# OAL min or max?



## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

Being new to relaoding, i'm trying to sift through all the info out there and make an accurate load. in doing so, i've run into conflicting data. in my lee die sets they make mention in the chart of minimum overall length. that number is the same as the maximum oal listed in the latest lee reloading manual. fwiw, this is for my 300 weatherby and both max and min is 3.560 OAL. I've had great luck with 80grains of imr 7828 with an oal of 3.630. it's yielded .75" groups off sand bags at 200 yards consistently. 

so, is this a typo in the book? or are they saying 3.560 is the only oal you can run? in my other calibers i've been running .030 off the lands but this weatherby has a ton of freebore. 

My understanding is that i don't want to seat too short and cause high pressure. if i can still cycle it through the mag, it's not touching the lands and i have at least the same length in the neck of the case as the caliber diameter, I'm ok. is that correct?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I am surprised that they list a maximum oal. I have looked in a dozen manuals that I have and none of them list anything for a minimum or maximum length. 

The maximum oal is usually determined by the magazine box of your rifle. As long as the loaded round fits then it is OK to use. In a couple of my Weatherby rifles I load the bullet out as far as I can and I usually get the best accuracy this way, but I do have one a .257 Weatherby mag that loves for the bullet to be seated deeper than normal for a little bit more jump to the riflings.

I don't have a manual that list the SAMI standards for maximum oal for the .300 Weatherby but it sounds like that is what the Lee manual is telling you. By going by this measurement your loaded round will work in all rifles chambered for the .300 Weatherby.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

The printed OAL is the industry standard for that caliber. All guns are produced to chamber that specific OAL. Specific guns can vary, where the rifling start etc etc is up to the mfg to determine. That is where user experimentation in seating depth can sometimes improve accuracy.

Be careful though with bullets that are seated further out that they will still fit in the magazine of your particular gun.


-DallanC


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

Just an FYI here:

While this is true for rifle rounds, be aware that when you load pistol rounds you need to stick with suggested OAL as seating just a bit deeper can raise pressure significantly and too long may impact feeding reliability.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

The Nosler manual lists this for each caliber "maximum SAMI overall cartridge length..." I don't know that it really has to the very max as many place them closer to the lands making them longer.


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## dmoody (Jul 26, 2013)

This is what I normally do when handloading for a rifle I intend to hunt with:

Use an OAL gauge to find the max overall length with the bullet I've chosen, if that measurement is longer than what the magazine will hold I seat the bullets to just fit the mag and feed reliably. If the bullets will contact the lands and still fit the magazine I'll back them to .005" off the lands and start working a load for the best accuracy.


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

The manuals list the length the load, as they contructed it, so that users of the data will have approximately the same pressures. Going longer or shorter will change the case capacity thus changing the pressure. When going longer you also have to ensure you have enough bullet in the neck of the case, therefore neck tension, to ensure proper powder ignition.


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## Wes (Jan 3, 2008)

Here are some tools to determine the maximum OAL for your rifle. Every rifle is different. Max OAL that will chamber in your particular rifle is measured from the base of the case to the ogive of the bullet not the tip. This may be too long to feed thru your magazine. If thats the case you'll have to find the seating depth that your rifle likes that will still fit the magazine.
http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloadi...ock-n-load-oal-gauge-standard--prod35663.aspxhttp://www.sinclairintl.com/reloadi...ady-lock-n-load-modified-cases-prod32817.aspx
http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloadi...l-comparator-body-w-14-inserts-prod36535.aspx
You'll also need a good caliper.
Wes


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## Wes (Jan 3, 2008)

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