Developing an accurate load....rifle
- Thread starter Nathan
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Pick your bullet weight powder and primer you are going to use all the time. Then start at the low load for that round load 10 then move up 5/10 at a time on the powder load that is 5 different loads 50 round then the gun range shoot 3 round let gun cool now shoot 3 from the load keep this up till you have a very accurate load it takes a lot of time at the rang so take you a couple other gun to keep you busy. GOOD LUCK
Try this. It is based on Dan Newberry's optimum charge weight procedure. It will save you some money in components.
http://www.ocwreloading.com/about.html
http://www.ocwreloading.com/about.html
I checked Hogdon's site, did some Googling and picked a charge near the bottom end of Hogdon's recommendations and loaded 20 to do a depth test first @0, .025, .050, and .075. I picked the best group in the depth test and proceeded to shoot some 15 and 20 shot groups at 300. I also shot a few across a chrony at 100 to see what the ES and SD was at .1 ovver and under to allow for charge variation and found it was good. When I have time I will tweak that charge up in .2 gn jumps and shoot them over a chrony to see how big that velocity node is and see if I can get a few more FPS. In the meantime it is a great mid range shooter
here's the initial depth test target, it took 20 rounds to develop this one
here's the initial depth test target, it took 20 rounds to develop this one
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I have been doing a lot of reading lately on how the BR guys do it and seems as if some of them believe in depth first and powder charge second and I have to say it seems to work. Considering most of them throw and go at matches they have to be at a flat spot velocity wise or be at optimum jump distance and I am leaning toward the latter or a little of both.
I want to mess around with varying the charge on a load will increase or decrease the vertical and horizontal spreads if the base to ogive remains the same. The goal of course are consistent sub MOA perfectly round groups at distance
this is a fascinating hobby
I want to mess around with varying the charge on a load will increase or decrease the vertical and horizontal spreads if the base to ogive remains the same. The goal of course are consistent sub MOA perfectly round groups at distance
this is a fascinating hobby
Begin with the Starting load in published data.
Based on the difference between Starting Load and Maximum Load, increase charges by 0.1, 0.2 or 0.3 grains. Fire each successively more powerful load looking for accuracy, function of the firearm and pressure signs. If you see pressure signs, drop back to the load that did not show pressure signs and then try loads a fraction of a grain lower looking for an accuracy node.
Yes, it is called the "ladder" approach and it involves the process described above.
Accuracy.
For the moment, ignore everything else. After you have an accurate load, you can then worry about things like extreme spread", "standard deviation", "maximum velocity" after you have a load that is already the most accurate amongst what you have tried.
I load mostly for hunting and strive for one hole performance from my gear.
I also load test seating depth first, using a median powder load and if the test go right, and mostly they do, I add powder until group starts to spread or pressure problems arrive. Then I load 10 to prove my findings, if not happy I start over.
I also load test seating depth first, using a median powder load and if the test go right, and mostly they do, I add powder until group starts to spread or pressure problems arrive. Then I load 10 to prove my findings, if not happy I start over.
for me the only relevant test of a load is a fifteen plus shot group. You can get a .2 three shot group from milsurp ammo and a $400 AR if you shoot enough groups
this was the one of the targets from my final test of my 80 Bergers shot at 300 yards. Range went cold midway through the test so I made a slight scope adjustment ( .25 MOA D and .25 MOA R) and finished on the bottom target. The ten ring is 3 inches in diameter, the pink (orange) X is 1.5 inches. I settled on this load because 23.4,23.5 and 23.6 all grouped the pretty the same vertically and horizontally. The flyer was called, I made the classic mistake of putting my finger on the trigger before the sight picture was correct. When the trigger pull is measured in oz that is a no no
this was the one of the targets from my final test of my 80 Bergers shot at 300 yards. Range went cold midway through the test so I made a slight scope adjustment ( .25 MOA D and .25 MOA R) and finished on the bottom target. The ten ring is 3 inches in diameter, the pink (orange) X is 1.5 inches. I settled on this load because 23.4,23.5 and 23.6 all grouped the pretty the same vertically and horizontally. The flyer was called, I made the classic mistake of putting my finger on the trigger before the sight picture was correct. When the trigger pull is measured in oz that is a no no
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Begin with the powder given for the accuracy load for the specific bullet weight in your manual. Not all manuals give an accuracy load though. One of the reasons to buy a Lyman book.
"...one hole performance..." Isn't necessary and rarely possible with a hunting rifle. Consistency is far more important than group size. Seating depth is the last thing that matters. Use the Max OAL given in your manual. And for get the whole off-the-lands thing altogether. It's a load tweaking technique that is 100% trial and error.
"...one hole performance..." Isn't necessary and rarely possible with a hunting rifle. Consistency is far more important than group size. Seating depth is the last thing that matters. Use the Max OAL given in your manual. And for get the whole off-the-lands thing altogether. It's a load tweaking technique that is 100% trial and error.
Not so much funny as a lack of scientific approach as no one has found a way to make a lot of money off it.
Ideas have to be rigorously tested of course, but then you have powder and primer and case variations and the road to hell is paved with trying to eliminate those and then the Hurricane hits.
My best laugh was a guy who interviews a bunch of bench rest shooters. None of them agreed on everything. Some had things in common and some did not. They all had their own unique approach and pick of what was important.
I cam away convinced that the bullet would hit exactly where you wanted it to if you had enough faith. My obviously waivers.
OP:
Secret No. I start low, work my way up (usually 5/10) and see if I get a spot that looks promising by group size.
Then I load a number on and around that better looking. I have enough excess to play with bullet length. I just load long and seat them deeper at the range with my handy dandy RCBS Junior bolted to a bench (evero0ne can see it)
Someday's I shoot great, some days not so much.
It keeps me from getting bored (pun intended)
Secret No. I start low, work my way up (usually 5/10) and see if I get a spot that looks promising by group size.
Then I load a number on and around that better looking. I have enough excess to play with bullet length. I just load long and seat them deeper at the range with my handy dandy RCBS Junior bolted to a bench (evero0ne can see it)
Someday's I shoot great, some days not so much.
It keeps me from getting bored (pun intended)
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here is my only other attempt at load development using seating depth first and I was wrong in my post above, these SMK's like it dead in the lands. I have yet to try any powder or primer tweaking. .6 MOA 10 shot group at 300 though is promising
It is amazing what a difference in group size you can get just by moving the seating depth a few thousandths. Even without the flyer on the .015 target that group was visibly larger than the top target. I did not even scan in the .030 and .050 target
It is amazing what a difference in group size you can get just by moving the seating depth a few thousandths. Even without the flyer on the .015 target that group was visibly larger than the top target. I did not even scan in the .030 and .050 target
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Beginning with accuracy loads shown in mauals usually means your starting with a Max load, this is bad information at best, never start with a Max load.
The whole "off the lands thing" isn't useless unless you have no business at the loading bench to start with.
And further more, why not reach the "one hole accuracy" in a hunting rifle, man why do you preach mediocrity, that's also useless information.
The whole "off the lands thing" isn't useless unless you have no business at the loading bench to start with.
And further more, why not reach the "one hole accuracy" in a hunting rifle, man why do you preach mediocrity, that's also useless information.
50 freak'n rounds??!! You gotta be chitt'n me!!
I can usually find the most accurate load with seating depth in under 21.
Some people just really like to pull a trigger i guess.
10 round ladder test, going up 0.3gr. Tells me charge weight. Rest are 3 round seating depth test.
I can usually find the most accurate load with seating depth in under 21.
Some people just really like to pull a trigger i guess.
10 round ladder test, going up 0.3gr. Tells me charge weight. Rest are 3 round seating depth test.
I visit hunting and shooting forums and see what others are using. Hang around several forums long enough, ask enough questions and you start seeing trends. If I see a lot of people having success with a certain combo chances are good that something similar will work for me.
I wouldn't blindly choose another persons load. I cross check it in loading manuals to verify then start low then work up. Every single load that I use is based on what I've read others were using. Saves a lot of time, money and components.
I wouldn't blindly choose another persons load. I cross check it in loading manuals to verify then start low then work up. Every single load that I use is based on what I've read others were using. Saves a lot of time, money and components.
Roadkill2228
New member
There are different kinds of “accuracy”. Long range precision rounds using bthp bullets require a lot more fiddling around with seating depth and finding “nodes”...but for 100 yard groups and general purpose conventional shooting without the headache of playing around with 50 rounds or more, I’ve always had good results with a simple flat base cup and core bullet and a case right full (but not compressed) of powder, whatever powder can fill the case up to the heel of the bullet with no shaking around and be at max or 1 grain under max in the book. Hornady interlocks work good. Standard primers, no crimping, usually opt to seat it as long as the mag box provided that isn’t jamming the lands.
Most of my loads are based on already well known loads that work well with some minor tunning. 42.5gr 4064 168smk (308) 47gr 4064 168gr smk (3006) 35.5gr 4064 53gr 22-250. Fine tuning oval and some powder adjustments usually with +|- .5 gr. Work you way up obviously but my guess is someone has already found a good load for your cartridge.