Make Your Own Length-to-Lands Gauge
RELOADING TIP: Andris Silins has come up with a simple way to measure length to the lands in your rifle:
“Here’s what I did to find length to lands for seating my bullets. I made four cuts into the neck of fire-formed brass. Then I pressed the bullet in lightly and chambered the entire gauge. As the cartridge chambers, the bullet slides back into the case to give you length to lands. It took less than five minutes to get it cut and working. A little light oil in the barrel just past the chamber helps ensure the bullet does not get stuck in the lands. It works great and is very accurate.
I made the cuts using a Dremel with a cut-off wheel. You can adjust tension two ways. First, you can make the cuts longer or shorter. Longer cuts = less tension. If you used only three cuts insted of four you would get more tension. The trick is to be gentle when you open and close the bolt. If you ram the bolt closed you may wedge the bullet into the lands. When you open the bolt it helps to keep a finger or two near by to guide the case out straight because the ejector wants to push it sideways.”
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Tags: Bullet Seating, Jam, OAL
I do the same thing more or less. However, instead of doing the cuts, I just kiss the neck with a resizing die. Just enough to give have little tension on the bullet. I always take several measurements to see how repeatable it is.
Yes, I agree about several measurements, because you need to be sure that the bullet hasn’t been pulled back out of the neck slightly (by the lands friction).