Changing the suggested OAL in pistol

M

mrdaputer

New member
I have seen where ppl go longer than the suggested OAL for a pistol. What is the advantage in making it longer. Most have suggested increasing it by.01 until it fails the plunk test or it looks good to you. Then back it off by .02 Could someone please explain this to me?
 
Changing AOL

I had troubles feeding semiwadcutters in my 45 ACP. The longer AOL is supposed to prevent jams.
A good explanation was given by in a post I started by Gadawg88 the Handloading forum.
All the best,
Bill
 
Changing the AOL

mrdaputer, it's the same page as this one. About ten posts down.
Sorry I don't know how to put up the link.
All the best,
Bill
 
Ok cool thank you for the link. I am just trying to figure out why go longer if the suggested OAL works fine for me in my 9 and 40. Didn't know if there was a advantage in doing it.
 
I increase my OAL to decrease pressure. Since I don't weigh every charge, I am giving myself a little safety cushion if my powder drop is a little high.
 
mrdaputer said:
Didn't know if there was a advantage in doing it.
Click to expand...

Ahh! Now I understand. I thought your were having to go longer for proper feeding. The answer to your actual question is it depends on the kind of bullet used. I did a bunch of experiments back in the 80's that showed it made little or no measurable difference with jacketed bullets I tried, but that with lead bullets, either cast or swaged, if you have room to seat out until, rather than plunk, you get a deader sound because the soft bullet is finding the throat before the case mouth finds the headspacing step in the chamber, groups shrank by about 40% and leading decreased and essentially stopped. This is called headspacing on the bullet. I've subsequently had many folks tell me they at least reduce leading by this method. So, if you shoot soft bullets and if your bullet shape doesn't jam the magazine when you do it and you still get good feeding, then try seating out to headspace on the the bullet in the throat and see what happens on paper and to lead fouling in your bore. (Third from left, below).

45SeatingPossibilities_zpsea6ec64c.gif
 
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