OAL for 300 wisper

[vic.c]

am going to load the subject, what is the oal for 216 fireball :roll: case & 220gr nosler partition? or where can i get this info?

[Quarterbore]

Welcome to the forums...!

I didn't realize that this info was not posted anywhere on my website until you asked... Shame on me!

Here is a good link that has a variety of 220-gr loads ofor the 300 Whisper (300/221 Fireball). I noticed that even on that page you will see that the bottom load lists the COL at 2.16-inches.

I don't have any cases on hand that I have loaded to measure myself but I did have a box of Corbon ammo with the 220-gr bullet. These measure to an approximate average COL of 2.227-inches.

Note, the overall length that is correct for your bullet is really defined by the bullet and your chamber. I normally confirm that my bullets are off the rifleing by loading a bulet on an UNPRIMED and UNCHARGED case leaving the bullet a little long. I then blacken the bullet with carbon from a candle. I cycle the round in my action and look for signs that the bullet struck the rifling. I then turn the seating die in a little and reseat the bullet deaper, reblacken the bullet and repeat the process.

When I finally get a case that just barely hits the rifling or better yet has no marks from the rifling, I mark this case with the bullet info as my CHAMBER LENGTH for the bullet. I then turn the die down another turn and use that as my case length for reloading. I also one case loaded to this depth as my "Reloading Master" to help me set my dies for the next time I want to use that specific bullet.

Now, I normally do that for my varmint and target loads and in a semiauto where you don't need maximum accuracy you might want more forgiveness if you don't check your lengths all that much... I load like this for my DCM/CMP upper but not for normal plinking 223 ammo.

Also note, reloading advise is advise based on my experience. I strongly suggest you defer to a good manual as I really can't accept responsibility if you do something wrong while trying to follow any advise posted here!

Note, I was shocked to find the Corbon loads to be as short as 2.220 to 2.310-inches in length. Most of the rounds were about 2.260-2.270 however.

[300whisper_newbie]

Originally Posted by Quarterbore

Note, I was shocked to find the Corbon loads to be as short as 2.220 to 2.310-inches in length. Most of the rounds were about 2.260-2.270 however.

QB,

This is not suprising. COAL is a good measure, however the distance from the casehead to the ogive of the bullet where it makes contact with the rifling is what truly determines accuracy. If you look at a selection of SMK they will all by slightly different length due to the way the hp tip is formed, however sierra goes to great pains to make the ogive the same shape. Several companies make ogive comparators so that you can truly measure the distance of the ogive-to-casehead dimmensions. They just slip over the point of the bullet. Most match grade bullet seaters do not seat by the nose of the bullet but by the ogive and thats why you'll see slightly different COAL for the same seating depths.

--Chris

[Quarterbore]

Very good point and I didn't think of that fact as a reason for using a dummy round to adjust your dies to determine the seat depth as opposed to COL. My old buddies who shoot off the bench with their really big guns would be upset with me for forgetting that fact...

FWIW, I have a couple friends that I used to work with at a gun shop that shoot 1000-yrd Bench Rest guns. With those guns the secret is doing everything exactly the same every time. It's the first time I saw anybody weigh their match bullets and sort them before reloading...

[usma89]

I have found a great way to do OAL. I took a stoney point OAL 223 case gauge and trimmed it down with a Lee 221 Fireball trimmer. I resized the case and use it in my AR. I will use it on my new bolt action as soon as Marty gets it to me.