Browning X-Bolt Speed and Cartridge Overall Length Surprise |

Hand-loaders love to experiment with bullet seating depth to increase accuracy. In a new rifle, I sometimes discover that the magazine length or clip is the limiting factor for OAL and not the bullet distance to the rifling. This can be disappointing as it limits bullet OAL and can affect best accuracy.

Pleasantly, I have been surprised to find the clip length for my Browning 7mm Rem Mag is 3.57 inches.

X-Bolt Rotary Magazine – Burnt Bronze Cerakote

SAAMI lists the max overall cartridge length OAL at 3.29 inches for off the shelf ammo. The chamber and magazine in my Browning allows me to hand-load longer than published OAL, thus leaving room for accuracy experimentation we hand-loader often do.

The caveat here is that the bullet must contact the case neck at least to bullet diameter. In my case that length is .284 inches.

OAL can vary from spitzer to round nose. I measure max OAL for each cartridge and bullet and subtract 20 thousandths (give or take) for spitzers and 50 thou or more for round nose.

Experimentation will tell where your best accuracy is.

I find that in my 7 MM Rem Mag, I’m not be limited by SAAMI OAL of 3.29 inches. I can use OAL’s out to 3.4 inches with my Nosler 175 g ABLR. Very nice indeed!!

Good Shooting!