I know this is a question who's answer is"every barrel is different" and "gotta see what your rifle likes".....i understand. But I'm just wondering what the precision shooters use. Thank you for stopping in. Have a great day
Seating depth?
- Thread starter russkim04
- Start date
I start at 0.075 off and work from there. Usually don't have to do much work to get sub half moa at 500yds.
0.100" currently. Tested up to 0.130", worked fine. 100 seemed real solid, feeds well.
I usually start 0.060", test up. Have had to go lower to 0.045" (but did work up to 0.060") once and just recently I got butt hurt over sierras 110gr 6mm, which wanted 0.023" and then randomly turned off and gave me 2moa vertical strings. No wind, just very tall. Fuk those things. Never again.
I usually start 0.060", test up. Have had to go lower to 0.045" (but did work up to 0.060") once and just recently I got butt hurt over sierras 110gr 6mm, which wanted 0.023" and then randomly turned off and gave me 2moa vertical strings. No wind, just very tall. Fuk those things. Never again.
When I was shooting 6.5 Creedmoor and using Hornady 140gr ELDM's they liked a 0.060" jump. With my 6mm BRA and Sierra Matchking's, they like 0.030". I don't do as extensive testing any longer, I use what I know works for me and it saves me time and money.
I usually start .020” off. Hornady for me (ELDX) seem to like at least that. Have a few guns .030” or more off due to mag length issues and they shoot well
My 142 smk runs .010” off in my 260. 338 Lapua with 300 SMK liked .015” and my 284 fclass rifle I believe is .015” off with Berger vld.
When testing I generally like to pick a distance that’s got some wiggle room. So if .015, .020 and .025 shoot great I’ll select one of the shorter distances so as the lands wear the accuracy remains for longer. But with most of todays modern bullet designs they tend to be very forgiving
My 142 smk runs .010” off in my 260. 338 Lapua with 300 SMK liked .015” and my 284 fclass rifle I believe is .015” off with Berger vld.
When testing I generally like to pick a distance that’s got some wiggle room. So if .015, .020 and .025 shoot great I’ll select one of the shorter distances so as the lands wear the accuracy remains for longer. But with most of todays modern bullet designs they tend to be very forgiving
With 140 eldm/143 eldx I tested .010 off thru .160 off by vertical dispersion at 600 yds. Initially by .030 increments and then refined in a few spots by .010 and eventually .005 increments. I found that from ~.055 thru ~.085 jump I have ~2" vertical at 600 so I set my jump at .060 nominal (a little buffer incase I fuck up while loading in a hurry and seat a couple thou deep) and check my throat erosion at 500-700 rounds and reset my seating die as needed. Iirc I was at .024 throat erosion at 750 or 780 rounds.
There were other bands (iirc around .030 and .110 jump) that had similarly tight vertical at 600, even a little better, but they were not tolerant to throat erosion with a consistent band only .010-.015 wide so I ignored them.
Edit to add: this is all with a Criterion prefit in 6.5 creed. Ymmv but as far as I can tell from anecdotal reports, jump seems to follow bullet moreso than barrel.
There were other bands (iirc around .030 and .110 jump) that had similarly tight vertical at 600, even a little better, but they were not tolerant to throat erosion with a consistent band only .010-.015 wide so I ignored them.
Edit to add: this is all with a Criterion prefit in 6.5 creed. Ymmv but as far as I can tell from anecdotal reports, jump seems to follow bullet moreso than barrel.
Last edited:
Similar threads
