The work with 185-grain bullets is on hold until some new equipment arrives. I decided to try the other end of the bullet-weight spectrum while waiting.
(Images of this Hornady bullet linked from Midway's and Hornady's web sites).
I have on hand some Hornady 300-gr XTP Mag bullets, which is one of the three bullets for which Hornady to date has furnished data for reloading.
The Hornady data shows a Cartridge Overall Length (COL) of 2.065. This length produces a bullet that is stuffed pretty far down into the case. What is Hornady's reason for specifying this length?
When I checked it, the length that would result in jamming the bullet into the lands of my rifle is about 2.220. Is the short length helpful in reducing case capacity, allowing pressure to build rapidly? Is the short length needed for clearance in the magazine or in the semi-auto mechanism?
I'll start with the specified length, but I'm curious about the underlying reason for having a cartridge shorter than seems necessary.
Thanks for any help.
--Bob
edited to update image url