Hi! I am fairly new to reloading and not sure how to find the lands or measure how far my bullet is from the lands. Should i just seat it at max COAL for the bullet im using and go down until the bolt isnt stiff?
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Three Ways to Find the Lands!
Ultimate Reloader - Youtube
Go watch this and it will help you out. Easier for you to see it than to explain it, and go through the discussion of which is better. They post results at the end.
good luck
Thank you!!
Hornady has a device called a Lock-N-Load O.A.L. guage. To use the Lock-N-Load® O.A.L. Gauge, you will need a Modified Case (sold separately) to fit your firearm’s chamber and thread it onto the gauge. These specially prepared modified cases are threaded at the case-head and have a .002" oversized neck to accept the same bullets you intend to load. You drop the bullet you are loading into the modified case. Remove the bolt and insert the modified case into the chamber, Once seated push the attached rod, which will push the bullet out the mouth of the modified case. When the bullet stops it is against the lands. Tighten the thumb screw which will hold the rod in position. Remove the modified case. Sometimes the bullet will stick to the lands. Use a cleaning rod to push the bullet back and out of the chamber. Put the bullet back in the modified case. It will stop when it reaches the rod. Then use a Hornady Lock -N-Load Bullet Comparator to measure from the back of the case to the ogive. The ogive is what comes into contact with the lands first. Subtract 20/1000ths and seat a bullet at that depth, load several rounds. Then you can subtract 40/1000ths and seat a bullet at that depth, load several rounds. Then subtract 60/1000ths and seat a bullet at that depth, load several rounds. Now go to the gun range and test each of the 3 groups, to determine which is the most accurate and consistant group. If you have a chronograph even better to test velocity and standard deviation between rounds. The lower the standard deviation the more consistant your loads are.
My 6.5prc with 143gr ELDX, Comparator to lands is 2.343" I set my bullet at 2.325"
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Thank you! That helps a lot.
I use the Hornady lock-n-load too. One thing to watch out for is the bullet might be too long for your magazine if you load that close to the lands. Load one and make sure it still fits. Spencer, where are you from?
Gotcha, i’ll check for that. Im in utah.
What part? I am in Cedar.
Oh im way up in utah county
Spencer, how is the reloading going? Did you figure out the lands?
Hey! Thanks for checking in. Im still waiting fir compenents to get here so i havent started loading yet.