overall case length question

[scooterman27006]

i dont know why i havent asked this question before now but its past time - i have found on more than one of my rifles that if i want the bullet to touch or almost touch the rifling or lands (not sure of the correct term here) then i have to go a little longer than what is in the books - noticed on 204 ruger in remington 700 and also 243 with a ruger 77 - in the ruger i had to go to 2.88 for it to almost touch and its 2.73 for a 243 contender barrel so there is a big difference ------ so my question is should i try to get as close as i can or is it ok to leave them short and just put the COL at what the books say put it at - i noticed on the ruger 243 that there is only 1/3 of the bullet in the brass - it is in far enough it wont fall out but not half way and the 204 heck i had to go with a 50 gr bullet in order to have enough to stay in brass lol and the factory stuff for 204 is way too short if i need to be close to the rifling---- anyhow my question is - is it ok for stuff to sit back in the chamber and not come close to the rifling or is it better to have it as close as can be without being hard to chamber