long ogives in old cartridges?

[labnoti]

Most of the 20th century cartridges were designed with round-nosed or short-ogive spitzer type bullets in mind. Even the somewhat modern .308-based series of cartridges have a forward shoulder that if very long, low drag bullets are seated in them the result is a overall length that exceeds the magazine or receiver length.

For exampe, the .260 Remington. Let's take a 153 grain A-tip Match bullet and seat it. It will be a very long cartridge indeed. Another: how about a 230 grain A-tip in a 300 Winchester Magnum case. It seems certain these combinations will exceed the magazine length and the length of the action/receiver on a typical bolt action rifle. There may also be twist-rate issues with conventional barrels for these chamberings.

Otherwise, can these long bullets chamber? Suppose we have a single-shot Thompson Center or Ruger No. 1, or we just pull the bolt out the back of the receiver and load the cartridge from behind. Will these long bullets fit in the chamber made for more traditional cartridges? I suspect they would, but I've never tried it. Could the bullet be impeded by the rifling?

 

[desidog]

Take a look at the Italian m1891 carcano chambered in 6.5mm. Very long bullet, as you describe, and gain-twist rifling.

 

[LoonWulf]

Most of the 20th century cartridges were designed with round-nosed or short-ogive spitzer type bullets in mind. Even the somewhat modern .308-based series of cartridges have a forward shoulder that if very long, low drag bullets are seated in them the result is a overall length that exceeds the magazine or receiver length.

For exampe, the .260 Remington. Let's take a 153 grain A-tip Match bullet and seat it. It will be a very long cartridge indeed. Another: how about a 230 grain A-tip in a 300 Winchester Magnum case. It seems certain these combinations will exceed the magazine length and the length of the action/receiver on a typical bolt action rifle. There may also be twist-rate issues with conventional barrels for these chamberings.

Otherwise, can these long bullets chamber? Suppose we have a single-shot Thompson Center or Ruger No. 1, or we just pull the bolt out the back of the receiver and load the cartridge from behind. Will these long bullets fit in the chamber made for more traditional cartridges? I suspect they would, but I've never tried it. Could the bullet be impeded by the rifling?

your biggest issue with shooting the long pointy bullets in older rifles/chambering will be the twist rate.
Short action cartridges will also be hindered by magazine length in almost all "short" action designs. "Long" action chamberings will often be had in .375h&h length action which with a little modifications (or none, sometimes) will take a long pointy loaded out.
If your building a NEW rifle in an older chamberings you can specify twist, and what action length is used.

If using a single shot then twist would be your only issue.

 

[BrocLuno]

The 6.5 Arisaka and Carcano both carried long bullets from the get go. But we have to remember that these rifles were equipped with volley sights and were designed to send high arcing projectiles a long way down range. The long bullets were for mass and stability out to beyond 1,000m ... Long barrels and long guns.

This is not how we operate today. Closer ranges with faster projectiles that run out of speed about 600+m and start to become unstable somewhere out there. Shorter, handier rifles and carbines. Completely the opposite of what the old rifles were designed to do ... We also don't engage in trench warfare anymore ...