New tool - Bullet Comparator

dcloco

January 06, 2006 18:19

Purchased a bullet comparator to check out the various bullets that I reload with.

I have wondered when I set the seating die, that I always get OAL measurements that vary. Some bullets vary cosiderably, some only a bit.

A quick spot check of some 223 bullets revealed a spread of 0.013" and 0.009 spread with a population of seven of each that I compared.

Hmmm...makes a little sense now.

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  Permanently deleted user

  January 07, 2006 03:39

  You cannot go by OAL when reloading for accuracy. You have to measure to the ogive on the bullet. The Comparator will help you to do that. Your bullet seating die seats your bullet off the ogive...not the tip. Bullets will vary in length from the ogive to the very tip. This is why you see some variation in OAL.

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  nononsense

  January 07, 2006 04:40

  dcloco,
  
  It never ceases to amaze me at how such a simple tool can improve our reloading! It's a great asset to separating and segregating bullet lengths for better consistancy.
  
  When I first started reloading, I was perplexed as to why I was getting dissimilar lengths after bullet seating. Measuring individual bullets cleared that up. I knew the seater worked off of the ogive, so it was a matter of making a couple of little pieces of nothing to allow me to measure from there as well.
  
  Now, your next tool should be a meplat uniformer...
  
  Then there is the...
  
  
  
  Then the...
  
  
  
  And don't forget the...
  
  
  
  You get the idea!
  
  Best.

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  dcloco

  January 07, 2006 05:16

  LOL!
  
  Thanks...both of you.
  
  Why not send me your old, cast off meplat uniformer....???
  
  and the???
  
  or the???

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  JustC

  January 07, 2006 15:47

  a good grade of match pill should vary far less than that. But enjoy your new tool which will no doubt increase your frustration as much as your accuracy[:D]
  
  I ran a double set of stoney point comparators on some Berger 210gr bullets the other day and only came up with about a .002" spread on bearing surface length[8D]

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  dcloco

  January 07, 2006 18:29

  JustC - you hit this right between the eyes. Hehehe...well...maybe up one and over two for you! LOL
  
  Yes...those bullets were FMJ milsurp rounds. VERY cheap plinkers.
  
  I did measure a small quantity of 69 grain Sierra HPBT. Variation was 0.0025 of the twenty or so that I checked.
  
  I am not in the match shooting, but would like to get the best bang for the buck.
  
  Thanks for the replies everybody.

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