keeki makes a good point....

I like to loose my sanity before I figured out it was the poly tip getting a little squished and giving variable lengths.

I measure all of my Noslers & Hornady's from the copper below the poly tip. It isn't perfect but it's a heckuva lot more consistant that using the bullet tip. Same goes for lead. If the bullet tip is getting pushed in by the lead tip, forget about accurate, consistant measurements.

Something else that drove me batty. Hornady XTP's for my 9mm & the 'lil woman's .380. Some brass fits a little more snug than others. When it does, it tends to squash the hollow point of the bullet. I got away from using Remington brass for pistols for that reason. Federal, Starline, Magtek and on rare occasion Win. brass for pistol loads.

Now I have to ask the question, unless you're shooting competition or BR, do you really need the COL to be that "spot on"? Will a few thousandths make that much difference or affect your accuracy that adversly?

Y'all have aroused my curiosity a bit. I don't pay that much attention to COL. Ammo ends up being + or - .005" , maybe even a little less. I don't see any ill affect to my results.

Whatcha think?

Frank in Fla..