Rnds fired before load development ?

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Brianma65

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How many rnds do you fire before you actually test your reloads?
And once the barrel is fouled enough for testing, how many rnds do you put through , before you clean and start again ?

So , basically , what's your reloading/development routine?
 
I personally load and go. My last 2 guns (a custom 700 built by the Chou Brothers and an AI AX) the first rounds through them were load development.

Mind you, I don't go for 1/10th groups. I would rather shoot more than sit at a reloading bench for any longer.

Edited: I clean rarely and don't do a break in procedure.
 
I start with about 20 rounds, taken from the low end of the reloading table. If the barrel has been shot before, I'll do less, maybe 10. Enough to foul the barrel, sight in the scope, get some rough dope out to 300m, and get a good feel for the rifle. Then I start with some ladder tests. I do two rounds of ladders, one with .3gr increments, and then re-test promising nodes with .1gr increments. I also do two rounds at each powder charge for the first ladder. More consuming in time and components, but I feel its worth it to make sure a flyer doesn't lead me astray. That way I've got an excellent idea of what the rifle likes, and with at least 50 rounds through, it is well broken in. Then I'll shot for groups, but by that stage it is merely confirmation and building a drop table.
Cleaning routine is based on performance; if groups open up or unexplained flyers appear, she gets cleaned. I don't think I've ever gone less than 300 rounds between cleanings. The powder you use also makes a difference. I use N150 in my 6.5x47, and that barrel simply does not get dirty. Varget and H4350, on the other hand, can leave a fair bit of residue after not a lot of rounds.
 
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I put 65 rnds through ,so far. I want to test the same rnds again,only this time I want to try 10 of each.
So I should be good to go without a cleaning?
Berger bullits and varget.
The reason I want to try again is I had two groups under an inch, if not for one shot being outside of the group ,I would have had all 5 shots touching. Not sure if it's me or the loads?
 
My 308s (AI and a TRG) are even shooting pretty much the same load. I only have one set of 308 dies and I can't be bothered to adjust them. A decent case and 44 to 45 grs of varget with a 168gr to 178gr bullet will probably shoot well.
 
OK, thanks, I thought you had to foul the barrel to get a true reading.
I was buyin a bx of cheap cartridges , shooting them first for barrel fouling ,then testing my reloads.
Wasting money I guess.
 
You do, and you should foul it with the same powder you will be testing with. Some powders can interact. Many times I have seen loads with single based powders shoot faster for a few rounds after shooting loads with double based powders.

I always fire 5 rounds with the powder I am testing to foul the barrel when it is cold or when switching powders. I always foul my barrel the day before a match with at least 10 rounds.
 
So what do you do for that first 175-200 rounds on a new barrel? I mean if you're gonna have to basically redo your load development afterwards, do you just pick a safe powder weight and stick with it till the barrel speeds up? Or do you do your load dev and just keep an eye on the MV and adjust your drop tables when it goes up? I guess what I'm saying is, would your accurate load still work after break in or since it's faster it might not be on a node anymore? I'll be breaking in a 6.5 barrel this winter so I'm curious.

Editted to say that I've pretty much settled on the 6.5 Creedmoor so was thinking of using Factory ammo for break in.
 
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I run at least a 100 factory rounds thru a new gun, just getting used to its feel, balance, etc. and to get the barrel "broken in." I don't get it very hot and then I'll shoot a few handloads with the powder and bullets I am trying to develop.

I usually go to 200m just to be sure my dope is good with it and I'm on paper, then I develop at 300m or 400m depending on how far I think I may need to use that load.

I don't do a "break in" using a Factory barrel "don't call me list break in procedure."
I keep a barrel log and only clean when accuracy falls off for that chosen load. Even then the cleaning is minimal. Then I shoot a 2-3 shot "CCB" validation and put the gun away.

One barrel(223) needs a clean @ 150 rounds. Another (6mm)hasn't indicated it needs cleaning yet @ 300 rounds.

EDIT...I'd break in a 6.5 CM with factory and try several from 120-140 and some sst, Amax etc., but I like to hunt also, you may just be interested in targets. That way you may get an idea of what it likes prior to handload development.
 
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rugbydave said:
So what do you do for that first 175-200 rounds on a new barrel? I mean if you're gonna have to basically redo your load development afterwards, do you just pick a safe powder weight and stick with it till the barrel speeds up? Or do you do your load dev and just keep an eye on the MV and adjust your drop tables when it goes up? I guess what I'm saying is, would your accurate load still work after break in or since it's faster it might not be on a node anymore? I'll be breaking in a 6.5 barrel this winter so I'm curious.

Editted to say that I've pretty much settled on the 6.5 Creedmoor so was thinking of using Factory ammo for break in.
Click to expand...

I practice the things I suck at, the things that have given me problems in matches. Barricade positions on certain types of barricades, off-hand shots... practicing those will get you further ahead in matches than shooting small groups prone. Many guys who shoot wildcats use those first 200 rounds to fireform more brass when they install a new barrel, practicing those things.

If it's a new barrel on a cartridge I have experience with, I will just use the match load I used on the previous barrel. On a new cartridge, I will do a preliminary OCW test, and just shoot a node I found. I would use the factory ammo if available.

If MV changes, your load is most definitely re-tuning. Velocity, pressure and barrel time are all related. One cannot change without affecting the others. If your MV changes, it changes your tuning because the time the bullet spends going down the barrel has changed. If your load shoots great at MV1 and groups open up at MV2, it is going to open up at MV2 regardless of what causes the change in MV. Doesn't matter if you got to MV2 by changing the amount of powder, by temperature affecting MV or by the barrel speeding up or slowing down.
 
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Thanks, that makes sense. I'll prob just shoot factory ammo (or copy the factory load)for the 1st 200, run the chroni a few times to put together a drop table and then do some positional practice. I don't shoot prone much anymore inside 800 or so yards, I haven't found it to be a weakness in my game. Shooting out of a tire, now that's a different story, haha. Figure see what the MV is looking like every 50 or so rounds and start working up a load after 200 or so or when the mv stabilizes...
 
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