Most efficient but effective load Development?

[Lamski]

What is the most efficient and effective way to develop a load? OCW? Ladder test?

Anyone have a technique/process of developing a load from scratch without shooting so many rounds?

Any links, threads, videos, or a how to would be great.

Thanks

[highpower790]

Use a good match bullet and a stick powder, such as varget

[bsumoba]

Do research on your particular cartridge, barrel length and twist, etc. There is a lot of data out there and this data will help you get a jump start on the load development. Sites like accurate shooter are a good place to start.

The most common thing I see people doing is trying multiple bullets and multiple powders, primers, etc. This just leads to confusion and lots of unneeded rounds downrange. Unless, you like doing that sort of thing...

Based on your research, pick a bullet, primer, powder, and case and stick with it. For example, in a RPR in 6.5 creedmoor, stick with H4350, 140gr hybrids, lapua brass, and CCI primers.

Find out what your distance to your lands are and load approximately 0.010" off the lands. OR, simply load to max magazine length.

Start low, and load in 0.5 gr increments. So, 41.5 - 42 - 42.5 - 43 - 43.5 for example. Load 4 rounds of each. When you get to the range, if you have a chrono, send 1 round of each down range through the chrono and note your barrel speeds and look for pressure. Once you see pressure, STOP. Don't use anymore of that ammo or anything higher.

Then, shoot the other rounds for groups. Note the best one, then work around that powder charge in 0.2 gr increments. Once that is established, play with seating depth if you wish to see if you can tighten the groups up.

[silvertriple]

Everyone has their preference and components will be used no matter what. How much, probably comes down to how well and controlled you keep your process. I've found OCW works better for me and quite enjoyable when working up a load.

If you have a good chrono the write up below might work for you. I found it quite interesting and would try it if I had a good chrono. It's based off finding the best SD/ES load and then working with seating depth for precision groups.

http://www.65guys.com/load-development-part-1-of-2/

[JackEllis]

Based on your research, pick a bullet, primer, powder, and case and stick with it.

Absolutely. Also decide whether your principal objective is muzzle velocity or accuracy and if the latter, how good is good enough. For hunting I can live with 1 to 1-1/4" groups at 100 yards because I don't shoot past about 200 and for the same reason, I don't need the highest MV.

One other thing to consider is the availability of the powder you want to use. I started developing a load for my .30-06 using H4350 and because it was all new, I ran through the better part of a pound of the stuff before having to stop for a while. When I had time to pick the project up again, H4350 was nowhere to be found, which means starting over again with a new powder (IMR 4064).

[JackEllis]

Based on your research, pick a bullet, primer, powder, and case and stick with it.

Absolutely. Also decide whether your principal objective is muzzle velocity or accuracy and if the latter, how good is good enough. For hunting I can live with 1 to 1-1/4" groups at 100 yards because I don't shoot past about 200 and for the same reason, I don't need the highest MV.

One other thing to consider is the availability of the powder you want to use. I started developing a load for my .30-06 using H4350 and because it was all new, I ran through the better part of a pound of the stuff before having to stop for a while. When I had time to pick the project up again, H4350 was nowhere to be found, which means starting over again with a new powder (IMR 4064).

[kcstott]

What is the most efficient and effective way to develop a load? OCW? Ladder test?

Anyone have a technique/process of developing a load from scratch without shooting so many rounds?

Any links, threads, videos, or a how to would be great.

Thanks

Here's what I do. But be warned you better have your process dialed in. A good solid foundation of reloading experience to know what you are doing and have high quality control.

As mentioned pick your projectile based on your needs. For example. I primarily shoot 1000 yard F Class matches. I need high BC bullets that will stay supper sonic and stable at 1000 yards. This example is for a .308 win, So here goes.

1. Get your load range, you min and max powder charge. Load up ten rounds one round each from about 2-3 grains below max and load in .2-.3 gr steps one round each set seating depth .020" off lands for VLD's

2. Go to range, 100 yard min for the first round of testing, get your chrono out fire all ten round allowing the barrel to cool between shots, we are not looking for accuracy only velocity data

3. Go home and examine your data. You should see a velocity or two that levels off, where your increase in powder charge does very little or even reduces velocity, you'll see about 3-4 rounds with velocities within 5-10 fps of each other

4. Pick a powder charge near center of that velocity plateau.

5. Load up five each of that powder charge and seat the bullet closer to the lands in .005" steps.

6. Now shoot your groups, allow barrel to cool between shots, rebuilt your position as needed to make the best shot you can each and every time.

Within 20-25 rounds you will see one or two seating depths that really tighten up. That's your load.

Now you can further refine that by changing one component at a time. It this will build a solid sub moa load in 20-25 rounds or you money back

[MarikinaMan]

10 round load development

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACyfeeBHVOA

you'll still have to play with the distance from the lands, another 25 rounds, give or take.

Needs chrono and depending on the cartridge, paper targets at 200-300.

[LynnJr]

Here is a guideline you can follow or ignore.

Load all your rounds to maximum length be that into the lands or maximum magazine length. This lets you work in only one direction and eliminates any pressure issues real or perceived.

On your powder charge use the 1 percent rule for your increments. If your cartridge will be shooting 20-30 grains of powder use 0.2 grain increments. If you will be shooting 90-100 grains of powder use 0.9 grain increments.

When your shooting to develop your load the rifle needs the best rest available even if you need to use your jacket and pants.
Avoid bi-pods mono-pods and lifting the back of your gun with your hand.

[Whiterabbit]

What is the most efficient and effective way to develop a load? OCW? Ladder test?

Anyone have a technique/process of developing a load from scratch without shooting so many rounds?

Any links, threads, videos, or a how to would be great.

Thanks

Here's what I do. But be warned you better have your process dialed in. A good solid foundation of reloading experience to know what you are doing and have high quality control.

As mentioned pick your projectile based on your needs. For example. I primarily shoot 1000 yard F Class matches. I need high BC bullets that will stay supper sonic and stable at 1000 yards. This example is for a .308 win, So here goes.

1. Get your load range, you min and max powder charge. Load up ten rounds one round each from about 2-3 grains below max and load in .2-.3 gr steps one round each set seating depth .020" off lands for VLD's

2. Go to range, 100 yard min for the first round of testing, get your chrono out fire all ten round allowing the barrel to cool between shots, we are not looking for accuracy only velocity data

3. Go home and examine your data. You should see a velocity or two that levels off, where your increase in powder charge does very little or even reduces velocity, you'll see about 3-4 rounds with velocities within 5-10 fps of each other

4. Pick a powder charge near center of that velocity plateau.

5. Load up five each of that powder charge and seat the bullet closer to the lands in .005" steps.

6. Now shoot your groups, allow barrel to cool between shots, rebuilt your position as needed to make the best shot you can each and every time.

Within 20-25 rounds you will see one or two seating depths that really tighten up. That's your load.

Now you can further refine that by changing one component at a time. It this will build a solid sub moa load in 20-25 rounds or you money back

This is very close to what I do.

1. 10-ish loads, 3 rounds each. 20-30 bullets total 1% spread on powder charge (.5 gr @ 40-50 gr charge). Load to mag-length OAL. Shoot @ 100 yards over chrono, no need to let barrel cool but MUST shoot randomly! (or let barrel cool but this takes forever)

Plot in excel, all data points as dots, then plot a line of the AVERAGE velocity per charge. 3 data points per charge weight shot random highly increases the chance you will catch the plateau.

2. Pick the plateau, and if you are in good shape one of the nodes will be tight in SD. Pick one or two nodes that are winners either in velocity plateau or in SD (or both). Load 5 rounds of each CW you select, 5x at mag length and 5x at short OAL. 10 rounds total per charge weight. SHOOT RANDOMLY! shoot for groups this time, and pull velocity data again.

Pick the tightest group and verify your SD is <10. Load up 10 of that and confirm in a string what your actual group is, because with random shooting and no concern for barrel heat your "best group" in that test may not be the best the rifle is capable of.

This takes more bullets than kcstott's method above (maybe 45-50, up to 60 bullets) but gives you statistical confidence.

I also agree 100% with Lynn. Matches my experience 100%

[Whiterabbit]

Here are examples from me and from calguns.

Here's a great example:



You can easily see where the tight SD is and the plateaus. This took 33 bullets to get (and was extended up to 43 grains) but with 33 bullets we captured 3x nodes. Up to 43 grains, we nailed 4 nodes. And modeled where the 5th node was if we wanted to go seriously over pressure. The best lesson here is that the tightest SD might put you somewhere between nodes where you don't want to be. SD_0 is no good when your groups suck.

This is what you don't want to see:



Maybe not shot randomly, maybe the chrono was acting up, maybe there's another problem. But it's harder to catch the nodes here. I think they are there, but we're really squinting to pick, and it might be a matter of luck to nail it.shooting random is so key.

Another decent one:



shooter asked for help interpreting results, the data looked poor. But when we squish the chart, minus the blip at the top (one bad datapoint?), the nodes become clear.

[Whiterabbit]

Some last notes I find helpful to remember:

1. Using this method gives you "the load" to use as a litmus test against other loads. Therefore:

a. You'll always have a nagging doubt about some other load. You'll have the first load nailed down. So, load up 5 or 10 of each and go to the range. shoot for velocity and groups. One will be the winner. Abandon whichever is worse.

b. "the load" you end up with may not be good enough. Mine was 1.15-ish MOA reliable after optimization. crappy! So I switched primer. Actually I tried 2 different primers. 30 rounds, 10 each of "the load", and of each of two different primers. One primer was ALOT, ALOT better. Now I have a special primer I buy just for that gun.

c. the bullet I developed on was not giving me results I wanted. I was using 108 grain nosler custom competitions. "the load" was not where I wanted to be. So, 20 more bullets. 10 of nosler custom competition, and 10 of Berger 105 hybrids. the Bergers were ALOT better. So I have stuck with them. Again, once you have "the load", single-variable tests make for easy qualification. In this case, since I stuck with the same weight class, no need to re-develop the load.

d. ditto the last point, but I loaded 10 each of 105 Hybrids and 105 hunting VLD's. VLD's won. So after I shoot up my 1000 hybrids, I am switching to hunting VLD's for the remainder of my barrel life.

e. I studied brass. I run lapua brass. Starline just released brass in my case. An awesome calgunner bought starline and sent me 10. That's 20 more bullets, 10 of "my load", and 10 of identical loading, with starline cases. They are statistically the same. I have data to prove it. If I didn't have the lapua cases already, I would have bought starline, knowing what I know now.

f. I have a can of HBn coming to my door. When it arrives, I'll be studying it in the same way. single-variable test against "the load". I'll know with statstical confidence, if HBn does anything for me.

2. Most important, since "the load" at this point is < .866 MOA (100% reliable) and < SD 14 (30 rounds, < SD 8 with 10 round groups), I can still shoot the rifle as I always planned to. "the load" is qualified and I'm free to plink, shoot long range, shoot for groups, go to a long range class, shoot a match (if I were inclined to start playing those games), etc, because ALL the development "work" after <1MOA, <SD 10 is just bonus play time. I don't NEED success anywhere to have my great load to go shoot 1000 yards, etc

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3. the only true showstopper is powder. I can't play single-variable test with powder. If I burn 100+ rounds trying to find OCW, OAL, I'm just getting no love, then I have to DQ the powder and start over. Powder is the only change that requires ditching all learning and starting from scratch. So pick your powder (after bullet) very carefully. Do your research. Powder is the only voodoo I believe in, because I struggle to efficiently measure it.

[Lamski]

Thank you all for sharing your development process. Lots of great information here.

I have a custom 6.5 Creedmoor and for the kind of shooting I want to do I have chosen the Hornady ELD-Match 140gr, and Reloader 17. I would have gone with H4350 but I could not find any available anywhere. RL-17 seems to be a viable alternative. I have Lapua brass and CCI 450 magnum small rifle primers. I also have a chronograph so I think I am ready to start development.

I just wish there were places to shoot out to further distances close to where I live in San Jose. I have to drive at least 2 hrs to shoot further then 100yds.

[Whiterabbit]

metcalf is a fine place to load dev. 100 yards is plenty to see what is going on.

60% of your work is over a chronograph anyways, you could practically shoot into the berm and not care. Practically.

I forgot to mention, when you are shooting your screening, if you don;t let the gun cool and shoot random, try to keep chamber time per round about the same. Not good if you fire one case in 2 seconds and the next one sits in a hot chamber for 30 seconds before pulling the trigger. That will also help clean up your data.

[longrange1]

Thank you all for sharing your development process. Lots of great information here.

I have a custom 6.5 Creedmoor and for the kind of shooting I want to do I have chosen the Hornady ELD-Match 140gr, and Reloader 17. I would have gone with H4350 but I could not find any available anywhere. RL-17 seems to be a viable alternative. I have Lapua brass and CCI 450 magnum small rifle primers. I also have a chronograph so I think I am ready to start development.

I just wish there were places to shoot out to further distances close to where I live in San Jose. I have to drive at least 2 hrs to shoot further then 100yds.

http://www.texasprc.club/preidloaddev

i know this is for a 6mm creed but this will work just fine for your 6.5,140s and RL-17 but drop the starting charge weight to 40.5g.

i load 7 of each charge weight(if a new barrel id load 5 extra at 40.5g to foul the barrel)i shoot 1ea over the chrony to check velocities let the barrel cool then start.

if your going to be doing most of your shooting prone on the ground then thats where you do your load development from...if your going to shoot from a bench most of the time do your load development off a bench.