Best way to work up a load?

[Foxamaphone]

Hey guys, just starting up a load for a 168g. Hornady A-Max round for my
.308, but just as a general rule of thumb, what is the best way to work a load t'ill you find that sweet spot? I've heard work it up half a grain at a time, but just wondering if there was another way?

Thanks,

Dan

 

[kombayotch]

Optimum Charge Weight (OCW)
http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/

Here is an example:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=289047&highlight=ocw&page=3

 

[looch]

I can attest to this method. (Man, has it been that long since that thread?)

 

[sunray]

Rumours a flying on other forums about A-Max bullets not being as good as they should be. I know what the Hornady regular 168 grain HPBT's do out of my 1903A4 though.
One shot per load tells you nothing about what that load does. Might be ok for hunting loads though. However, for match ammo meticulous techniques are required. Do this.
Beginning with the starting load given in your manual, load 5 rounds only(A mag load will do for a rifle that doesn't hold 5.). Go up by half a grain of powder, loading 5 of each, keeping them separate, until you get to the max load in your manual.
Then go shooting. Shoot at 100 yards, for group only, slowly and deliberately off a solid bench rest.
Change targets between strings of 5 and allow time for the barrel to cool.
When you find the best group, sight in.

 

[mmattockx]

The precision guys will tell you that a ladder test is the only way to go, and they do work well if you have the range to do it.

An alternate method from mystic player that is similar to the OCW method mentioned by kombayotch is shown here:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/precision-reloading.php

Mark

 

[Katana]

I do the same as Sunray but the only difference is that I go in 1 gr increments for min to max load as per the manual. Once the two best groups are found, I go in 1/10 gr till the absolute best is shown.

That example is done for a target rifle. Same for the hunting but I don't bother with getting to carried away. Once 1MOA is found, that's good enough.

 

[Dogleg]

I'll usually try a few powders that have a proven track record in the cartridge and a few bullets that will do whatever the rifle is for. The initial load developement may be at 100 for a hunting rifle, or 200 for a varmint, or longrange rifle.
I look for loads that shoot well across a few powder charge increments, and those charges to about the same POI. Usually several show potential. The pure garbage can be eliminated quickly.
Next I'll load enough test rounds in the promising ranges, with the promising bullets to really try out. Hunting rifles get a chance to show their stuff at 330 yards, and heavy barrels may just go straight to 500 yards, paying particular attention to vertical dispersion at the longer range. The less obvious garbage can be eliminated at this time. Usually there's a bullet or powder that looked great at 100 that doesn't cut it when it matters.Usually there's another that hangs in there, and it gets a little tweaking for powder charge and COL. Or maybe I'll leave well enough alone and just stretch it's legs to the longest range it could be used at.
I've given up on short range groups predicting long range results. The other way around works though.
The process will get a little more streamlined when the loading shack at my range is completed.

 

[horseman2]

The Nosler book lists the most accurate loads with a certain bullet, and the most accurate powder. For hunting rifle applications I have found this as a good starting point.
Just because they are selling Nosler bullets does not preclude using someone elses bullets of the same weight.