finally got my comparator guage kit and was able to check cartridge base to ogive lengths for 168 gr vld hunters in my .308. The SAAMI specs have this as a 2.800" cartridge, and as such I've loaded it to that with other bullets. Now, the vld is a fairly long bullet I believe, so may not be a fair comparison of other bullets, but the coal with the ogive touching the rifling was .16" longer then SAAMI specs! I commonly here to try loading .02" off the lands, meaning if I had loaded the vld according to SAAMI specs in my gun I would have been 8 times farther off the land then is commonly loaded.
Once again the vld isn't a short bullet so this would probably not hold true for other bullets.
Just thought it illustrated the value of measuring cbto vs coal.
Once again the vld isn't a short bullet so this would probably not hold true for other bullets.
Just thought it illustrated the value of measuring cbto vs coal.