Cartridge OAL Question

[trubulator]

The next thing I plan on playing with is Barnes 100 grain ttsx in a Ruger American Predator with a 22" barrel. I'd like to stick to AR-safe data in case I choose to use the resulting load in an AR. I finally scored some 8208, so I would like to work with that powder for starters.

My question is what OAL I should be using. I usually load for grendel at 2.26 or close to it. However, the Barnes data for this bullet indicates and OAL of 2.235. My recollection is that the copper bullets often shoot better with some jump. I imagine some of you have loaded for this bullet. Any advice?

[grayfox]

I use 2.270 for this 100 gr ttsx, for H335 I've got 2.275. I've shot it in the ruger, the howa and now a replacement barrel from preferred barrels. Bolt actions tend to have longer allowed coal's, but when I did length tests for the group size 2.270 won out.
Now every barrel is different so my process is to first find a node using MV and sd for groups of 4 or 5 each powder charge, then tune by adjusting OAL. I started the ttsx at 2.260. The 2.235 imo is just too short. you will still have plenty in the case neck at the 2.270-75.

Another option you have is primer type since it is bolt action. cci450 is what most folks use but that's needed esp for the ARs. I'm using federal 205's in my bolt actions, again that's what produced the best results.

[trubulator]

Thanks, Greyfox. I will start out at 2.26, then. My choices for SR primers are CCI 450 or CCI 41, which I think are pretty much the same thing. Since this ammo may end up getting used in an ar at some point, I'd just as soon stick with a good primer for that platform.

[grayfox]

yeah either one.
The other thing I do when I'm in doubt of OAL (as long as I'm not jamming anything) is to line up the bullet against the case neck and measure to make sure I have one caliber (0.264 in this case) against the neck's inside. usually that means enough shank against the whole neck-length... if you can allow it then the boat tail just drops down into the shoulder area...
Works for all but the stubbiest of pills... the pro hunter has to be seated shorter in order to give some jump, it's so fat at the tip lol.

[trubulator]

yeah either one.
The other thing I do when I'm in doubt of OAL (as long as I'm not jamming anything) is to line up the bullet against the case neck and measure to make sure I have one caliber (0.264 in this case) against the neck's inside. usually that means enough shank against the whole neck-length... if you can allow it then the boat tail just drops down into the shoulder area...
Works for all but the stubbiest of pills... the pro hunter has to be seated shorter in order to give some jump, it's so fat at the tip lol.

Interesting. My hope is that I may be about done working with different bullets after the TTSX. Already have target loads I like based on Barnes Match Burner, which is cheap. Maybe will fool with a cast bullet in the bolt gun at some point, but that is a whole other ballgame.

[cory]

I settled on 2.265" for my 16" Grendel and 2.275" for my 11.5" as my best load, both over 30gr of 8208xbr. I typically load these in "bulk" at 2.265" for both rifles. The 0.01" doesn't make enough of a difference in my 11.5" to be worth keeping up with.

[Koda]

...... I'd like to stick to AR-safe data in case I choose to use the resulting load in an AR. ......

My question is what OAL I should be using......

You kinda answered your own question there. The OAL for the Grendel is 2.260 max which fits in an AR mag. Many copper bullets work well with a jump but they are really just less sensitive to jump, it doesn't hurt to start farther out for more case capacity and fine tune from there seating deeper.

[Harpoon1]

My question is what OAL I should be using. I usually load for grendel at 2.26 or close to it. However, the Barnes data for this bullet indicates and OAL of 2.235. My recollection is that the copper bullets often shoot better with some jump. I imagine some of you have loaded for this bullet. Any advice?

If it were me, I’d load them to what the Barnes data says and shoot them. In both guns. If it doesn’t work in one or the other, then start “experimenting” with OAL. Generally speaking, loading longer with the same powder charge usually means, less case volume, less pressure and slower speeds. All things being equal, copper monolithic projectiles expand better at higher speeds. YMMV!

[grayfox]

I'm shooting my 100 ttsx through my 20" AR with OAL of 2.275, in an AR mag. Many AR magazines will allow OAL greater than 2.260, like CP, ASC, Duramags etc. The Elander is tightest (from what I recall, I do not use them for this reason) at ~2.260.
My duramags will allow seating out to 2.295" and still work for them.
I shoot 129 ABLR's at 2.295, again out of an AR. I can go (and have gone) even longer in a howa or Ruger predator, which is what OP has, a bolt gun.
Someone can certainly stick with 2.260 if they like, or even 2.235 (Barnes book value) for the ttsx. Or you can find what works best in your gun with your barrel.

Edit to add, the only factor really limiting the Ruger is how well a particular cartridge will load from an AR mag -- I have had trouble in the past with that on a couple Rugers... some folks however have reportedly fixed that issue in theirs, so for Rugers you just have to try and see.