I bought some midway "seconds" 55gr hpbt. I can't really find much info about c.o.a.l using this profile bullet. The best I can tell it most closely reseambles the 55gr hpbt in
Sierra reloading data manual. Which states 27.2 gr of Varget as the maximum load, and states the c.o.a.l as 2.24 Well I rolled some using 26 grains of Varget which goes to just about the case mouth. Then when I load my bullet and seat it to 2.24, the case doesn't reach the cannelure. Should I be concerned? Should I just forget about the cannelure? I was hoping to run these through an AR. I know I should probably started much lower grains and work my way up looking for pressure signs. My bolt actions shoot up to 27.5 without any issues. I can always use them in my bolt guns. So should I worry about the cannelure? Or forget it is even there and leave it at 2.24? If I seat to the cannelure, I'm afraid I'm going to be way too deep and create excessive pressure.

I'd seat them to the cannelure and crimp, but that's just me. Bullet setback is real in the AR but IMHO, more of a feeding than pressure problem.

Start with the lowest load listed and crimp into cannelure.

I don't crimp my handloads for my AR. I removed the expanding mandrel from my FL sizer and chucked it into a drill. Ground about .001 off the expander ball. This will give you plenty of neck tension and this method is described in the Sierra guide.

If the powder is at the case mouth you're going to have compressed loads which will cause a lot of variations in COAL.

Thanks guys...

Few things if you want to use cannelure start at minimum charge and work your way up as you normally would for any new cartridge or bullet powder combo no big deal don't make it hard.sooo if you want to seat further out closer to rifling lands or mag length then do the same thing start at minimum and work your way up.no reason to over think it.

Start low and work your way up if ever concerned on a load, but if you have data for that bullet weight and powder start halfway if velocity is your goal .main thing start low and work your way up no sense in damaged or prematurely wearing gun parts for 100fps.if you want to crimp go ahead it's easy precaution in a semi auto just work your load up.i factory crimp all my semiauto rifle rounds with lee factory crimp die one of the good things lee makes.but you can always make dummy rounds and charge them into gun then measure to see if feed ramp is jamming bullets further into casing. easy

I wouldn’t waste the Varget on light bullets like that. There are much better powders out there for that. Save that Varget for heavier projectiles or just trade it to me for some H335, CFE 223, or AA2450. You won’t have to worry about compressed loads and probably get better velocity