When working up new load combinations, how many rounds of a specific bullet, powder and powder weight do you make for test purposes? I know some people who go as low as 5 rounds per combination, others try a box or more.


-DallanC

Howdy Dallan. With the same powder and bullet i do five rounds each at various powder weights and if i see something i like i will start changing seating depth, if not i will try another powder and do it again

On a first pass I do similar to you shrpshtrjoe. I usually when working up with a new powder I make lots of 5 rounds each, in .5 grn increments in powder checking spend cases carefully for pressure signs.


-DallanC

I normally load about 20 rounds to get an accurate testing. The Lyman folks recommend accurate loads and in many cases they are exactly right. After extensive testing, I usually settle in and make that a standard load for that caliber. All the best...
Gil

Quote::

On a first pass I do similar to you shrpshtrjoe. I usually when working up with a new powder I make lots of 5 rounds each, in .5 grn increments in powder checking spend cases carefully for pressure signs.

Same here.

I am with Dallan, except I load 6 rounds, just in case I screw up a shot. I have the advantage of being able to shoot off my back porch, if I had to drive to a range to shoot I would probably load more of each sample.

kbis wrote:

I am with Dallan, except I load 6 rounds, just in case I screw up a shot. I have the advantage of being able to shoot off my back porch, if I had to drive to a range to shoot I would probably load more of each sample.

I'm not fanatical about accuracy, I load up 5 to test for pressure & velocity. I find a couple that are promising and load up 20 for testing and zeroing. For medium/big game, <2in at 100yds is okay. I like < 1in, but if I get a load that's moving along at a good speed and it's 1.5in I'm not likely to muck with it. If it meets those req's I write it down and don't worry about it until I buy a new lot of powder. Small game/varmits, need a bit more fiddling and accuracy becomes more important than speed (as long as I get bullet performance). I'm lucky that my 17 Rem has simple req, 25gr Berger loaded warm. I'm yet to find a finicky rifle - they either shoot anything or nothing (I've had a couple of those).

As for pistols, I have certain loads that just work. The Keith load in a 44mag and my personal universal pistol load (works for any non magnum 9mm - 45acp in good condition). I have powder measures set up for those 2 pistol loads.

I'm also 5 rounds per recipe (initially). For example, I'm just working up a load for my 270. I loaded 5 each of 7 different powders in both 140 grain and 130. (70 rounds total). I shot and chronyed all 70 this weekend and I'm now comparing S.D. and groups etc. to narrow down the search to a couple of powders in each weight. Darned if I'm not having a time though. That darn gun did pretty good with most powders. It DID NOT like the H414, though. Surprisingly, it loved the 140 gr bullet & Varget potion I used. I had 4 shots (at 50 yds) in the same hole (literally.....could not fit a pencil through it) and 1 flier about an inch low and left. The chroney indicated that one of the shots was lower than the others by quite a bit...that must be the one. Anyway, I'm now going to load 3 or 4 powders again with 5 shots each. This time I'll increase the powder by 1 gr and see if better or worse, and go from there. I don't start playing around with seating depth and primers till I find a powder that is stable in all I do with it.

Blaine

grimel wrote:

I'm not fanatical about accuracy, I load up 5 to test for pressure & velocity. I find a couple that are promising and load up 20 for testing and zeroing. For medium/big game, <2in at 100yds is okay. I like < 1in, but if I get a load that's moving along at a good speed and it's 1.5in I'm not likely to muck with it.

My problem is my last Elk load was right at 1.5" @3530fps with 140grn XLCs. I know the gun can do better... heck factory ammo shoots .75 so I am starting over LOL. I like < 1" for any hunting load... but maybe I'm too anal. I did dump my elk at 380 yards this past year so better accuracy is warrented somewhat as shots where I hunt tend to be somewhat longer than normal.


-DallanC

[quote="DallanC"]

grimel wrote:

I did dump my elk at 380 yards this past year so better accuracy is warrented somewhat as shots where I hunt tend to be somewhat longer than normal. -DallanC

I defy you to see a deer at 380yds much less shoot it here. For the longest time I was doing 99% of my big game hunting with a 4" 44mag revolver.

Besides, a 1.5" at 100yds is in theory still < 6" at 400. And I'm not shooting anything less than a world record at that distance, the 2 mile hike through mt laurel to get it just isn't worth it. I find it best to shoot animals on the same hillside I'm hunting.

I load 3 rounds of each load and use the OCW method with .3gr change in each load. I also take a loading kit to the range with me and do further work at the range once I find a good load. My initial loads are .020 off the lands and when I've found a good powder range I will then work on seating depth.

Load 5 rounds with 1.0 grain increments of the same powder with all rounds being equal in all other aspects. Pick the two best performers and load 10 of each with .5 incroments. Pick the best of this lot and start adjusting the other components until I am saticfied that they are the best that they can be. Then start over with a new powder, bullet or case. I use, predominantly Winchester and CCI primers (They make good fine tuning). All of these rounds are checked over a chronagragh and for accuracy.

I get my reloading data from my books, load one each at .5 increments and then watch for the velocity that is getting close to what I am looking for ,along with any pressure signs, then go back into the shack and load 6 each at .5 grain increments and find out what weight is shooting the best, then will reload six more at the same seating depth, and load 6 more at .05 over and 6 more under .05 and see what happens. Go from there. (we shoot off the deck of our shack and have a reloading bench inside). I realized that I was wasting alot of money on powder and bullets loading 6 rounds at the beginning of the min. loads data working my way up to the velocity that I wanted to and my time prepping cases.

I generally load up 16 (3 groups of 5 shots + 1 fouler). That will tell me what I want to know about a particular load. I'll take the most promising group and then work with that one on subsequent trips to the range. Sometimes this works well, sometime it doesn't - windy, wet days can screw you up here. I don't think there is an ideal method for doing this. To each his own I guess. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

I usually look in a book and find a load somewhere in the middle and then load up 10 rounds, going up in half a grain increments. This way I can fire two five shot groups of each load. When I find a load that looks promising, then I start playing with the seating. Looks as if everyone does it pretty much the same way.

I don't get constipated over the accuracy. an inch at 100 yards is good enough for me and what I shoot. Having said that I do not complain if it does better.

John