Question about choosing bullet seating depth...

Again...I'm new to reloading so another question.... I'm loading for my 12LRP in 6.5 CM...I've played around with some different charge weights and am ready to try some different bullet seating depths. So far I've loaded for a .03 jump. I've decided to stick with 40.8 grains of Hodgen 4350 and using Hornady brass. So my questions are: Assuming I want less of a jump, what increments should I use? Will pressure increase with every change that shortens the jump or only when actually going too far into the lands? Also curious what others are using successfully.

Thanks in advance!!

I think most would do the opposite. Starting with a seating depth very close, then increasing the jump in increments, looking for better accuracy.
Not everybody agrees that powder plays much of a roll in accuracy, bullet choice and seating depth being more important.

I always start at .020" off as if too close or into lands you might hit pressure sooner. Also using the Hornady bullets in my Creedmoor I have never had to change from that for accuracy. I only changed one with the 147 ELD to .030" off to give myself a little room in the magazine but it shot equally well at .020 and .030".

What bullet you using?

I load my .260 rem using 43 gr. H4350 and the Hornady 143 ELD-X.... my seating depth is .004 off. I started at .04 off, then to .02 off, and then to .004 off which I got that seating depth from Sam @ panhandle precision... 1/4 MOA shooter if I am doing "well" that day.

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Originally Posted by Rob01

I always start at .020" off as if too close or into lands you might hit pressure sooner. Also using the Hornady bullets in my Creedmoor I have never had to change from that for accuracy. I only changed one with the 147 ELD to .030" off to give myself a little room in the magazine but it shot equally well at .020 and .030".

What bullet you using?

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Sorry...140 GR Hornady eld

140 ELDs are pretty jump tolerant. Even at factory OAL they shoot great. All the ELDs I have shot have been that way. That's why I start at .020 and leave it there.

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Originally Posted by SageRat Shooter

I load my .260 rem using 43 gr. H4350 and the Hornady 143 ELD-X.... my seating depth is .004 off. I started at .04 off, then to .02 off, and then to .004 off which I got that seating depth from Sam @ panhandle precision... 1/4 MOA shooter if I am doing "well" that day.

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Great guy, website, and fantastic videos!

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Originally Posted by SageRat Shooter

I load my .260 rem using 43 gr. H4350 and the Hornady 143 ELD-X.... my seating depth is .004 off. I started at .04 off, then to .02 off, and then to .004 off which I got that seating depth from Sam @ panhandle precision... 1/4 MOA shooter if I am doing "well" that day.

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SRS, I get the feeling you really like your new 260!! :cool:

When working up a load I always start using the recommended C.O.A.L. the loading manual data shows for that particular bullet. I start at the bottom of the charge table and load 5 rds. Then bump it up 1/2 gn and load 5 more. Keep doing so until I reach the top end of the table. I then go shoot all at separate targets and note group sizes. Find the best and then load 5 .2 gn under 5 .1 gn under 5 the same as the group previously shot 5 .1gn over and lastly 5 .2 gn over. Go shoot. keep breaking the charge weight down incrementally untill I get the best group. I then take that groups load and start playing with seating depth. I change the depth starting in .010" increments each way. This can get tricky though. What might have been a safe load say .040" off the lands could very well be a dangerously high pressure loading seated into the lands. You need to be watchful of pressure signs throughout the process.

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Originally Posted by Robinhood

SRS, I get the feeling you really like your new 260!! :cool:

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Robinhood,

I do like my 260... Sorry if I've been a little overboard with my enjoyment of it as of late. It's the most accurate rifle I've ever owned and I'm pretty proud of the fact that I put it all together; and after 500 rounds down the tube, I'm picking up some MV. Settling in about 2800 fps below 5000 ft. and a little over 2850 at 5000 ft.

It's allowing me to make shots that I didn't think I was even capable of particularly in the wind. It's very rare for me to have everything turn out exactly the way I imagined it... This is one of those cases where it worked out better than I imagined it, even if I did have a few speed bumps n the road to success.

Gonna try and stretch it out to 800 this weekend if weather cooperates. :rockon:

I start every load in every new barrel at .020 jump. If I find after initial load dev it might benefit to test seating depth I work +/- .005 from starting point (i.e. .025 and .015). If a bullet takes more effort than that, I find a different bullet that the barrel agrees with better. When accuracy starts to fall off I re-measure than lands and reset the seating depth to initial starting point, if the lands are to long and velocity does not come back up I bump the charge a few tenths of a grain. If that doesn't get her done, I retire the barrel (from competition at least).

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Originally Posted by Robinhood

SRS, I get the feeling you really like your new 260!! :cool:

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Originally Posted by SageRat Shooter

Robinhood,

I do like my 260... Sorry if I've been a little overboard with my enjoyment of it as of late. It's the most accurate rifle I've ever owned and I'm pretty proud of the fact that I put it all together; and after 500 rounds down the tube, I'm picking up some MV. Settling in about 2800 fps below 5000 ft. and a little over 2850 at 5000 ft.

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Preaching to the choir as far as I am concerned. If Remington had introduced it with a properly fast twist it would have built a larger following. It's the berries in a light sporter whitetail rifle - none better. But some as good. ;-)

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Originally Posted by Stumpkiller

Preaching to the choir as far as I am concerned. If Remington had introduced it with a properly fast twist it would have built a larger following. It's the berries in a light sporter whitetail rifle - none better. But some as good. ;-)

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If Remington did do it right then the Creedmoor might not have come around but as you said they dropped the ball in rifles and ammo. It might have taken off like the Creedmoor did if more rifle makers jumped on board but they didn't either and it stayed around anyways in custom rifles.

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Originally Posted by Rob01

If Remington did do it right then the Creedmoor might not have come around but as you said they dropped the ball in rifles and ammo. It might have taken off like the Creedmoor did if more rifle makers jumped on board but they didn't either and it stayed around anyways in custom rifles.

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The deciding factor for me going .260 vs. 6.5 Creed is that I'm a reloader and during my research, .260 Rem was reported to get an extra 50 fps of MV over the Creed.

Yeah it could be around there but when looking at the velocity for both 50fps is pretty much a wash. With factory 140 ELD ammo I am at 2820fps with one rifle and at 2880fps with the other. Same lot and only a 1" barrel length difference so more than just cartridge come into end velocity.

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Originally Posted by Rob01

Yeah it could be around there but when looking at the velocity for both 50fps is pretty much a wash. With factory 140 ELD ammo I am at 2820fps with one rifle and at 2880fps with the other. Same lot and only a 1" barrel length difference so more than just cartridge come into end velocity.

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I completely agree.... Was just saying that all things being equal... I decided to try and get the extra 50 fps. It is a "wash" as you say... that was just the deciding factor for me. The guy from Sniper's hide said in one of his vids... "if you reload, then go with the .260. If you don't, then go with the 6.5 Creed". So, I went with the .260 as I've never fired a factory round through a rifle in my entire life.

Again, I agree .... they are pretty much the same thing. And the critter down range won't know the difference either... :thumb:

That was probably an old video of Frank's as there was a time when the only brass that was available for the Creedmoor was the Hornady, that some don't like. Now with many others to use loading you can go with either. The brass was the major reason for that old statement about factory vs handloading more so than any performance differences.

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Originally Posted by Rob01

That was probably an old video of Frank's as there was a time when the only brass that was available for the Creedmoor was the Hornady, that some don't like. Now with many others to use loading you can go with either. The brass was the major reason for that old statement about factory vs handloading more so than any performance differences.

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I'm sure it was an older video from him as I started research about 3 years ago. Actually, he suggested it because of the lack of factory loaded rounds for the .260 (I found one box @ Cabelas) as apposed to the laundry list of 6.5 Creed factory loaded rounds.

I'm not trying to sway anyone from their choice between the 2. This thread was about "seating depths"... I was just giving my recipe for what I found to be "good" in my .260 as they are pretty much identical. Glad you like your Creed.

Not trying to sway anyone either. Both are excellent rounds. Just having a discussion. Been shooting the Creedmoor for 10 years so have a good deal of experience with it.

Roger that... you've got about 9.5 years of experience on me.

The ammo thing and the twist rate is why I went with the Creedmoor. Also the 30 degree shoulder and longer neck. I start at.020 out on seating depth but I have loaded into the lands when fire forming reformed brass but with reduced loads. I reformed some Lapua 308 large primer brass for my Creed and it turned out great but was a lot of work.