Load work up

T

Txbonecollector75

New member
I've got a question about load work ups.

I'm wanting to use H335 powder and in my Hornady book it says suggested starting load is 20.8gr and max load is 23.2gr, now if I seat my bullet so my coal is 2.200" and start at my suggested starting load and work up to my max load and I'm still not getting the grouping I'm looking for, do I then start back over at my starting load and move my coal up by .010" and do that till I get the grouping I'm looking for?

I guess what I'm trying to ask is every time I lengthen my coal do I need to start over with the suggested starting load? Because Hornady says that the coal should be 2.200". Or should I start with the coal @ max 2.260"?

I'm loading .223, with a 16" barrel, a 1:9" twist rate, and a Hornady 55gr FMJBT
 
Load Developement

I look at the Bullet makers manual, and if your lucky it'll show most accurate powder used. With that info in hand I start with a median powder charge, not min, and definitely not max.
I load 3 rnds at .005 off lands, then another 3 .010 off lands. From there I jump to .020 off lands, and then .030, .050, .060, .090, only loading the last 4 -3rd groups if the first 3 doesn't satisfy.
Brian Litz has an interesting theory that is written in the Berger manual, but you can Google this optimum COAL theory.
Sometimes I only have to fire 3 rnds total to find my coal, (CBTO) and then I add .3 grains of powder until groups open, then go back to the satisfactory powder charge.
I use this method, some here load 5-6 rnd test, but I'm satisfied with 3 round groups. Give it a try and decide for yourself.
 
Generally, I start above minimum a bit and increase by 0.3 gr per load increase. And these days I don't change the COAL until I find a load I like. I shoot 3 shot groups until I find a nice load and then I go to 5 shot groups. My logic is that a bad 3 shot group won't be improved with two more rounds. Of course, my load bench is 20 steps from the shooting bench, so that's easy for me to do.

Mostly I shoot Nosler bullets, and their listed COAL has turned out to be my best one quite a few times. Coincidence? Heck, I don't know. Everybody talks about having the bullet just off the lands. That isn't always the best approach. If it was, Weatherby's freebore approach would not allow any accuracy at all.
 
I load on the low side, example - IMR 4064 40.5gr. Under a Sierra 168gr.HPBTbullet. .005 into the lands, at the lands, then a .003 jump up to .015 Found when shooting the Sierra 168 my rifle liked the .005 jam & .009 jump. With the A-Max 168 liked the .015 jump. Now my next range trip I'm going to try a .017 jump with the A Max. Zero at 200 yards 5 shot groups. Once a load groups well, I'll shoot three 10 shot groups. Will then raise & lower .2 grains of powder, to fine tune. Use to shoot 41.5 but 40.5 shot just as good. All with .001 headspace from bolt face to case base.
 
I've measured my CBTO and its 2.352" for my rifle, but reloading for my ar15 5.56 I'm limited to the COAL of 2.260" because of my magazines. I'm using Hornady 55gr FMJBT bullets, and they recommend a COAL of 2.200", and their start load is 20.8grs and max is 23.2grs. So should I start at 22grs and a COAL of 2.200" and work up my powder first and then lengthen my COAL up to the max of 2.260"? And I've heard different views on increasing loads, some say increase by .3grs at a time and others say increase by .5grs at a time. And if I increase the COAL to 2.260" I'm still .092" from being jammed into the lands, and I can't go above 2.260" because I want to continue to feed through my magazines.
 
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Txbonecollector75
22.0 gr. of H335 at 2.200 C.O.A.L. is a good starting point. From starting to max. load is around two grains so I would increase by .3 grains. When checking in my Sierra load book, their range is 23.6 - 25.7 with a 55 gr FMJHP C.O.A.L. of 2.250 After looking at different load books, l would go 22.0 at 2.250 and work up .3 grains to your max of 23.5 A happy medium
With your rifle loading from a magazine, just stay with the specs. Your rifle is set up with a lot of free bore. Work one change at a time, powder increases, when you get a good grouping, then see if changing your OAL ( CBTO ) is a better way to measure, to fine tune your rounds.
Does your 55gr FMJBT bullet have a cannalure ? You could also try a Sierra 69 gr HPBT MatchKing bullet with the same settings.
How do you size your brass ? I feel that is very important for accurate reloads. Are you checking headspace & runout, also what brass are you using ? Hope I Helped.
 
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Yes I'm loading up a couple of different charges and worked them up by .3 gr, and using the Hornady load chart I'm starting at 2.200" and 5 rounds in each load work up. So when I find the tightest grouping, then I'm going to tweak the load with seating depths and see which one bring it in even tighter. I use the RCBS small base 2 die set, and I've checked my head space and it's spot on, and my run out is good, right now I'm using once fired brass that was fired through my rifle some is PPU and the other is Remington brass by Fiocchi. But I am going to start using Lake City brass once I get everything dialed in.
 
Txbonecollector75
Just be aware, some brass brands may be thicker then others giving less volume, may have to lower charge on the thicker. Had the problem when I was using Remington & Winchester, both are very similar. When I changed to FC ( federal ) cases with the same charge as Rem & Win. the powder was so much higher in the case. Had to lower the charge by 1.0 grain. Grouped just as tight, now instead of 41.5 gr. I'm using 40.5
Let us know how you do with your testing. Be Safe, Chris
 
If you don't have one already the Hornady OAL gauge is an excellent addition to your hand loading inventory


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"...move my coal..." Better to change powders and maybe the bullet. OAL doesn't make enough difference to matter.
"...should I start with the coal max..." Yep. The whole off-the-lands thing is a load tweaking technique that is entirely trial and error in your chamber. There is no off-the-lands by cartridge or rifle. Every chamber is slightly different and so is how much that particular rifle likes the bullet off-the-lands. Lot less fuss to work up the load using the Max OAL.
And OAL is measured from the point end to the flat end. Not the ogive of the bullet.
 
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