Determining Maximum OAL

[zzulu]

On another forum a member said that he found a reliable method to determine the maximum OAL for a specific bullet and barrel by using a dowel as a measurement tool. He said that he found it on one of the BE forums.

Can anyone steer me toward this thread. I am unable to locate it with the search tool.

Many thanks,

ZZ

[ZackJones]

Here ya go: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=167553#entry1860182

[zzulu]

Thank you much, ZackJones!

ZZ

[bubba68]

Have you heard of the "Plunk Test" that is the best way to determine the maximum COL for the bullet you are shooting using your barrel as a gauge.

[zzulu]

Yes I have heard of it but I am not certain what sound I am listening for and it is for that very reason that I am looking at a more empirical way to establish an optimum OAL. I have reloaded with jacketed projectiles for many years but now I am switching to 9mm LRN bullets for range use and they seem to require an OAL in the vicinity of 1.090" to keep the ogive off the lands and a far cry from the OAL I am used to for jacketed bullets, 1.125" to 1.130". I can see a full blown charge ladder on the horizon.

The gun is a G17 with a Storm Lake barrel. Bullets are 115 Gr LRN from Oregon Trail.

ZZ

[CZ85Combat]

read this post from the CZ Forum.

thanks to Wobbly.

http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=34225.0

[zzulu]

Thanks to CZ85Combat and Wobbly. This was helpful.

ZZ

[Chris_C]

I just take an unsized case, barely seat the bullet in with my hands (this can be a pain since the case mouth hasn't been belled), remove the barrel from the gun, and insert the case/bullet into the chamber. I push it in with my thumb firmly, then pull it back out and measure OAL. I do this multiple times, then take the smallest measurement and subtract 0.015 off and load to that. You can do this with a sampling of bullets if you want to make sure you account for variation in the bullet itself.