Tolerances For Oal?

[Matt Griffin]

After setting up my 650, I'm seeing some deviation in OAL, from 1.120 to 1.126ish. The die seems to settle about 3-4 thousandths longer after cycling a few times, but the deviation is constant through the first 50 rounds reloaded.

Questions:

1. What is an acceptable tolerance on OAL for both safety and performance?

2. Should I always anticipate having the die settle out after the first setting, and adjust accordingly?

This is on a 650 with Dillon dies, .40.

H.

[Allgoodhits]

After setting up my 650, I'm seeing some deviation in OAL, from 1.120 to 1.126ish. The die seems to settle about 3-4 thousandths longer after cycling a few times, but the deviation is constant through the first 50 rounds reloaded.

Questions:

1. What is an acceptable tolerance on OAL for both safety and performance?

2. Should I always anticipate having the die settle out after the first setting, and adjust accordingly?

This is on a 650 with Dillon dies, .40.

H.

Same brand and type of brass, same quality jacket bullets, properly adjusted shell plate, proper seater plug (some are reversable) for bullet nose type and after the shell plate has all stations full, then the variation should be < .003 on a 650, and often within .001

Any of the above could cause that range to broaden.

My .02 +/- .000010

[shred]

Here's a little more on the OAL variation topic..

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...0586&hl=oal

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...3531&hl=oal

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...opic=32728&

[Matt Griffin]

Here's a little more on the OAL variation topic..

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...0586&hl=oal

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...3531&hl=oal

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...opic=32728&

Thanks for the info, it was a mixed lot of brass, so that's probably it. Looks like 5 thousands isn't a problem, per se, so that's a relief.

H.

[Carlos]

Also, your OAL of 1.120" is NOT the recommended OAL, rather, it is the MINIMUM SAFE OAL.

You asked: "Questions: 1. What is an acceptable tolerance on OAL for both safety and performance?"

If you are interested in both safety and best feeding performance (depending on gun design) you might want to load as long as 1.135 to 1.150" for guns which were originally designed around the shorter 9mm platform - specifically, .40 caliber Glocks. Some other 9mm-length .40 cal guns include Berettas, XDs, Sigs, etc., but NOT the common STI/SV versions of the 1911 (actually 2011s); the latter can handle .40 loaded almost to 10mm OALS.

However, 1.135 to 1.150 should work in almost all .40s. Besides being more reliable as to feeding in Glocks, the longer OAL will offer LOWER pressures and greater margin of safety in case of a set-back.

Edited November 27, 2006 by Carlos

[Matt Griffin]

Also, your OAL of 1.120" is NOT the recommended OAL, rather, it is the MINIMUM SAFE OAL.

You asked: "Questions: 1. What is an acceptable tolerance on OAL for both safety and performance?"

If you are interested in both safety and best feeding performance (depending on gun design) you might want to load as long as 1.135 to 1.150" for guns which were originally designed around the shorter 9mm platform - specifically, .40 caliber Glocks. Some other 9mm-length .40 cal guns include Berettas, XDs, Sigs, etc., but NOT the common STI/SV versions of the 1911 (actually 2011s); the latter can handle .40 loaded almost to 10mm OALS.

However, 1.135 to 1.150 should work in almost all .40s. Besides being more reliable as to feeding in Glocks, the longer OAL will offer LOWER pressures and greater margin of safety in case of a set-back.

The Speer manual doesn't really address this, is there a good source online for information such as this?

H.