Load Development

ebruder

ebruder

CGN Regular
Rating - 99.5%
217   1   1
Location
Kingston
Hi Everyone...

I'm about to start into reloading .223Rem for target shooting...

I hear alot of talk about developing a load specific to your rifle and am wondering exactly what you guys do to develop your loads...

I see it like this... and would appreciate any advice...

You take a recipe that someone else with a similar rifle uses with good success... you then go down 10% on the powder load for safety... then start working back up... I am guessing you only load 20 rounds or so... then test... then adjust up again by a certain powder wieght... then test... etc... etc until the groups start to open up...

Is that how you do it? When do you start playing with overall length and seating depth?

Thanks

EB
:canadaFlag:
 
Here is my routine...others may have different ways that suit them better.
Start with the lowest recommended load that your manuals state for that cartridge.
Work up to max loads in .5grn increments.
Load 10 rounds of each increment.

For example in .223 Min Load is 24grn Max load is 26grn of Varget
So load 10 in the following:
24
24.5
25
25.5
26

This will give you 50 rounds to play with (some for foulers etc)

I set up 5 targets and shoot my groups in a round robin style and change start load every set.

1st Set
2 Foulers - 24g, 24.5g, 25g, 25.5g, 26g
2nd Set
2 Foulers - 24.5g, 25g, 25.5g, 26g, 24g
3rd Set
2 Foulers - 25g, 25.5g, 26g, 24g, 24.5g
4th Set
2 Foulers - 25.5g, 26g, 24g, 24.5g, 25g
5th Set
2 Foulers - 26g, 24g, 24.5g, 25g, 25.5g

I let the rifle cool in between Sets.
This way every target gets a "cold bore" shot and a warm bore shot.
It's a good idea to mark your targets as which load it is so you can see while your testing. It's easy to muck up in the middle of sets by starting on the wrong target.

You can also go up by .3grns at a time and load five of each of those and some low loads for foulers.

When you find a load that shoots well then play around with seating depth to fine tune it.
 
Last edited:
Thanks!

I assume that you get to repeat the whole process if you change primers, brass, or bullets... or can you short cut into the approximate powder weight and start there?

EB
 
ebruder said:
Thanks!

I assume that you get to repeat the whole process if you change primers, brass, or bullets... or can you short cut into the approximate powder weight and start there?

EB
Click to expand...

You should start back at the beginning if you change any of your components.
 
Once you find the load that groups best, start playing with the seating depth. I usually shoot 5 round groups to start, letting the barrel cool between groups. I shoot all my groups on the same target and just dial the sights off/ up or down 5 minutes.
Shoot a group at the center of the target. Move sight up 5 minutes shoot another group. Move sight left 5 minutes, shoot a group. move sights down 5 min, shoot a group. Move sight down 5 more min. shoot a group. Right 5 min, shoot, right 5 more, shoot, Up 5 min shoot, Up 5 more shoot. This give you 9 groups on one peice of paper and the same point of aim. I am using iron sights and shooting prone with a jacket and sling.
 
Start with a manual. Pick a powder for the bullet weight you're using. Then, beginning with the starting load, load 5 rounds only. 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.
"...if you change..." If you change any one component, you have to start again. Just changing the brass isn't as big of a deal as changing powder, bullet or primer though.
"...When do you start playing with..." Once you have a load that groups, you can fine tune by going back to the load before the best load and work up by 1/10ths of a grain. This is usually more fuss than necessary, but after you've done it, you can fiddle with the OAL. Most of the time, unless you're shooting Benchrest(uses a totally different method of loading) the OAL given in your manual will do nicely.
 
Many cartridges are extremely sensitive to seating depth as has been stated. I would seat you bullets at the lands first and then find a powder load that produces the best groups. From there, I would pay with seating depth and work in 2-3 thou increments working your way from ~5 thou back to 20 thou in.

If you are using a factory rifle with a magazine, do not be surprised if your rounds end up being long, as factory throats tend to be that way. SOmetimes the best developed rounds will not fit in magazines on guns with factory barrels.

You will also have to honestly evaluate your own skill and ability. A gun's best performance is only as good as yours.
 
I only load 3 @ .5 grn increments It will tell you what is close then go from there you dont need 5 shots to figure that out
just be careful shooting
 
When I work up a new load the first thing I do is to determine the maximum load so that I know what my upper and lower limits are when I am tweaking the load for accuracy. To do this I shoot over a chronograph, and from the recommended minimum load in the manual(s) increase in 1 gr or in the your case due to the small powder capacity of the cartridge, 1/2 gr increments. Watch the velocity of each subsequent round, and when the velocity plateaus (if you have an increase of say 50 fps steadily for several rounds, then the velocity increases only 30 fps, the velocity has plateaued) you have reached the maximum load. The next increment or two will result in a sticky bolt. This procedure is also useful to see if you choice of powder is the best. If you can't put enough powder in the case to get the velocity you expect, the burning rate is too slow, and if you reach excessive pressure before reaching your anticipated velocity the burning rate is too fast. Unless I intend to crimp the bullets, I begin with the bullet seated firmly into the lands. This produces the highest pressure, and later, if I want to experiment by seating the bullet a little farther away from the lands the pressure drops, so I don't need to determine a new maximum load.

Now you have the parameters of the working range of your load. I prefer to search for the best accuracy by starting at the high end and working backwards to find the sweet spot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom