Rounds Used to Work Up a Load

604shooter

604shooter

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Neither here nor there.
I'm just wondering how many rounds do you guys use to work up a load for any given bullet. I'm starting at 38.5gr (10% under max load) all the way up to 43gr if needed. I'll be going up in half gr increments with 7 rounds per charge weight giving me a total of 70 rounds (2 3-shot groups with an extra round). Do you guys see any problems with this logic?
 
I don't know what your shooting/loading, but I guess that doesn't matter here.
I only use 4 rounds per charge weight, less waste I find.
I also use .3 grain increments until I find something that seems to work well then I tailor it from there right down to an exact science where my finished product can be eg; 61.25g, Most folks that I talk to say that I take it a little to far, but hey that's me, I want precision accuracy always and if I get it with 0.05 of a grain then so be it.
Finding that perfect load takes time and time and more time, and sometimes it's right there, funny how that works.
I also reload every cartridge one at a time, none of this progressive bulk manufacturing, Every load has been measured to an exact as the the last, with no variances in between.
That's my take on the issue, everyone else has their own opinion on how to do things also.
Good Luck, have fun & safe shooting.
 
I load 5 rounds as I always seem to get a flyer. I go up in .5 increments starting at the minimum load until i find the best group and then go down and up in .2 increments until I find the sweet spot
 
Three rounds per half grain increment should be good enough for the first go around to see which load gives you the smallest group. Then load up three rounds per 0.2 grain increments starting with 0.4 grains below the tightest group from the first go around and ending up 0.4 grains above the tightest group from the first go around. This should allow you to find the best load providing all the other variables are the same such as choice of primer, choice of powder and bullet seating depth. If you also need to find out what effect these later variables have on your group size, then you can appreciate that 7 rounds of one test load is a bit much as you may run out of one or more of your components and need to substitute a different lot.

If you find a good hunting load at under the maximum load, changing to a different lot of the same powder or same bullet won't make a big change. A few three round test groups using 0.2 grain powder increments and starting 0.4 grains below your previous best load should tell you if a change is warranted.

How do other GunNuts approach this problem?
 
Thanks for the input fellas. 7 rounds per charge weight does seem a bit much, but I was thinking it would be a better indicator. I guess I can tune the charge weight once I settle on a particular load.
 
For rifle, 5 rounds in .5 grain increments. For small rifle, ie. 223 I start at .5 and change to .2 when I get to the meaningful part of the workup.

For handgun 10 rounds at .2 grain increments when I am working at the performance I hope to achieve.
 
Start with the most accurate powder and load from the Nosler Books.
Where you start is up to you but you will be very close to their results when you are finished.
Once you have settled on a load, then start working on how far off the lands works best, lengthening by 5 thou with each load.
This will change on whether you are loading for hunting or benchrest accuracy.
The number of laods I have worked up only to decide it is not working is greatly reduced by following Nosler, especially for hunting but very close for accuracy as well.
 
I take such a cavalier approach to load development, it's probably unethical to describe it. I just don't like fooling around too much. Regards, Bill.
 
I start by loading a single round of each weight, usually 0.5 grain increments. I then chronograph these to find the velocity range I want to be in, then fine tune from there by using 5 rounds per charge over the range I want. I then shoot these 5 rounds per charge over the chronograph at a target. I am never close to maximum loads, if I want top end velocity in one caliber I would rather go to a different rifle. I don't snipe at animals when I hunt, keep my shots inside 200 yards so I don't need top end velocities.
 
"...10% under max load..." 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 bench.
Change targets between strings of 5 and allow time for the barrel to cool.
When you find the best group, sight in 4" high at 100. That'll put you on target out to about 300 yards with no hold over.
 
sunray said:
"...10% under max load..." 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 bench.
Change targets between strings of 5 and allow time for the barrel to cool.
When you find the best group, sight in 4" high at 100. That'll put you on target out to about 300 yards with no hold over.
Click to expand...
4" high! Have you read Gatehouse's 'How big is the kill zone' thread? Some guys insist the kill zone is only 6" :rolleyes:
 
I odn't even load 2 rounds per powder charge.

I load one each, going up in one grain increments, until I get close to MAX, and then I proceed in .5gr increments.

I shoot them all at the same target, and note thier velocity and where they impact.

Pretty soon you wil see some that cluster together.

I laod 3 of each of the ones that cluster togeter and shoot them at individual targets for groups. If one shoots remarkably better than the other 2 or 3 groups, I pick that one, and muck wiht seating depth if necessary.

Targets look like this:

3 shots:

Picture856-copy.jpg


14 shots:

Picture857-copy.jpg
 
All depends,
I usually have a rule where I try to start at around 86-88% of case capacity for powder appropriate for the caliber.
For example:
.30-06, bullet 180gr, twist 1-10", barrel 24" IMO will accept IMR4064, so I will start at 47.6 and go up by 0.3grain, only 3rounds per load.
47.6gr will give me descent velocity, so I will not really worry about speed as the accuracy.
Marring powder with the bullet is very important, also knowing the length of the chamber plays important role in my load development.
 
Leeper said:
I take such a cavalier approach to load development, it's probably unethical to describe it. I just don't like fooling around too much. Regards, Bill.
Click to expand...

What is the point? Your rifles are all custom built by an expert!:D

Besides- You coudl say that you do the fooling around to the rifle, and not the ammo..;)
 
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