stupid question here

[DrLove]

very new to reloading and working on my first load ever. Now I thought I understood what OAL was until 5min ago. Can anyone help me again with the whole OAL/COL concept and how do you guys measure it correctly?

[Sarge]

oal is overall length. COL is Cartridge overall length. One in the same. I use calipers and measure the entire length of the loaded round.

[DrLove]

oal is overall length. COL is Cartridge overall length. One in the same. I use calipers and measure the entire length of the loaded round.

so I just read you should NOT measure the entire length of the round. is that correct? Which length is the one referred to in all the loading data is it tip to tip or something else? One more:) so the shorter the OAL, the less powder you can load right?

[kneelingatlas]

Overall Length: from the back of the round to the tip, that's it.

[Sarge]

oal is overall length. COL is Cartridge overall length. One in the same. I use calipers and measure the entire length of the loaded round.

so I just read you should NOT measure the entire length of the round. is that correct? Which length is the one referred to in all the loading data is it tip to tip or something else? One more:) so the shorter the OAL, the less powder you can load right?

Read the last sentence again. You DO measure the entire length of the loaded round.

Yes, all things being more or less equal the deeper the bullet(shorter oal) the less powder you use.

[DrLove]

Overall Length: from the back of the round to the tip, that's it.

ok, so here's why I got confused. The loading data says the max OAL for 9mm is 1.169. However, I have a factory round in my hand that measures 1.173. Are they really violating the rule or is it the wrong rule?

[DrLove]

oal is overall length. COL is Cartridge overall length. One in the same. I use calipers and measure the entire length of the loaded round.

so I just read you should NOT measure the entire length of the round. is that correct? Which length is the one referred to in all the loading data is it tip to tip or something else? One more:) so the shorter the OAL, the less powder you can load right?

Read the last sentence again. You DO measure the entire length of the loaded round.

Yes, all things being more or less equal the deeper the bullet(shorter oal) the less powder you use.

sorry, last stupid question. So all other things being equal. same amount of powder, the shorter the OAL, the more pressure, the more speed?

[aandabooks]

Get your bullet seated too deep and you get higher pressures. Also introduce feeding issues because it doesn't move up the feed ramp correctly.

[kneelingatlas]

Shorter OAL equates to more pressure, but pressure doe not have a linear relationship to velocity.

[gng4life]

Overall Length: from the back of the round to the tip, that's it.

ok, so here's why I got confused. The loading data says the max OAL for 9mm is 1.169. However, I have a factory round in my hand that measures 1.173. Are they really violating the rule or is it the wrong rule?

The loading data is going off their testing or they are using the SAAMI specs, which is 1.169 for a FMJ type bullet. Some load theirs out to 1.180 or longer but remember a JHP type bullet will be shorter OAL due to the nose configuration (ogive). I think you are loading for an XD and you probably won't be able to go out that far. You are mostly limited by the mag length, which will probably be more around 1.140 or somewhere around there.

[superdude]

You might find some of the information at the website below useful.

http://38super.net/Pages/Overall%20Length.html

[Hi-Power Jack]

Overall Length: from the back of the round to the tip, that's it.

max OAL for 9mm is 1.169. However, I have a factory round in my hand that measures 1.173.

Rony, I'd seriously suggest you take this reloading thing VERY SLOWLY - ask a lot of

questions - don't even attempt to load 9mm major until you get the basics down.

Start with PF 140 or so - and PLEASE use a chronograph - that way you know how

fast your reloads are going.

Your OAL must be determined by you and your gun and the individual bullet you

will be loading. If you change bullets, you will probably need another OAL for that

specific bullet.

Good luck with it.

[kneelingatlas]

Yes, like Jack says, I have one barrel which can take a round nose bullet out to 1.165" but a hollow point only as long as 1.100".

[Fureio]

I'm also new to reloading - if you use a Dillion press - be sure to use the correct bullet seating configuration. My seating die can be flipped internally to seat flat nose and round nose.

[GrumpyOne]

oal is overall length. COL is Cartridge overall length. One in the same. I use calipers and measure the entire length of the loaded round.

so I just read you should NOT measure the entire length of the round. is that correct? Which length is the one referred to in all the loading data is it tip to tip or something else? One more:) so the shorter the OAL, the less powder you can load right?

Read the last sentence again. You DO measure the entire length of the loaded round.

Yes, all things being more or less equal the deeper the bullet(shorter oal) the less powder you use.

sorry, last stupid question. So all other things being equal. same amount of powder, the shorter the OAL, the more pressure, the more speed?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Sometimes mini hand grenade go off in hand when same amount of powder and shorter length happen.

If you shorten the OAL, you start the load process all over again. In other words, you change something you start from scratch, minimum powder weight, etc., then work back up to where you want it to be...unless you have a gazillion bucks and can afford to have fingers sewn back on every month or two.