manuals went from O.A.L. nomenclature to C.O.A.L. Maybe some were confusing case length with cartridge length?

Lou

 

[heavydluxe]

Most good reloading manuals also have pictures of the loaded cartridge with various measurements highlighted.

That's how I sorted out the 'case length' and COAL the first time.

 

[nevadabob]

As jr. roosa pointed out, the word is "overall". Some use c.o.l.

 

[DoubleMag]

C.o.a.l or o.a.l.
For reloading purpose particularly for an AR15 in which.... ....of the bullet that is already seated or c.o.a.l includes the seated bullet as well?

I tried doing a search but no luck.

Easier research, do you have any new factory loaded rounds. How do the shoot,fair? Are you planning on using the same bullet i.e. 55grs FMJ?

Just measure those, you'll be fine. Keep a factory round on your reloading block, put the reload next to it, look at it. If your reload is way way out of whack, you'll be able to see it.

 

[TBH]

I thought c.o.a.l. Was from the base of the cartridge to the furthest point on the bullet before tapering to the point.(horrible description).
You would use oal to make sure the loaded cartridge will fit in the mag, and c.o.a.l. To adjust the jump to the lands. So if you wanted a .010" jump, different style bullets would have a different oal.
Did I bump my head again?

 

[witchhunter]

Cartridge Overall Length, COL, is just like Boat or Truck overall length. The total length from the back all the way to the front. Case length or trim length is the length of the CASE with no bullet installed. The COAL is a leftover term from England, like calibre. A calibre or caliber is a hundredth of an inch. So a .243 is a 24.3 calibre, but a .38 special is really a 35.7 calibre. It is COL or COAL, same description, just different acronym.

 

[homatok]

Quote "It is COL or COAL, same description, just different acronym."

And then there are those who say LOA (length over all), which means the same thing also!

 

[ms6852]

Got it. Thanks guys.

 

[243winxb]