# Overall length

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For the measurement of a ship's length, see [length overall](/source/Length_overall).

The **overall length** (**OAL**) of an ammunition [cartridge](/source/Cartridge_(firearms)) is a measurement from the base of the brass [shell](/source/Shell_(projectile)) [casing](/source/Casing_(ammunition)) to the tip of the [bullet](/source/Bullet), seated into the brass casing. **Cartridge overall length**, or "**COL**", is important to safe functioning of reloads in firearms.[1]

Handloaded cartridges and commercially available cartridges for [firearms](/source/Firearm) are normally created with a maximum length standardized by the [Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute](/source/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](/source/Box_magazine) of standard manufacture. For example, the [.223 Remington](/source/.223_Remington) cartridge, when loaded for use in the [AR-15](/source/AR-15) [rifle](/source/Rifle) (or the military's [M16 rifle](/source/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](/source/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.[2]

It is desirable for these single-loaded cartridges to have as little [bullet](/source/Bullet) jump as possible before the bullet's [ogive](/source/Ogive) begins to be engraved by the rifle's lands. This minimized bullet jump increases the accuracy of the rifle, [all else being equal](/source/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](/source/Barrel_(firearms)) the rifling begins.[2]

## References

1. Barnes, Frank C.; Holt Bodinson; Layne Simpson (2009). *Cartridges of the World: A Complete and Illustrated Reference for Over 1500 Cartridges*. 12 ed. Gun Digest Books. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-89689-936-0.

1. James, Rodney (2011). *The ABCs of Reloading: The Definitive Guide for Novice to Expert*. 9 ed. [Krause Publications](/source/Krause_Publications). p. 127. ISBN 978-1-4402-1396-0.

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