07-06-2020, 07:25 AM
Why bother with removing ejector etc?
Just take a cleaning rod or any wooden rod, longer then the barrel + action..
run rod through barrel until you come out of the action, align it with the center of the bolt and close it. Mark the rod on the end of the barrel (use a knife, or pen). Now remove bolt and insert the bullet. Take another rod from bolt side. With this and the long barrel-rod you now have the bullet fixed inbetween, now you should also be able to move the bullet back and forth and you will feel it hitting the lands. Now find a possition where the bullet sticks, but just barrely.. now mark the rod.
the two marks are max COAL.
You can also do the split necked case, just insert a bullet and close bolt.. then measure the COAL. Repeat a couple times. Later verify with a properly seated bullet in a calibrated case, if its to long it will show marks of the lands.
But chasing lands is pointless. If a bullet does not group in any load range with documented COAL, it wont do it just because its close or into the lands. Only reason why i bother with this is when i have a new bullet that im not sure about COAL on.
Magazine is often the max anyway, 58mm in my howa mini. bullets that work for me work in almost all coals from 56 to 58.
Just take a cleaning rod or any wooden rod, longer then the barrel + action..
run rod through barrel until you come out of the action, align it with the center of the bolt and close it. Mark the rod on the end of the barrel (use a knife, or pen). Now remove bolt and insert the bullet. Take another rod from bolt side. With this and the long barrel-rod you now have the bullet fixed inbetween, now you should also be able to move the bullet back and forth and you will feel it hitting the lands. Now find a possition where the bullet sticks, but just barrely.. now mark the rod.
the two marks are max COAL.
You can also do the split necked case, just insert a bullet and close bolt.. then measure the COAL. Repeat a couple times. Later verify with a properly seated bullet in a calibrated case, if its to long it will show marks of the lands.
But chasing lands is pointless. If a bullet does not group in any load range with documented COAL, it wont do it just because its close or into the lands. Only reason why i bother with this is when i have a new bullet that im not sure about COAL on.
Magazine is often the max anyway, 58mm in my howa mini. bullets that work for me work in almost all coals from 56 to 58.