Editing Overall length

{{For|the measurement of a ship's length|length overall}}
The '''overall length''' ('''OAL''') of an ammunition [[Cartridge (firearms)|cartridge]] is a measurement from the base of the brass [[Shell (projectile)|shell]] [[Casing (ammunition)|casing]] to the tip of the [[bullet]], seated into the brass casing. '''Cartridge overall length''', or "'''COL'''", is important to safe functioning of reloads in firearms.<ref name=COTW2009>{{cite book|title= Cartridges of the World: A Complete and Illustrated Reference for Over 1500 Cartridges|first= Frank C. |last=Barnes|author2=Holt Bodinson |author3=Layne Simpson  |edition= 12|page=157|publisher=Gun Digest Books|year=2009|isbn= 978-0-89689-936-0 }}</ref>

Handloaded cartridges and commercially available cartridges for [[firearm]]s are normally created with a maximum length standardized by the [[Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute]] (SAAMI). A cartridge's overall length may be shorter than the maximum standard, equal to the standard, or sometimes even longer.

The maximum overall length is dictated by the need to fit into a [[box magazine]] of standard manufacture. For example, the [[.223 Remington]] cartridge, when loaded for use in the [[AR-15]] [[rifle]] (or the military's [[M16 rifle]]), has to fit into the removable box magazine for that rifle. This dictates that the cartridge's maximum overall length be no greater than 2.260". However, for competition purposes during off-hand and slow fire prone match stages, the .223 Remington is loaded one cartridge at a time into the rifle's receiver. This allows for the cartridge to be longer than the standardized 2.260" SAAMI maximum overall length. These cartridges can be safely loaded to a length that has the [[ogive]] portion of the bullet just touching the rifle's lands. Many competitive shooters will make these cartridges 0.005" less than the truly maximum allowable overall length, for the sake of safety.<ref name=ABC>{{cite book|title= The ABCs of Reloading: The Definitive Guide for Novice to Expert|first= Rodney |last=James |edition= 9|page=127|publisher=[[Krause Publications]]|year=2011|isbn= 978-1-4402-1396-0  }}</ref>

It is desirable for these single-loaded cartridges to have as little [[bullet]] jump as possible before the bullet's [[ogive]] begins to be engraved by the rifle's lands. This minimized bullet jump increases the accuracy of the rifle, [[all else being equal]]. This practice of long-loading a cartridge must be adjusted for each individual rifle, since there are variations from rifle to rifle as to how far down the [[barrel (firearms)|barrel]] the rifling begins.<ref name=ABC/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Ballistics]]