Seating Depth, what is the best?

[Wapiti1]

This article has some interesting info in it. https://precisionrifleblog.com/2020/03/29/bullet-jump-load-development/

I don't chase seating depth and have never had an issue getting a satisfactory load. I just load to max mag length and work from there. The match rifles that I have built also didn't have any special specs except neck diameter. But those were single shot rifles.

Curious what the folks here think.

Jeremy

 

[Ohearchai]

Look for a node, do a seating depth test to see what it likes and be done. Don't chase lands. My rifles are for prs type matches and in the past ftr.

 

[swampthing]

I always start with recommended OL and then try a few shorter and a few longer.

 

[Dioni A]

I usually call the bullet manufacturers and ask when they think it's best for a jump. I've always gotten an answer and I've never had to deviate from it to get good accuracy.

 

[RumLover]

Seating depth is one way to tune the harmonics of your barrel for max accuracy. You can also do it with a barrel tuner like the old Browning Boss system. Like others here, I start with a ladder test with the bullet seated to the factory recommended OAL. Once I find the velocity node I want, then I start playing with seating depth. Loading a few at the lands, 0.020 off lands, 0.040, 0.060 and 0.080. One of those will be clearly more accurate than the others. If I don't hit an accuracy node that I really like with one of those (rare, but it happens), I take the best of the test load groups and then try again +/- 0.010" from what was the better grouping OAL.

Berger hybrids & hunters and Barnes tend to like more jump and I often find an accuracy node in the 0.050-0.060 off the lands range. Hornady ELD's, Berger VLD's and Sierra tend to like it close to the lands and I usually find an accuracy node in the 0-0.020 range. I have tested the A-tip and they liked to jump 0.050-0.060 unlike the other Hornady offerings.

Hope that helps, but if you're getting the accuracy you are looking for with factory recommended OAL's, that's all that matters.

 

[wind gypsy]

disclaimer: I haven’t used this method before but it makes a lot of sense to me. I’m going to try this whenever I get back to load development.

 

[tdhanses]

That article is exactly what I’ve seen with my own testing using Berger bullets, I’ve come to believe they love a lot of jump. This has been true in my 6.5cm, 270wsm and 300wsm.