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bullet seating problem

mbsamsmbsams Member Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited July 2010 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Trying a new bullet for my .280 Ruger 77 MKII. The Hornady 139gr Soft Point flat base with a cannelure. Seated to groove and COL is 3.335. Just over or just under max col depending on which book I look in. But correct for this bullet in some of my books. Problem is - the round won't chamber - runs right into the lands. I have to seat down to 3.300 to be a few thousanths off the lands. But now I can't use the crimping grove - if that's what it is. Comments?
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Comments

  • Wagon WheelWagon Wheel Member Posts: 633 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    mbsams:
    quote:Just over or just under max col depending on which book I look in. But correct for this bullet in some of my books.
    My Hornady book says C.O.L. is 3.330 for that bullet. I have found a disparity with some pistol loads vs. case length in various manuals of .005 in trim length. I don't know what books your looking at and I've never seen that for rifle loads so this may be a dumb question but did you measure and trim the brass??? My Hornady book says max case length is 2.540 and trim length is 2.530.
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  • Wagon WheelWagon Wheel Member Posts: 633 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    mbsams:

    I just remembered a case where a friend of mine brought over some 30-06 reloads he'd gotten from a source I'd rather not mention. Rest assured it was not me. Said they wouldn't chamber. When I looked at them they had a slight bulge in the case neck. I pulled the bullets for him and he loaded them in new cases. Are you trying to seat and crimp in the same step??? Just guessing here but It could be that your crimp die isn't adjusted properly and your getting a bulge.
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  • zimmdenzimmden Member Posts: 237 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My Hornady book lists 3.330 as max COL for this bullet. The cannelure on this bullet is closer to the base than other 139 grainers. Since this bullet can be used in about 20 different cartridges, the cannelure (crimping groove)cannot be used in all cases. Your Ruger chamber may also be on the SAAMI short side.
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  • bentley47bentley47 Member Posts: 78 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Is there a specific reason to crimp this caliber? I've never crimped a rifle cartridge, but the heaviest thing I've loaded were 180gr. 300WM
    As others have stated, it's not uncommon for the crimping groove not to line up with the case mouth for some loadings.
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  • mbsamsmbsams Member Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Case length is in spec. I just think that when Hornady designed this bullet they had 7 mags in mind. 280 wasn't popular then. It's just a case of this bullet not being perfect for all possible aplications.
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  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,381 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Seat it with a bit of a jump to the lands and don't worry about the cannelure. No need to crimp for a medium caliber bolt action.
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    forget the cannelure and the crimp, you don't need it.
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  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Same here, Even with my my semi-autos .308,.223 I don't crimp.
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