Seating Consistency

[rocketman]

That was it thank you!

You're welcome! This kit was designed for use with the Hornady O.A.L. tool shown being used in the picture. I highly recommend getting that tool as well.

The number you measure with the comparator will be for comparing cartridges only and won't be found in a book anywhere. You will pick the closest size insert that touches at the ogive or ideally where the bullet would touch lands. Hornady tried to make all the inserts the exact same thickness but there may be variables with manufacturing tolerance. I highly recommend zeroing on the comparator tool and not on a closed caliper. For this, I also highly recommend a digital caliper.

 

[diggler1833]

Even the "good" bullets will have variances in bullet base to ogive. Enough to throw you off by a couple thousandths if you don't sort (which I don't).

Last night I had a Nosler Ballistic Tip that was .006 longer than the average to the ogive. I've turned that round upside down and will use it as a sighter. The rest were within .003, with about 90% being within .002.

If you just measure OAL, the meplat to base can vary by quite a bit. I'm usually pretty happy when I'm within .004 - .005 while using a match bullet. Sometimes it can be far worse. I've got some .224, 69gr SMK that have about .015 difference in OAL out of the same box of 100.

You want everything the same? Get out your comparator and sort beforehand. Not a lot of fun in my opinion though.

 

[diggler1833]

For what it's worth, I have some Hornady A-Tips with machined alunimium tips that are about a buck a piece. Each one of them still vary COAL even at that price.

^^^^^ Perfect example. Even my Berger Hybrids and Lapua Scenar-L ("sorted at the factory") bullets will vary by ~ .005 OAL and .002 to ogive throughout a box of 100.