Question on testing pistol loads

[CALI SHOT DOC]

When testing a load:

What's the typical distance you shoot at? 7yds, 15 yds, 25yds? Does it depend on what it's designed to do for example self defense or competition?

How do you shoot? Bench rest, normal 2 hand standing, etc?

How many rounds do you like to go through to fully test a load? 1 group of 5rds, 2 groups of 5 rds?

Anything else you typically do when testing a load?

[mls204]

How I did it for 9mm was I loaded up 3 different powder amounts and OAL, 20 rounds for each combination (i.e. 20 rounds each of 3.9, 4.2, 4.5 grains of w231 at 1.100", 1.150", and 1.160"). I ended up with about 180 cartridges and off to the range I went. The last 20 rounds were factory ammo.

I tested them at about 7-10 yards on a 5.5" bullseye target, changing targets for each combination. I was looking for the load that "felt" the best and gave me a decent group at that distance. I did it standing with no support b/c I didn't have a bench to rest it on but that would be preferred.

I found that my best results were with the 4.2 and 4.5 grains at about 1.150". Hope that gives you an idea of how to go about testing yours out.

[Chief-7700]

15 yards off a bench rest. Load one round per mag until your confidant in your reloads.I usually do new loads in batches of 20. Have fun!
Chief

[CALI SHOT DOC]

thanks guys! that's what i was thinking

[Bill Steele]

I always bench rest when developing loads in a new caliber, bullet or powder.

I shoot a single as Chief suggests above until I am confident of the load. I shoot at least 20 rounds per load test. I bring a notebook so I can make notes on everything, like velocities, recoil, POI, the type of failures I have with feeding, etc. I also do my best to find the cases and save them in the same baggie or box they came out of, so I can cross reference what the cases and primers looked like with the give load specs.

Once I have a candidate load, for at least a few trips, I keep detailed notes on its performance with 500-1000 rounds before it goes in my favorites list for that gun.