As a new guy on this forum I would like to pose a question regarding bullet seating depths. Most everyone follows the guidelines set forth in the loading handbooks which is a safe value applicable for all firearms of that caliber. And I agree. However, we hand load for the purpose of economy and imnprovement of ballistics over and above that of the hanbooks. Thus.... what is the ideal distance of the bullet from the rifling when chambered. Speer suggests backing off the seating stem one full turn from touching which on my Browning 22-250 equates to .025".
What do you make of this?

I think that there are too many variables involved to have one magical distance back from the lands. I think you'll have to determine what works best in your gun via trial and error.

What Recon says has much merit. Each firearm is different in temperment and needs.

The .025 doesn't sound all that bad, considering. Most gun hacks and manufacturers recommend anywhere from .015 to .030 standoff of the lands.

I have my own personal rules.

1) Must be seated to clear the magazine well by at least .030 for proper feed and functioning if in bolt action.

2) If possible, bullet must be seated in the neck at least one full bullet diameter, exclusive of the boattail.

3) If all requisites above are met, then will try for about .020 standoff as a margin of safety.

4) If a heavy recoiling rifle and especially if tube fed, seat to the cannulure and crimp.

Not to mention different bullets will react differently. Lead likes to be on the lands. Most jacketed like to be somewhere between .010 and .030, and then there are the X bullet types that like .050 off. For lead I seat to the lands and have pretty much found that works best most of the time. For jacketed I start at .030 and find the best load, then with that load start moving in closer or as close as the magazine will allow if a mag fed rifle. On X, I start at .050 and follow as for jacketed. Almost every gun will have its own sweet spot if you want absolutely the best accuracy the rifle has to offer. For varmint rifles and target rifles it's worth the effort. For normal game rifles I have started to get lazy, lead on the lands, jacketed .030 off, and X bullets .050 off if possible. Over 35 years of reloading has told me that these figures will almost always give me a load I can live with, and if more accuracy is wanted I can tweak it later for the most the rifle has to give.

Thanks to all for your time in replying to my "Bullet seating depths" question. Guess I am in the safe ball park and have a starting point from which to work.
Thanks again,
Jim ;)

I've recently acquired an 1885 Winchester in .38-55 that I've started reloading for; currently seating the Leadheads (Beartooth's still hasn't shipped my order) at 0.003" off the lands. As I may try some BP loads, do you know if they can also be in contact with the rifling?

Thanks.


Not to mention different bullets will react differently. Lead likes to be on the lands. Most jacketed like to be somewhere between .010 and .030, and then there are the X bullet types that like .050 off. For lead I seat to the lands and have pretty much found that works best most of the time. For jacketed I start at .030 and find the best load, then with that load start moving in closer or as close as the magazine will allow if a mag fed rifle. On X, I start at .050 and follow as for jacketed. Almost every gun will have its own sweet spot if you want absolutely the best accuracy the rifle has to offer. For varmint rifles and target rifles it's worth the effort. For normal game rifles I have started to get lazy, lead on the lands, jacketed .030 off, and X bullets .050 off if possible. Over 35 years of reloading has told me that these figures will almost always give me a load I can live with, and if more accuracy is wanted I can tweak it later for the most the rifle has to give.

Lead bullets, no problem seating them into the lands. Often this helps accuracy a bit. Seat them so there are little bitty marks from the rifling after you load a round into the chamber and extract it.

I normally start at 0.020" from the rifling with any jacketed bullet and 0.050" with any Barnes "X" bullet.