How do you choose your OAL/COL ?This is a discussion on How do you choose your OAL/COL ? within the The Ammo Can forums, part of the Armory Talk category; I seat the bullet in the press until it's just below the base of the barrel (plunk test it). At this point, as long as ...
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05-15-2012, 05:56 PM
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#1
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How do you choose your OAL/COL ?
I seat the bullet in the press until it's just below the base of the barrel (plunk test it). At this point, as long as the cartridge is within min and max. allowable lengths I stick with that length.
I decided to ask this when I mentioned "plunk test" to one of the Hodgdon guys and he probably would have had a look on his face like I had three heads. Thanks.
Chris
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05-15-2012, 07:52 PM
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#2
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Never hurts to load as long as possible that still functions in your gun.
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05-15-2012, 08:00 PM
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#3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by XDRoX
Never hurts to load as long as possible that still functions in your gun.
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Like I said before, I use the plunk test to determine if it's going to run in my gun.. then test it of course. How do you get a preemptive evidence if it's going to run in your gun before you go making ten plus cartridges???
Chris
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05-16-2012, 01:40 PM
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#4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisG164
Like I said before, I use the plunk test to determine if it's going to run in my gun.. then test it of course. How do you get a preemptive evidence if it's going to run in your gun before you go making ten plus cartridges???
Chris
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Dummy rounds in YOUR gun. OAL is ALWAYS bullet & barrel specifc, regardless of any printed data source. The bullet must fit your gun. Always load to the longest OAL that runs in YOUR gun, again, regardless of printed data.
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05-16-2012, 01:49 PM
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#5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fredj338
Dummy rounds in YOUR gun. OAL is ALWAYS bullet & barrel specifc, regardless of any printed data source. The bullet must fit your gun. Always load to the longest OAL that runs in YOUR gun, again, regardless of printed data.
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That's what I'm asking though. Is it proper that I'm using the plunk test to determine that, or should I be making a set of dummy rounds and chambering/ejecting them by hand? With the plunk test I only need to make one dummy round that fits properly. Otherwise I'd be forced to make a series of different sized dummies until I found one that worked. The only bad thing (if you remember from my other thread) is that a lot of the dummy rounds I made would have to be smaller than specs state as min oal in order to be just below the base of the barrel.
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05-16-2012, 05:16 PM
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#6
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Well, dummy or live, you still have to make them. I don't think I understand the delima? The plunk test is valid, live or dummy round. A dummy round is just easier to put together & handle. You can then assemble the gun, charge the mag w/ at least 5rds & hand cylce them @ speed. Some mags will not accept certian bullets @ longer OAL as the roudns ar seated deeper in the mags. It's not just bbl fit but mag fit as well.
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NRA Cert. Instr: Basic Pistol & Met. Reloading
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05-16-2012, 05:42 PM
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#7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fredj338
Well, dummy or live, you still have to make them. I don't think I understand the delima? The plunk test is valid, live or dummy round. A dummy round is just easier to put together & handle. You can then assemble the gun, charge the mag w/ at least 5rds & hand cylce them @ speed. Some mags will not accept certian bullets @ longer OAL as the roudns ar seated deeper in the mags. It's not just bbl fit but mag fit as well.
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Ok, no that's good you just answered my question. You build some at a certain length then cycle them through the cycle to make they..well..cycle!
The last predicament I was having if you remember was that I would size the round so it would just pass the plunk test but at those lengths it would sometimes be lower than the min oal/col. So I'm thinking maybe I should size them to the min col which would fail the plunk test but may still feed through the gun. That way I would know at least know that my pressure is correct since i'm not seating the bullet below the min.
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05-17-2012, 03:00 PM
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#8
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How I find my OAL
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05-17-2012, 03:21 PM
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#9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fltbed
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Good thread.. and that helps me out a lot, because I was going by the plunk test alone, and was never able to pass the test..that is, I was never able to get it so the base of the casing was just below the rear of the barrel without going passed the min. oal/col
Is it better to be closer to the min oal/col or the max, OR is it best to be whatever puts you closest to passing a plunk test.. that is, where the base of the cartridge ends up just below the rear of the barrel when dropped in with the barrel removed?
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05-17-2012, 04:04 PM
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#10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisG164
Good thread.. and that helps me out a lot, because I was going by the plunk test alone, and was never able to pass the test..that is, I was never able to get it so the base of the casing was just below the rear of the barrel without going passed the min. oal/col
Is it better to be closer to the min oal/col or the max, OR is it best to be whatever puts you closest to passing a plunk test.. that is, where the base of the cartridge ends up just below the rear of the barrel when dropped in with the barrel removed?
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Load to the longest OAL that runs in your gun, regardless of data. IT's a safety margin to load longer.
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You don't become a better shooter unless you can shoot more & you don't shoot more unlesss you can do it for less.
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NRA Cert. Instr: Basic Pistol & Met. Reloading
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How do you choose your OAL/COL ?
