Ok oal questions.

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crow#2

Single-Sixer
Joined
Dec 21, 2023
Messages
414
Location
Mooreland Indiana
I'm trying to be as cautious as I can. So ? According to oal and given a lead bullet with a crimp groove ,I cannot get the reccomended oal due to trying to get the crimp groove in position so the case mouth will be crimped into the groove. Second ? Since I mostly load on the starting grains and very seldom go to around 75%of max. I'm always pretty well below max. Should I continue as I am or get the oal back to reccomendation of manuals? If I go to max
Oal I will be crimping with the crimp groove hidden by case mouth. Hope I make sense. I'm not as technical or even close as most of you guys.I always try to pick my loads that will fill as much of the case as I can and I try for a medium pressure not max not low just in the middle. Ok enough of my babble. Thanks
 

gster

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 13, 2014
Messages
109
Location
N.C. Pa.
I always crimp in the crimp groove on my cast bullets. As long as you are loading to the "start" grs. you'll be fine. Watch for pressure signs as you go.
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,473
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
If you are staying away from max loads,, and the bullet is crimped in the groove,, you should be fine. Cast bullets can be a little different,, and since you aren't loading to jacketed pressures,, the OAL isn't as critical as you'd think. Just make sure they feed ok in the gun.
 

rkrcpa

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
353
Location
SE Pennsylvania
When using a lead bullet with a crimp groove, the correct OAL is established when the bullet is seated such that the case mouth is located in the crimp groove. If the manual you are using does not show that OAL my first thought is that the manual does not include data for the bullet you are using.
 

jgt

Buckeye
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
1,002
Location
coleman texas
When you look at your manual's loading data, be sure and look at the footnotes. In most manuals there will be one load listed that had the best accuracy for that load. It may have an asterisk or a star in that row.
 
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