reloading .243 with VLD bullets

andy12390

ok, i posted a question on the ask the experts forum, about if loading a 95 grain berger VLD bulet in a .243 would work in a mauser '98 action and they said it would work no problem. one of the people who responded said that the VLD can be loaded into the lands of the barrel? im new to reloading what exactly does that mean? also, should i used a powder like IMR4350 or something diferent? just lookin for some suggestions to start out with there.

thanks

NEF 20 ga.
western field 12, double
marlin 70pss 22lr
mauser 98 7X57
mauser 98 .243

FrancF

quote:the VLD can be loaded into the lands of the barrel? im new to reloading what exactly does that mean?

This means your seating the bullet to just touch the rifling.
You will get different opinions on this; I have some guns that like it some don't.

Make a dummy case (no primer powder etc) and only neck size the brass
just enough to hang onto the bullet, (I start with about .045 over max oal.) Then I take a felt marker and color the bullet. Slowly chamber the round and eject, the rifling will/should be marked on the bullet.

Basically you're just trying to find the OAL to the lands and there are other ways to do it.

But once you find that measurement, make some loads (say 5- 10 rounds)
and back off in increments of .003-.005 and you will find the sweet spot.

I know that is clear as mud, however you will find a spot were your rifle will like the spot (oal) that it likes to shoot.

I don't have a 243. So the powder selection I will leave to others for input. Hope that gives you an Idea.

[:)]

Forgot to add WATCH FOR PRESSURE SIGNS IN DOING SO WITH VLD'S!!


NRA Life Endowment Member

JustC

if your data has you INTO the lands,..you will build a bit of pressure more quickly as the rounds will be seated into the rifling enough to scar the jacket. You need to just watch for pressure signs and you should be good,..but a chronograph makes telling when you get too high in pressure a lot easier.

as far as powders for VLDs,..look at the slowest powders for that pill in the manual, and stick to them as they will provide the most consistent loads for LR work.

why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?

sandwarrior

Andy12390,

That was me that responded with loading the vld's into the lands. I should correct, or at least be precise, with what I said. I went to the Berger bullet site and they said "to the lands". That would mean the ogive(curved part of the nose of the bullet, very long on vld's) just touches the lands as described below:
If you remove the bolt from your rifle you will see twisted grooves running up your barrel. The high parts are the lands, the low parts are the grooves. If you can shine a light up your chamber and look through the barrel onto a light reflective surface you can see where the lands begin just ahead of the chamber. This gives you an idea where exactly the lands begin. However, to get the exact distance you can seat the bullet out you must, some way, measure this. The way FrancF describes is a good way if you do not invest in a device like Stoney point puts out to measure where your lands hit the bullet. I have used this method to very precise means and a variation of that where I sized a case and seated a bullet in it, out farther than normal and measured the marks put on the bullet by the lands and screwed my seater plug down just exactly the length of the marks. (Pull the bullet and use it later when you zero at 25 yds. as it will only maintain rough accuracy.)
Your seater die can be adjusted perfectly figuring mathematically what the TPI is. i.e. 24 TPI=.042 per turn, =.021 per 1/2 turn, and .011 for a 1/4 turn. and .0055 for a 1/8 turn. Etc. Good luck with this project.

We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>

mrbruce

I have used pulled bullets a lot of times and they usually went right into a good group along with the rest of them.
Using a RCBS collet puller will leave very little marks on the bullet itself, and
the hammer types leave barely a mark on a bullet
Now if you mark the base of a bullet it's a whole new ballgame.

Gun control is hitting what your aiming at.