Reloading the Hornady FTX for Marlin 450

[emb]

I have a Marlin 1895 450. I currently load a 250 grn Barnes X and a 300 Hornady HP to the published COAL for those bullets. I wanted to try the 325 Hornady FTX. The Hornady website had the reloading information for this bullet. It recommends that the cases be trimmed to 2.04 rather than the standard. I suppose that they recommend this so that the when the bullet is seated and crimped you can to get to the published COAL. But, if I do that, I will not be able to use the cases to load any other bullets. I really don't want to do that.

Is the COAL that critcal for this rifle? Is the chamber that tight or is there a little free bore? I have a Stoney Point tool, but I do not have the case to measure the lands for this rifle, and I have RCBS Mic gauges but not for this rifle. I can probably get them, but I recall that there is a "low tech" way to measure this using the bullet, an empty case, and a magic marker. Any one know how to do that? I also seem to recall that Hornady now owns Stoney Point. Is that right?

I thought that I'd just build a couple of dummy rounds and see how they load, chamber, and extract. I don't usually load to the lands and in most cases not even close. However, when I do, even minor differences in COAL can make a difference. Consequently, I really do want to know where I'm at on this measurement.

Thoughts?

 

[GMFWoodchuck]

I'm guessing the COAL needs to be different because the ogive is drastically different than on the typical flat-nose bullet and therefore the freebore would be quite different. And perhaps it also has to deal with feeding issues as well.

I think your dummy round idea is a good one.