Lee seating die depth or am I measuring wrong

[CopperSkink]

Greetings All
Either I have measured the depth to the rifleing wrong (I used a Hornady OAL Guage with Ogive comparater on calipers) or the bullet seater (Lee Deluxe Rifle Die Set) is not quite right (highly unlikely). I am reloading for .223

I have tried 4 different bullets - Hornady 50gr V-Max, 55gr V-Max, 55gr SP, 68gr HPBT.

If you look at the following table you will see that it is impossible to get the bullet seated to the correct depth (0.020' - 0.040" off the lands) with the bullet seater - I must be doing something wrong or I have been loading into the lands (with good results mind you).

For example the 55gr SP:
Lands are at 1.812" ogive
Shortest I can get with seater is 1.842" which is 0.030" into the lands
Previously I used to load to 2.210 (Base to tip) - I could never get down to the Hodgen reccomended 2.200", before I got the bullet ogive on caliper attachment a week ago. This works out to a ogive of 1.869" which is 0.057" into the lands - hate to think what it would be if I loaded to the SAMMI 2.260".

I must of measured the lands distance wrong - That would mean the SAMMI is also into the lands - but how hard can it be - push it in and measure - I'm shooting a Tikka .223 T3. Actually while writing this I re-mesaured the lands again and got the same results (aswell as pushing a little harder to get it stuck in the lands to make sure it was the lands I was getting) from a few days ago.

Any advice would be great - I anyone has the same die set I have and use the same bullets - I would love to know what you get, actually the same rifles rifiling depth (I know it will be different)

Thanks for everyones time
Braden

Code: Select all

	                                50gr V-Max       55gr SP      55gr V-Max     68gr HPBT
				
Measured with Hornady OAL guage         1.818            1.812        1.816          1.839
                                        1.812            1.811        1.820          1.837
                                        1.814            1.812        1.818          1.842
                                        1.812            1.812        1.815          1.847
                                        1.816            1.813        1.815          1.834
                                                         1.814        1.816          1.844
                                                                      1.817          1.835
                                                                      1.822          1.834
                                                                                     1.834
                                                                                     1.844
                                                                                     1.840
				
Rifle Lands Distance ogive              1.814            1.812        1.817          1.839
Shortest I can get ogive                1.845            1.842        1.847          1.818
				
Shortest Base to Tip                    2.230                         2.236	
				
				
Normally load Base to Tip                               2.210         2.260          2.250
ogive measurement                                       1.869		

[20series]

Braden

It does sound like a glitch in the original measuring to me, I would have another go and make sure the rifle is cleaned before you do it so that your not measuring any residue in the chamber/lands area

Alan

[CopperSkink]

I'll give it another go today and cleanout the breach / lands area again - I am hoping your right because that is the only conclusion I have come to aswell - I've already measured it 3 different time :?

[Sim G]

Did you get the same measurement each of the three times?

[CopperSkink]

yep - pretty much - I'm going to get in there with a brush and boretech, just in case there is some crud where the bullet sits just before the lands - this rifle shoots pretty well for there to be anything weird though.
Thanks

[CopperSkink]

Ok,
I've cleaned it again (scrubbed it with brush), deburred and chamfered he hornady brass test case - exactly the same results - perhaps .005" of a difference, definately not enough to make a difference to the whole problem

Does anyone know what it should roughly be - I know all are different but what is the SAAMI Spec for the distance is that spec only for cartridge and not bore/barrel

Thanks
Braden

[Alpha1]

Have you checked the cases oal.

[CopperSkink]

The case OAL (Hornady Lock n load modified case) 1.748" which is quite a bit below max, but I would assume the modified cases would be perfect for the job.
If it was short I would think the shoulders would get the correct length anyway.

Thanks

[Alpha1]

I mean your once fired cases have you measured there OAL. They are all the same make as well I assume.

[CopperSkink]

Yep - they are all the same and they measure 1.745".
Of interest - have measured some factory ammo (HTM) - the only factory stuff I have and it measures about 1.905" to ogive and I have never had a problem closing the bolt.
I'm going to get a few different types of factory (SP and balistic tip) and measure that - I havn't had any closing bolt problems with it in the past.
I must be measuring it wrong although I can't see how.

Worse case I'll use the factory ammo ogive values and tweak from there.

Thanks
Braden