.300 Winchester Magnum "Match Ammo"

[hubb]

The lighter bullets are going to have a shorter coal vs a heavier one, but the length to the Ogave can be the same. That is why your bullet stuck in the barrel, the Ogave was to far out because the coal was to long for that grain weight bullet.
Feenix shows a load with his calipers that has a longer coal than my 215gr Hybrid VLD's. That tells me it is farther to his lands than my rifle. That's the reason you need to measure your own rifle versus what someone else uses.
You cannot load a 165gr bullet out to the coal of a 200gr or 215gr bullet because the 165gr is much shorter and you may jam the Ogave into the lands. You can work with the same Ogave measurement on different weight bullets and be OK, but not the coal.
There are several things made and ways to measure the base to Ogave against the lands. It will be a great help to you to learn how to do that. Just beware of loading to far out and jam the lands, it can cause a pressure problem and come to no good..!!

 

[FEENIX]

The lighter bullets are going to have a shorter coal vs a heavier one, but the length to the Ogave can be the same. That is why your bullet stuck in the barrel, the Ogave was to far out because the coal was to long for that grain weight bullet.
Feenix shows a load with his calipers that has a longer coal than my 215gr Hybrid VLD's. That tells me it is farther to his lands than my rifle. That's the reason you need to measure your own rifle versus what someone else uses.
You cannot load a 165gr bullet out to the coal of a 200gr or 215gr bullet because the 165gr is much shorter and you may jam the Ogave into the lands. You can work with the same Ogave measurement on different weight bullets and be OK, but not the coal.
There are several things made and ways to measure the base to Ogave against the lands. It will be a great help to you to learn how to do that. Just beware of loading to far out and jam the lands, it can cause a pressure problem and come to no good..!!

I agree!

I don't remember exactly how far off the lands that is (did it ~4 years ago or so) but I started at .020" IIRC. However, my latest loads (within the last 6 months) are as follows:

190 Berger VLD = .015" off the lands
- 2.886" base to bullet ogive

208 A-Max = .059" off the lands
- 3.600" base to tip of bullet
- 2.848" base to bullet ogive

 

[hubb]

Feenix, I don't have the measurements near me, but I jump the 208gr A-max I believe .035 in my rifle. I do know your length is quiet a bit longer than mine but without going into my notes I cant remember how much. There again is the reason for measuring to the lands in each rifle, they are all going to be different.
I have a G.A.Precision 300 win mag and it shoots the 208gr A-max very well but I gave up trying to get them when they got hard to find and I haven't looked lately. I just used them mostly on days with some wind and still have several loaded. I have shot my best groups ever with 200gr SMK's .018 off the lands, ( I remember because I was going for .020 off and it came out .018 so I said close enough..heheh) I will say the 190gr SMK's shot very close to the 200gr.
I've not shot the 190gr VLD's but have the 185gr Hunting VLD, 215gr and 230gr. The 185gr Hunting shot well and the 215gr are close to my best loads. I just need to fool with them a little more.
Have a good'n

 

[FEENIX]

There again is the reason for measuring to the lands in each rifle, they are all going to be different.

Yep!

.208 A-Max load for my Savage111F

.208 A-Max load for my SAKOM995

 

[HARPERC]

You guys are correct in what you're saying.

My question is cruder and more from the back end. With The 168, and 185 Berger in trying to achieve just off the lands bullets are falling out of the case.

Looking at the heavier Bergers, I will likely skip the 190's as from the measurements compared to the chamber I'm working with it will not be sufficiently supported by the case either. Depending on market availability I'm thinking the 230's may be what I'm looking for.

Another factor in not being able to fine tune is, the current set of RCBS dies I'm using, has a seater incompatible with Berger bullets. Round to round variation from this die exceeds the tolerances you are describing.

New dies, and the ability to measure from the ogive, is likely in the near future.

Feenix, your initial measurements were exactly what I was looking for. The fact someone else's magazine and chamber are roughly the same as mine helped. I needed some perspective on the 0.3" before moving onto the issues of 0.003".

Thanks again guys.