Seating - different weight bullets

[tikkat3]

This may be a stupid question, but I am unsure of how best to proceed.

So far I have always been loading 55gr bullets (SP & FMJ) in my .223REM handloads.

I am now looking at experimenting with smaller bullets (45gr SP) and larger ones (upto around 80gr Hornday A-Max). My question is to do with seating.

The OAL to the lands of my rifle is 2.228". I seat my 55gr bullets to 2.218" with good results. If I try to seat a 45gr bullet anywhere near the optimum OAL it is at best seated by a fraction of an inch. Anyone with experience of these lighter bullets, how do I best choose the seating depth?

The same goes with the much longer 80gr A-Max bullets. Do they get shoved massively deeper into the case to get the ideal OAL?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[USSR]

tikkat3,

With a lighter (hence shorter) bullet, you may not be able to seat the bullet out enough for your ideal OAL. A general rule is to have atleast one caliber of the bullet gripped by the neck. If this results in a shorter OAL, so be it. In the case of a heavier (hence longer) bullet, more of the bullet will be in the case. This is why heavier bullets are typically used with cartridges with a large case capacity.

Don