Minimum seating depth

[TwoEyedJack]

I am developing some new loads for a Savage 12FV in .22-250. This rifle seems to have a pretty long throat. I have one load using a 40 gr. ballistic tip that shoots pretty well but requires the use of IMR4064 which does not meter well in my Dillon powder measure. I have tried several ball powders, including Win760, H380, and AA2460 with mediocre results, i.e. about 9/16" to 1 1/16, averaging 3/4" for three shot groups. 4064 consistently gives about 3/8" @ 4000 fps.

So I got out my handy Stony Point OAL gauge and found that I could not seat the 40 grainers anywhere close to the lands. I have three kinds of 55-60 grain pills laying around, and calculated that I could seat to the lands with the following seating depths:

Sierra 55 gr. spitzer, 0.0925"
Hornady 55 gr. SP, 0.1520
Hornady 60 gr. SP, .2160

I have always heard that you should seat bullets at least one diameter deep, or .223" for a .22-250. If I went a few hundredths off the lands, that would help. Has anybody tried using loads with only .1" seating depth? I worry about sufficient neck tension for consistent ignition, not to mention mechanical strength.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

If you can't easily pull the bullets with your fingers, you are good to go, IMO.

 

[gamestalker]

I seat 100 grainers up to the lands on the 7 mags with no neck tension problems. Those are only getting about .094" of neck contact and don't budge at all. Same thing with the .270 using 90 grainers, they only have about .075" of neck and don't change OAL or move without serious impact from the puller.

Seat them where they perform the best. As long as they can't be moved with your fingers and they fit the magazine, your good to go.

GS