Load Development Methods

[norcal01]

How do you all go about developing a new load? How many cartridges do you load and/or shoot before making an adjustment to the recipe? Is it enough to load ten cartridges or so with a given charge, see how they shoot, and then make adjustments?

[10fcp]

http://practicalrifler.6.forumer.com/

http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/#/ocw-instructions/4529817134

Lots of great info to be found here

[Fjold]

Rifles or pistols? Hunting or target? Short range or long?

For rifles, I first choose the bullet for what I want it to do.
Hunting big game I choose a bullet based on the animal I'm hunting and the conditions I'm hunting in. For hunting with my 7mm Mag, Elk in the black timber is a 160 - 175 grain heavy jacketed or monometal bullet that will penetrate well. For antelope with the same gun I would load a 140 grain bullet with a faster opening bullet set up for longer range.

For target shooting I would load a match bullet with the most appropriate bullet weight for the twist of the barrel. For long range shooting I would also pick a bullet with the highest BC that my barrel would stabilize.

After picking a bullet I would choose a powder based on experience, an accuracy/performance recommendation from reloading manuals, etc. or one that would produce the velocity that I was looking for with a load density of 80%-90%.

For hunting and general target use cases and primers are based on availability, i.e. whatever I have.

I generally start by loading to a powder level about 10% below the maximum load averaged between 2-3 sources, Powder website loading data, reloading manuals, etc.

Initially I load 5 or 10 rounds of my starting load and the same amount of test loads in 1/2 grain increments going up toward my listed maximum. On my first test groups I usually stop about 1 grain shy of maximum to see how the loads work before I get in near the top of the pressure range.

I then test each load for accuracy and velocity (if you don't have a chronograph you really should get one) If I find a groups that perform to my standards in both accuracy and velocity then I'll load some more of those loads along with loads in smaller incremental powder charges (.2 grain increments to see if the group tighten up.

If I'm not seeing pressure signs then I'll work up in pressure, looking for pressure signs until I get a quality load or get to the point where I think that any additional powder is to risky or not performing.

After I find a load that perfoms the best, I'll start moving seating depth out in .005" increments to fine tune the load more.

[norcal01]

Thanks guys, that's exactly the info I was looking for.

[Butthead]

Well put Frank. You have been copied, pasted, printed, and inserted into the reloading tips from wise people notebook on my reloading bench.

[Fyathyrio]

Having started reloading only about six months ago, I was somewhat hampered getting materials due to the shortage. This was great in that I had plenty of time to study my reloading books. I ended up with Wolf primers, which usually aren't in reloading manuals. Then I was able to score some Starline .45 brass, again a brand that usually isn't in the manuals. I did manage to get some Hornady XTPs, so at least I had a projectile with reloading data to start with. I also managed to get 4 lbs of Bullseye powder...so I was all set.

I scoured reliable reloading data sources, and came up with a min and max powder level, the max being about 0.4 grains below the highest recommended. (The Loadbooks USA manuals are great for this!) Now I made up a batch of 100 rounds, 20 at each powder level. I hit the range and shot 10 rounds through the chrony, and 10 at a target for each powder level. Then based on accuracy and velocity, an inspection of brass for pressure probs, plus intangibles like recoil feel, I chose my load for that particular set of components. Since this was ammo intended primarily for killing paper, I chose a mid-high powder level with great accuracy for my pistol. The higher powder levels were just as accurate, but not necessary for my purposes. For my wife's .357 it was pretty much the same process, again primarily dictated by what components I could find.