AI in handload development

[Datchew]

Hi all,

For my blaser r8, I've been developing a load for cape buffalo using 270 grain TSX and initially, RL-15.
However, they stopped selling the powder halfway through my trials.

I switched to varget and have some favorable groups just under 3/4" at 100m with a vx6-hd 1-6x.
At this point, as the safari date is rushing toward me and it's starting to get too hot in Texas for trials, I'm going to try to increase my development speed by augmenting with some of these new AI tools.

Thought you might enjoy the link below of how quickly the AI can accumulate, compile, cross-reference, and extrapolate information.

Grok AI analysis

 

[franzfmdavis]

Fascinating conglomeration of information! Probably in seconds rather than the standard hours it would take to accomplish the same longhand.

 

[Mekaniks]

I have never used AI for hand loading (still old school I guess)

AI is super cool BUT it's still "trust but verify".... AI is still only as good as the data that is put into it... It will "learn" but cannot always weed out disinformation....

For what its worth...If you are getting 3/4' groups with Varget, and your trip is around the corner, why are you messing with it?? I say take it hunting!!

 

[BourbonTrail]

I have never used AI for hand loading (still old school I guess)

AI is super cool BUT it's still "trust but verify".... AI is still only as good as the data that is put into it... It will "learn" but cannot always weed out disinformation....

For what its worth...If you are getting 3/4' groups with Varget, and your trip is around the corner, why are you messing with it?? I say take it hunting!!

+1

AI is known for glitches known as “hallucinations” where it combines or extrapolates random things into anomalous data points. It’s great for a quick compilation, but you need to comb through it afterwards.

 

[Datchew]

Trust but verify - Amen!

I'm going to switch to a new pound of varget first as this one is almost depleted.
A new pound gives me approximately 97 cartridges at this load.
I'll verify no significant change, then shoot over the chronograph to verify velocity. If it's in the range I'm happy with, I'm pretty sure the buffalo won't detect +/- a few FPS.

Then I'll use the drops calculations as a guide and go shoot to verify at 150, 200, 250, and 300.

Then call Leupold for their fancy CDS dial. Or I'll go old school and laminate a recipe card with my dope and tape it to the side of the buttstock.

I'm with you... it's a good augmentation tool for analysis and planning, but it's still subject to data sets being garbage.

 

[Hunter4752001]

I would never trust AI for load data unless I knew the data sources it assimilated in making its recommendation. We all know how much crap info is out there. That probably makes me an unreconstructed ludite

Given how close your hunt is, I wouldn't start changing anything. However once you get back and start planning for the future, you may want to try AR2209 (sold in US as H4350). It's my go to powder for 270g .375 H&H loads. If it works out for you, then you have another powder option if supplies get dificult.

 

[Datchew]

I would never trust AI for load data unless I knew the data sources it assimilated in making its recommendation. We all know how much crap info is out there. That probably makes me an unreconstructed ludite

Given how close your hunt is, I wouldn't start changing anything. However once you get back and start planning for the future, you may want to try AR2209 (sold in US as H4350). It's my go to powder for 270g .375 H&H loads. If it works out for you, then you have another powder option if supplies get dificult.

Appreciate that. I have a thread on the load dev for the 375 and that advice aligns with others.
I started with RL-15 and had H4350 (I use this for 762 NATO clone) as a candidate after varget.

If I can get just under 0.75" with varget, I'm quite certain that's accurate enough for a large beast such as a cape buff. Just need to verify a new container of powder and check the chronograph for sufficient velocity.

At a high level view, it's not a thread about using AI to replace empirical testing, but to highlight the augmentation capabilities.

 

[sgt_zim]

If you want to understand AI, start asking any of them questions about a topic on which you have expert knowledge. You will find errors. Then realize that every expert could ask similar questions related to their fields. You, not being an expert in those fields, won't see the errors, you'll assume it is accurate, completely forgetting that it was inaccurate on your subject.

There is an official name for this: the Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect.

For asking specific questions about things like "give me a powershell cmdlet to extract X, Y, and Z properties of an Active Directory computer object," it's the bees knees. Or "which are the required arguments for Python's N-class object's method Z, and which are optional; and does the Z method expect decimal, float, or integer input?." Again, you'll get a perfect answer. Beyond that, it's about as useful an an encyclopedia.

 

[D.M.V]

Hear I thought I was about to dive into a discussion about Ackley Improved. AI artificial intelligence. Ahh ok.

 

[Luvthunt]

Hear I thought I was about to dive into a discussion about Ackley Improved. AI artificial intelligence. Ahh ok.

Me too

 

[Javaman]

Love the AI response, +1 for Trust but Verify!

 

[Nhoro]

When I saw the title, I was concerned. AI is great at sifting through info and then giving you a good average. I thought you were getting grain loads from it ! Loading via Wikipedia. But for trajectory it should be great. I also use the Hornady app. It is free and gives you Hornady loads built in and then you can tweak them for your situation. You can even set BC to tune your load to match your test shots ie at 250 m and it will then do the calculations and give you your dial settings in between and beyond.

 

[Bescultat]

Hi all,

For my blaser r8, I've been developing a load for cape buffalo using 270 grain TSX and initially, RL-15.
However, they stopped selling the powder halfway through my trials.

I switched to varget and have some favorable groups just under 3/4" at 100m with a vx6-hd 1-6x.
At this point, as the safari date is rushing toward me and it's starting to get too hot in Texas for trials, I'm going to try to increase my development speed by augmenting with some of these new AI tools.

Thought you might enjoy the link below of how quickly the AI can accumulate, compile, cross-reference, and extrapolate information.


I’ve also seen people use tools like Atomic Chat to keep that kind of experimental data and iteration history structured when they’re running multiple load variants in parallel. That kind of organization tends to be more valuable than any single AI-generated recommendation.

Grok AI analysis

When a powder like RL-15 disappears mid-testing, the biggest risk is changing more variables than necessary. You did the right thing by moving to Varget, but I’d treat it as a new baseline rather than a continuation of the same node. Even if group size looks similar, the pressure curve and barrel timing can shift enough that your earlier conclusions don’t fully carry over.

For Cape buffalo specifically, consistency under heat becomes more relevant than squeezing out marginal group improvements. Texas summer conditions can already give you a decent proxy for worst-case pressure behavior, so what you’re doing now (limited, focused validation) is more useful than broad experimentation.

 

[Rare Breed]

Hi all,

For my blaser r8, I've been developing a load for cape buffalo using 270 grain TSX and initially, RL-15.
However, they stopped selling the powder halfway through my trials.

I switched to varget and have some favorable groups just under 3/4" at 100m with a vx6-hd 1-6x.
At this point, as the safari date is rushing toward me and it's starting to get too hot in Texas for trials, I'm going to try to increase my development speed by augmenting with some of these new AI tools.

Thought you might enjoy the link below of how quickly the AI can accumulate, compile, cross-reference, and extrapolate information.

Grok AI analysis

Good stuff...my only concern is my son who owns an AI company told me to be careful given AI has to answer your question unlike a human who can tell you they are not sure. If the known information is in the data lake somewhere and it is public you bet AI is awesome at compiling it in seconds for us.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

What I trust for my loading information are: Speer, Hornady, Lyman, & lee reloading manuals!

 

[Andrew NOLA]

I use the Leupold CDS (which I really like) AND I laminate a pocket card AND I study the ballistics table so I know the drops AND I verify the CDS by shooting targets at the named ranges on it for the distances I am willing to shoot an animal at

belt AND suspenders AND OCD

 

[deewayne2003]

If you want to understand AI, start asking any of them questions about a topic on which you have expert knowledge. You will find errors. Then realize that every expert could ask similar questions related to their fields. You, not being an expert in those fields, won't see the errors, you'll assume it is accurate, completely forgetting that it was inaccurate on your subject.

There is an official name for this: the Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect.

For asking specific questions about things like "give me a powershell cmdlet to extract X, Y, and Z properties of an Active Directory computer object," it's the bees knees. Or "which are the required arguments for Python's N-class object's method Z, and which are optional; and does the Z method expect decimal, float, or integer input?." Again, you'll get a perfect answer. Beyond that, it's about as useful an an encyclopedia.

Thank you!

I’m so tired of dealing with land owners getting their fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide recommendations from AI.

The product suggestions and especially mixing and application rates are scary inaccurate; and FYI when you buy a pesticide/herbicide you are entering into a legally binding agreement to follow the directions on the container.

Should you miss use a product “AI told me” will not be an affirmative defense!

 

[Doug3006]

Yesterday, AI gave me a recommended powder charge (416 Rigby using RL 22 and 400 grain A-Frames) that’s half a grain higher than the max load in the Swift manual. I trust AI advice about as much as I trust some guy at the shooting range.

 

[Newboomer]

Yesterday, AI gave me a recommended powder charge (416 Rigby using RL 22 and 400 grain A-Frames) that’s half a grain higher than the max load in the Swift manual. I trust AI advice about as much as I trust some guy at the shooting range.

That fancy stuff may be OK for rough measurment but for me you can't beat a good scale and trickle charger. I trickle each and every load down to 1/10 grain.

 

[Doug3006]

That fancy stuff may be OK for rough measurment but for me you can't beat a good scale and trickle charger. I trickle each and every load down to 1/10 grain.

You and me both!