Need some basics, bullet seating depth/crimping

   been shooting enfields for a while, and figured I would get into re-loading. I'm full case resizing right now, because I have a few enfields and haven't segregated my brass yet. I am using the 174gr RN interlock hornady .312" bullets. Here are my questions:

1. Overall length. I know 3.075" maximum or if you measure the chamber you can seat the bullet to be .005 from the lands. My understanding is that with non crimped bullets the closer to the lands the more accurate because of pressure variations at ignition. Things I have read have indicated that if the bullet is crimped ( I do have a factory crimp die) the pressure is able to stabilize before the bullet leaves the cartridge. This eliminates the need to place the bullet close to the lands for accuracy. Is this true? 

2. If I crimp at what depth do I crimp? The hornadys have an interlocking ring. Should I be lining the ring up with the case mouth? 

3. My initial rounds I was making to 3.070" COL, but the bullet is only seated about 0.17 inches. From what I have been able to gather 0.125 is a minimum. should I be ramming these things down to the interlock line? The bullets in my factory Igman 180gr I have are seated almost to the shoulder.

4. Loads I figured H4895 about 39gr with these 174 hornadys, any suggestions? I am planning on making 3 or 4 different loads and trying 10 in each of my enfields to get a good baseline of what each one likes.

Thanks for any help.

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macadoodle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 24 December 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Post Options Post Reply Quote macadoodle Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Need some basics, bullet seating depth/crimping Posted: 19 January 2010 at 5:14pm
	been shooting enfields for a while, and figured I would get into re-loading. I'm full case resizing right now, because I have a few enfields and haven't segregated my brass yet. I am using the 174gr RN interlock hornady .312" bullets. Here are my questions: 1. Overall length. I know 3.075" maximum or if you measure the chamber you can seat the bullet to be .005 from the lands. My understanding is that with non crimped bullets the closer to the lands the more accurate because of pressure variations at ignition. Things I have read have indicated that if the bullet is crimped ( I do have a factory crimp die) the pressure is able to stabilize before the bullet leaves the cartridge. This eliminates the need to place the bullet close to the lands for accuracy. Is this true? 2. If I crimp at what depth do I crimp? The hornadys have an interlocking ring. Should I be lining the ring up with the case mouth? 3. My initial rounds I was making to 3.070" COL, but the bullet is only seated about 0.17 inches. From what I have been able to gather 0.125 is a minimum. should I be ramming these things down to the interlock line? The bullets in my factory Igman 180gr I have are seated almost to the shoulder. 4. Loads I figured H4895 about 39gr with these 174 hornadys, any suggestions? I am planning on making 3 or 4 different loads and trying 10 in each of my enfields to get a good baseline of what each one likes. Thanks for any help.
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Shamu Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25 April 2007 Location: MD, USA. Online Status: Offline Posts: 1199	Post Options Post Reply Quote Shamu Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 20 January 2010 at 6:22am
	Crimping has far more to do with keeping the bullet in place in the case under recoil than accuracy! Crimps have sometimes reduced accuracy, so benchresters have tended to avoid them for just that reason. If you crimp you absolutely MUST have the crimp at the cannelure (crimp groove) of the bullet, this overrides all other things including seating depth & COAL. This is because the callelure is there to give the displaced metal somewhere to go to when squeeezed down by the die. I test to see if the where the bullet will contact the rifling. Usually it is not possible to feed from the magazine with bullets seated to kiss the rifling, due to the longish throat. YMMV with round nose bullets though I use spitzers only. Usually this means I end up loading to maximum OAL that'll feed thru the magazine.
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LE Owner Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 December 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 371	Post Options Post Reply Quote LE Owner Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 20 January 2010 at 1:11pm
	For maximum accuracy the less the pull strength of neck to bullet fit the less effect variations in pull strength have on consistent velocity from one shot to the next. I not only don't crimp, I also only resize 2/3rd the length of the neck. I load short 150 gr bullets seated to maximum OAL that wll still fit the Magazine, an even 3 inches. This leaves the crimping cannelure of the 150 gr Hornady exposed so crimping is not an option. I found that using my methods I can get consistent sub MOA groups. Another benchrest trick I use is to mark and rotate the cases 180 for the second firing. This way the now equally expanded case body and unsized portion of the neck centers the bullet to the bore line and the primer to the firing pin. When foregoing the crimp you may need to use an undersized expander plug, to make sure the neck holds the bullet securely.

macadoodle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 24 December 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Post Options Post Reply Quote macadoodle Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 February 2010 at 8:37pm
	cool, thanks for the advice.
	That Liberal is out there. It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse - only fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until your guns are gone.

nitro-express Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 02 September 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote nitro-express Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 02 September 2010 at 2:06pm
	good advice, but please remember that there are lots of chamber and troat size variations with 303 British rifles and some dies resize even smaller than new brass. if your chamber is on the large size and some other things are not real right find a recipe that gives you both good case life and accuracy. you may have to lap out your die for your particular rifle. for a beginner I would suggest that you seat the hornady bullet so you can crimp in the cannelure and give it a good crimp. neck size on the second reload. then start playing with seating depth. using a Lee collet die for resizing is a good way to keep case head seperation to a minimum. IMO stick to the basics for the 303, save the tricks for your 223 or similiar bench/varmit rifle. after all not many of us own just one rifle. in the past (early 70's) i always had good luck with the 150 gr hornady bullets and 3031 powder. BLC(2) would be my first choice today