Kissing the lands

[Bob D]

What the heck are they talking about?

[KySongDog]

Hawks Feather can probably give you a better answer but here goes.

The lands are the high rifling(ridges) cut in to the barrel.  The valleys in the  barrel are the grooves.   Kissing the lands means the bullet is seated in the cartridge case such that the ogive of the bullet (point at which the bullet curves) is just barely touching the lands of the barrel.

[alscalls]

you just desribed my load.........

[Hawks Feather]

Bob,

Semp nailed it.   Here is a little information on how to do it.  http://www.finsandfur.net/forums/index.php?topic=5645.0   There are a few other ways to find out when the bullet is touching, but this tool is the easiest.  Since you are reloading you can seat some that are a few thousands off the lands, a few that are touching, and a few that are long (these will seat into the barrel).  Each gun will differ and you will need to do some experimenting.

Jerry

[5 SHOTS]

You should start with a slightly reduced load then work up if you are kissing the lands or loading long so pressures don't get dangerous.

[vvarmitr]

The idea is to keep the bullet from jumping into the rifling & being deformed in the process, but this doesn't always produce the most accurate loads in every gun. Most factory, off the shelf, guns will do better w/ 5 to 10 thousandths back from the lands.

To get a bullet to just kiss the lands or just off the lands may make your cartridges to long to fit in the magazine.   
I can only load one shell into the magazine of my 222Rem, & that's only because the feed ramp is there. However I have a good load w/ the bullet 0.0005" off the lands.

Another thing to be aware of is if you're using the lighter shorter bullets you may not have enough bullet in the neck of the case to keep good concentricity.  Especially true of the short necked 223.

Take 5Shots warning & start w/ reduced loads & be ready to be surprised at the results. 

HTH, V.V.

[Dan Carey]

The throat on most factory chambers are not good as most custom cut chambers. When kissing the lands in a factory chamber the bullet is not being held straight as one might think. You may actually be better off jumping the bullet into the lands. If you have ever heard the term crooked chamber, that's what they are referring to.

[FinsnFur]

Dont be such a stranger Dan