Reloading
 

This might be in the wrong category...if so I'm sorry i just wanted the right eyes on it.
Ive read up on reloading and have helped my dad with some. We currently reload for our pistols and our .270 WIN. When you set up the dies for the .270 it said to adjust out until the bullet touches the riflings. Today i was reading an article on the difference between .223 and 5.56 and they talked about the space at the breech end of the barrel that isn't rifled. The way they made it sound is that the bullet isn't already in the rifling when it's fired. Is that true our did i somehow misinterpret?

A bullet touching the rifling could be potentially over pressure limits and therefore dangerous.

Some competitive shooters do it, but they are VERY EXPERIENCED shooters and reloaders, and they are loading target velocity ammo..

I can't imagine any load in the 223/5.56 where you would want this. Back them off at least .010 or even .020

BTW, look at the reloading subforum. Lotsa good info there.

Not being argumentative but how do bench shooterts or match shooters , if you will , shoot from ,close or Even on the lands? Is it their high dollar barells ?

Sorry just read your second paragraph

They load single rounds. Start very low and work up slowly. Touching the lands can possibly result in greater accuracy, but any meaningful gain will only be realized in a super accurate match grade barrel.

This is a very specialized procedure, like seating bullets with your fingers. It has a place, but normally in bench rest shooting.

The space in the breach that isn't rifled is called the leade or throat. A safe zone is about .20-.30. Thank of it as like a running start before it gets to the rifling. This will avoid over presser.

The 5.56 has a slightly longer throat. The bullet is allowed to accellerate while transitioning to the rifling. The 5.56 is set up with what is called "free bore". The Weatherby rifles have considerable free bore. This allows pressures to be kept at a reasonable level. Loading with the bullet touching the rifling will cause pressures to increase.

I load what the gun likes. I have some guns that I have the bullet jammed into the rifleings and other that shoot better with a .030 jump. If you are going you going to load into the rifleings you need to start alittle below suggested starting loads because the presure will be higher. The space between the case and the rifleings is called free bore. Roy Weatherby put alot of free bote in his rifles so he could run the velocities up, but guns with alot of free bore are usually nat real accurate.

With a 5.56 you have to have a longer throat on the barrel so that the pressures don't become too great

I would start with the book recommended length unless you have a way to measure your chamber depth. I find manufacturer recommended col works pretty well. I have been reloading for over 20 yrs and consider myself average and casual. I view at least 3 different manuals and factory web pages. Learn to reload for safety and accuracy, read more than you need to so you don't blow up your rifle and risk injury.