Load development preference

[Pheroze]

Hi all. I have started reloading but have a load development question. How do you folks prefer to find the optimal charge for a particular hunting cartridge? For example, I am loading 180 gr 30-06 hornady BTSP over IMR4350 and CCI Large rifle primer BR-2. I have loaded three with the starting charge of 46.7gr. Now what? I have read two competing techniques: the Audette ladder and OCW technique. Both seem to have their advantages. I would really appreciate some advice on how to proceed from here. Thanks.

 

[Bullthrower338]

I move up in .5 gr measurements, I load 5 rounds of each charge. How much I play with the loads depends on the rifle and the intended purpose of the rifle. For example if I am developing a load for a 40-X that I plan to shoot competition with, I will find where the groups close in@.5 gr and then tweak them further in tenth gr measurements. If the rifle in question is intended for close to medium range hunting of large game I will not beat myself up over fractions of an inch if it groups into my personal standard of accuracy for that purpose.
I don't know if I'm right or not, but it has worked well for me since I started loading.
Good luck,
Cody

 

[Pheroze]

Thanks Cody. So do you load those sets of five from the starting load all the way to the maximum load? or do you just load a few different charges at a time and then stop when you find that charge that shows promise?

 

[BRICKBURN]

I move up in .5 gr measurements, I load 5 rounds of each charge. ................

Just like Cody said. Start at the bottom, load five cartridges for each .5 increment up to the max.

Buy yourself a Kinetic Bullet Puller. You'll need it.

Shoot your strings and then pull the bullets from the ones left over and adapt the powder to what worked best.

Then decide if you want to play up or down by .1 increments with the same 5 cartridges for each change in powder.

Go the the range again. Rinse, repeat.

Then go have fun.

Can't wait to see the target results.

 

[Spooksar]

I will load 9 of each for 3, 3 shot groups for my hunting rifle and 5 for 3, 5 shot groups for target or Varmint loads, when I find a load I like I'll tweet the target loads but not the hunting loads.

 

[Pheroze]

This is the first of many. I will post the best targets. Thanks!

 

[8x68]

shoot, shoot, shoot, and more shoot! Does the range you shoot at have a trailer or building where you can reload there? May save you time vs going home reloading going back to the range (unless your in the back 40 then it don't matter!)

 

[sestoppelman]

For a box of 20, I load 5, four shot loads, going up by .5 gr increments. Look for trends. A well known master high power shooter I know says look for a good load every grain and a half. He calls it the wait for it, "grain and a half rule". Sounds goofy but I have seen it play out exactly that way often enough to watch for it. When I can narrow my groups down to a couple or three promising looking loads, I load more of each and bake them off against each other. When I find what I think is the best load for my purposes, I load at least a half box and shoot them to prove the load. If a load shoots well more than a couple of times, conditions being similar I figure its a good load. Then I quickly sell that rifle, buy another and start all over again!!

 

[BRICKBURN]

............. Then I quickly sell that rifle, buy another and start all over again!!

This is a true gun nut that does this. Crazy Man.

 

[sestoppelman]

Excuse me, but I resemble that remark!

 

[Spooksar]

A aspiring Gun Nut a true gun gun would never sell the rifle. I made that mistake 35 years ago and still regret it. I now own a nice collection of guns, somewhere around 375-390

 

[Pheroze]

... I now own a nice collection of guns, somewhere around 375-390

 

[Pheroze]

shoot, shoot, shoot, and more shoot! Does the range you shoot at have a trailer or building where you can reload there? May save you time vs going home reloading going back to the range (unless your in the back 40 then it don't matter!)

My range is about an hour away. There is a building to sit in , but I am not sure how I could reload there as my equipment isn't really portable the way I have it set up. But, four sets of five would make good use of the time there.

 

[Pheroze]

... Then I quickly sell that rifle, buy another and start all over again!!

I am not sure I would sell them but I do seem to be drawn to some odd calibers which become accessible when one reloads.

 

[JimP]

For loading out in the field or at the shooting bench there is always the Lee Hand Loader. You can also work on your grip strength with it.

 

[sestoppelman]

A aspiring Gun Nut a true gun gun would never sell the rifle. I made that mistake 35 years ago and still regret it. I now own a nice collection of guns, somewhere around 375-390

If I had the room for more safes I would likely have the same. I should have been a store manager as I really like to rotate my stock!

 

[sandman0921]

I have tried several methods, but I settled on the Newberry OCW method and have never looked back. I can't say it's the best, but his explanation makes sense, and I've seen it reduce the amount of rounds I put through my rifle to find a optimal load. I had a custom rifle built off of a Stiller Predator action (Remington clone) with a Hart stainless steel barrel (26 in.) in 338 Win Mag. for an elk / CPX3 rifle. The builder did his own load development, and came up with a load using Nosler brass and 225 gr Barnes TTSX (o.338) that were 0.5 MOA rounds from the rifle. He sent 20 rds of handloads for my rifle, along with the recipe. Of course, myself being a tinkerer and not leaving well enough alone, decided to start from scratch and work-up my own loads using the Newberry OCW method (as it was new to me then) just cause......... When it was all said and done, I came up with essentially the same powder, charge, seating depth, etc. as his load. Since then, I've used it pretty much exclusively, and have been happy with the results for my hunting loads. For benchrest competitions, varmint shooting, or other high precision work, this may not be the most ideal way.. I don't know.

Certainly I'm no expert, and don't claim to be. I'm sure there are other hunters and shooters with infinitely more reloading experience than myself. I'm also not saying that the other methods are wrong, but for me, I like this. Takes a lot of the guess work out of trying to find "nodes", etc with other methods. Of course with any method, you have to be careful, work-up slowly, and "listen to your rifle" when it's trying to tell you you're pushing it too hard. That's my disclaimer in the whole thing.....



Anyway, if you, or anyone wants to read about it, you can go here:

http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com

This is a video of a guy on YouTube going through the process.....

Also, there is a nice Excel spread sheet that allows you to plug in values for whatever cartridge load you're working on, and it pre-fills the charge ladder. it gives a good explanation of the method as well. Unfortunately, I can't upload the Excel file here for some reason, but if you search for Dan Newberry OCW Workup Calculator, you should be able to find it. It's an XLS file.


Have fun, but be safe

 

[8x68]

My range is about an hour away. There is a building to sit in , but I am not sure how I could reload there as my equipment isn't really portable the way I have it set up. But, four sets of five would make good use of the time there.

When going "mobile" I use a Black & Decker Work Mate to mount my press (really old RCBS "O" press that I've had for over 30years). The Work Mate can be folded down for easy portability. I use "wing nuts" to mount the press to my loading bench so it can be removed easily. A more portable press idea would be something along the lines of a Lee Reloader Single stage press. The range I shoot at has a trailer with all the equipment needed to reload in it. Some guys bring their own single stage presses and attach them to the back shelf on the firing line and make reloads there.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Thanks Cody. So do you load those sets of five from the starting load all the way to the maximum load? or do you just load a few different charges at a time and then stop when you find that charge that shows promise?

Pheroze,
I typically will start in a velocity range that I would like to live in, published velocity is usually quite liberal and I find they are usually a couple hundred FPS above what I get off of my Crony. I have one 300 RUM that shoots cloverleaf groups at 300 WM velocities and doesn't like RUM velocities at all. I use it mainly for small critters such as Coues Deer and I chose the accuracy over the increased MV. Though I don't think deer sized game care about a couple hundred FPS anyway. Just watch your pressure signs and enjoy the never ending process of load development.
P.S. After you find that sweet spot and you decide you are going to use that load, BUY a pile of bullets! I am now working up a 300 Gr Accubond load for a 375H&H because I cant find any 260 gr bullets anywhere. My dam fault for not over buying as I normally do.
Cheers,
Cody

 

[Bullthrower338]

I am not sure I would sell them but I do seem to be drawn to some odd calibers which become accessible when one reloads.

I just acquired a beautiful Mauser in 375 Whelen Improved, I bought it pennies on the dollar due to the chambering. Reloading has many benefits, but anyone that says it is to save money is just trying to sell rain. I used to tell my Ex that I hunted elk to fill the freezer, my best figuring is Elk meat is about $92.50/lb.lol