Savage 12 VLP Chamber

I recently acquired a 12 VLP in .223 and I have been working up handloads. When trying to determine bullet seating depth I went to someon who has a Hornady Lock n Load Overall Length Gauge tool. For Sierra 69 grain HPBT Matchkings we got a reading of 2.175 " to the lands, and with Sierra 53 grain HP Matchkings the reading was 2.160. This seems very short for the .223 which has a maximum OAL of 2.260. I have had no trouble shooting factory ammo with OAL greater than the readings we got. Seems to me we may have not measured it accurately.

Do these measurements sound right?

I have had problems getting that tool to work right.

What I have done is get a general idea, then start loading a series of bullets .005 longer until I get the bullet a bit stuck in the lands (if you can't extract a tap on a wooden dowel will knock it out. )

They also say to tap hard on the rod to get a good (or better reading).

I don't have the data but I don't think I went more than .020 further than the Hornady measured.

the .100 sounds a lot, but if it shoots its not an issue. I don't know what the approach on that chamber are. Is it SAMI, NATO or Wylde etc?

The reading can be siwash if not done on the straight part (you can get an angle to it depending on which side you use) , but in that case it would be long and not short.

Thank you RC20, that helps. I am going back to the old fashioned way of doing this.