Finding my lands and CAOL

[Blacknsilver]

Hi Guys. Just starting to load develop my .223 which I have just bought. It's got a longer throat so it can take the nato 556 case.

I have been trying a few ways to find my lands.

A few cases that I had you could slide a bullet into the neck with slight resistance. (69gr TMK)

i have then taken out the firing pin out of the bolt. One to check how well the empty case cycles.

I put the bullet in the neck of the case stuck out a fair way and slowly fed it in. Slowly closed the bolt behind. A few goes at this due to the bullet getting stuck at the lands but a few occasions it seemed to work. The bullet was pushed in to the case and I retrieved it giving me in theory giving me the distance to the lands. 2.375 I did this on a few goes resulting in the same measurement. So if I back off to COAL 2.350 I should be just off the lands?

i have a comparator bolt giving me an ogive of 1.750.

 

The data on the .223 says a Maximum over all length of 2.260.

Mine would be 2.350.

Am I safe to proceed?

I attempet to load a couple at the specs shown but the bullet would not seat in the case. Heard a. Crunch of the powder and the bullet was left in the die.

Luckly I checked a couple of cases only to notice that what I was thought and told about the brass that came with the rifle was FL sized was not. Some you could seat the bullet in by hand.

Hence using one of those to find the lands and trying to save some money in not buying an OAL gauge.

Any help would be helpful.

Thanks

[MrCetrizine]

If you don't want to buy a gauge.

Get a fired case that a bullet slips into easily. Press the neck against a hard flat surface to slightly dent it so the bullet can still be pushed in by hand but doesn't move on its own.

Then colour a bullet with permanent marker all over the sides.

Put the bullet in the case a little bit and hand feed it into the chamber. Close the bolt (intact, no need to strip it) then eject it. The bullet will probably get stuck in the lands, just push it out gently with a cleaning rod.

Now you should see that the case has rubbed the permanent marker off to a certain point on the bullet. Reseat the bullet to that point and measure. Repeat 5 times and take an average, that's your lands.

[Blacknsilver]

If you don't want to buy a gauge.

Get a fired case that a bullet slips into easily. Press the neck against a hard flat surface to slightly dent it so the bullet can still be pushed in by hand but doesn't move on its own.

Then colour a bullet with permanent marker all over the sides.

Put the bullet in the case a little bit and hand feed it into the chamber. Close the bolt (intact, no need to strip it) then eject it. The bullet will probably get stuck in the lands, just push it out gently with a cleaning rod.

Now you should see that the case has rubbed the permanent marker off to a certain point on the bullet. Reseat the bullet to that point and measure. Repeat 5 times and take an average, that's your lands.

I did try a very similar was the other night. I will try that way as well before I start and see if matches my results.

 

So my over all Lenght being longer. Nothing to worry about then?

[MrCetrizine]

No, some of my cartridges with 80 grain bullets are way over the SAAMI standard / magazine length.

[snakeman]

Been discussed previously - might help you

 

http://ukvarminting.com/forums/topic/36900-lands/

 

ATB

[Blue Haze]

Being over the book length means your ammo does not conform to SAMMI spec anymore. That does not matter - provided you work your load up in a safe way as normal.

 

Its one of the reasons that handloads must only be used in the rifle they were developed for.

[gunner]

Morning bNs , I'd personally ditch the brass and use new . Or if you can't wait I'd just FL size it all so it's uniform. The way I determine my coal is to cut a case neck in half lengthways. Seat a bullet by hand and with enough tention and a few goes it will give you your coal to within 3 thou ish . But you may of already determined that but it's a good thing to have on the bench as it will work with any bullet should you decide to change! Hope this helps you / anyone!

 

Ps , if anyone does this with a case remember to clean and deburr the case / neck as small bits of brass in the chamber throat barrel etc would not be good ! But you know that anyway

[Blacknsilver]

Thanks for the help guys. Going to try a test load a few later today.

I will have to FL size the brass. Funds can't stretch to new brass. The Lapua brass is only once fired so plenty of life in them for this stage in development.

I will Report back.

[VarmLR]

Your figures sound about right, but best to re-check. I use the same method as Gunner, and have verified the results with a mate's Hornady LNL COAL gauge. I would advise taking at least 10 measurements and using the average as the slightest jam or drag on the case can result in a few thou either way. Just keep a split case from each batch, ensuring it's new and FL sized and cut a neat slit in the neck, de-burring afterwards.