Load development: Seating depth VS Charge weight

I like to do this at 300y if possible. Makes the target give you more information. We do it a lot at 200y because our local range is 200y max. Biggest thing I look for is a comfortable top end load. So I pay more attention to vel and pressure signs. Depending on the size of the cartridge I like to find that point when it is showing pressure or we have gotten speed too high for comfort. I know that is kinda gray. If I get up to the point that I am showing an ejector mark or starting to get a bit stiff on the bolt then I will back down a couple of grains on the big guns and maybe .5 to 1g on the smaller stuff. Then at that point I will start to look for the group. During the work up I watch the target more to see if it is just plain erratic or if it is showing a nice group as the load goes up. You can watch this target and if there is a cluster of bullets within a few charge weights that can be an indication of a forgiving spot. As general rule I am looking for a top end load that is as close to 100% case fill without compressing. This usually gives me the best consistency. With our Hammer Bullets I have pretty much stopped watching the workup target for a cluster or a node. Our bullets will almost always stay very close to moa through the work up process.

It generally only takes a few shots to see if the chosen powder is going to see pressure before the target vel or going to run out of case capacity before getting to the desired pressure/vel. Once I have found that top end safe load then shoot for group. The farther out the more you will know. At that point if the load is not sub moa I will start to seat the bullet deeper and shoot for group. About .002" at a time, or about a 1/4 turn on a threaded die. Again if the 1st 2 shots out don't group there is no point in shooting another, unless it is a poorly executed shot.

Most bullets will load up well like this. Only the most finicky will cause you grief.

Good luck.

Steve

PS.
We do custom load development with other brand bullets, not just our own Hammers. We charge more for non Hammer Bullets because they take more fuss, but if you all are interested just let us know. We like to work with ours but we are not that fussy.
 
I like to do this at 300y if possible. Makes the target give you more information. We do it a lot at 200y because our local range is 200y max. Biggest thing I look for is a comfortable top end load. So I pay more attention to vel and pressure signs. Depending on the size of the cartridge I like to find that point when it is showing pressure or we have gotten speed too high for comfort. I know that is kinda gray. If I get up to the point that I am showing an ejector mark or starting to get a bit stiff on the bolt then I will back down a couple of grains on the big guns and maybe .5 to 1g on the smaller stuff. Then at that point I will start to look for the group. During the work up I watch the target more to see if it is just plain erratic or if it is showing a nice group as the load goes up. You can watch this target and if there is a cluster of bullets within a few charge weights that can be an indication of a forgiving spot. As general rule I am looking for a top end load that is as close to 100% case fill without compressing. This usually gives me the best consistency. With our Hammer Bullets I have pretty much stopped watching the workup target for a cluster or a node. Our bullets will almost always stay very close to moa through the work up process.

It generally only takes a few shots to see if the chosen powder is going to see pressure before the target vel or going to run out of case capacity before getting to the desired pressure/vel. Once I have found that top end safe load then shoot for group. The farther out the more you will know. At that point if the load is not sub moa I will start to seat the bullet deeper and shoot for group. About .002" at a time, or about a 1/4 turn on a threaded die. Again if the 1st 2 shots out don't group there is no point in shooting another, unless it is a poorly executed shot.

Most bullets will load up well like this. Only the most finicky will cause you grief.

Good luck.

Steve

PS.
We do custom load development with other brand bullets, not just our own Hammers. We charge more for non Hammer Bullets because they take more fuss, but if you all are interested just let us know. We like to work with ours but we are not that fussy.

Steve, thank you and the others for all your advise. What is your starting bullet seating depth ? So far off the lands, mag length, SAAMI length... ?
 
Steve, thank you and the others for all your advise. What is your starting bullet seating depth ? So far off the lands, mag length, SAAMI length... ?

With our bullets it is not too particular. I still always try to start as long as I can given the limitations of magazine. If the magazine is not the limiting factor is start .002 off the lands. I do not like to start touching the lands with any bullet as it can cause problems that are not worth it. Particularly in a hunting rifle. So I start as long as possible and work up. Then if there is seating adjustments to make there is only one way to make that adjustment. Shorter.

With some setups you may have to look at single feeding the rifle in order to shoot the longer bullets. .002" off the lands is usually a good bet and could make the rifle a single feed. Not such a bad thing. I have hunted quite a bit with my rifle set up this way. I just carry ammo on my hip. Doesn't take long to grab one and feed it and have a follow shot.

Steve
 
With our bullets it is not too particular. I still always try to start as long as I can given the limitations of magazine. If the magazine is not the limiting factor is start .002 off the lands. I do not like to start touching the lands with any bullet as it can cause problems that are not worth it. Particularly in a hunting rifle. So I start as long as possible and work up. Then if there is seating adjustments to make there is only one way to make that adjustment. Shorter.

With some setups you may have to look at single feeding the rifle in order to shoot the longer bullets. .002" off the lands is usually a good bet and could make the rifle a single feed. Not such a bad thing. I have hunted quite a bit with my rifle set up this way. I just carry ammo on my hip. Doesn't take long to grab one and feed it and have a follow shot.

Steve

Thanks Steve. Makes a lot of sense without having to use up so much components. I will employ this method to work up my next load.
Robby
 
Thanks for all the replies and advice.

Steve so to clarify when you shoot your 6-8 shots are you looking for that charge area that 3-4 shots group together or are you just looking for the upper end charge weight before you see pressure and working with that upper end charge weight?
 
With our bullets it is not too particular. I still always try to start as long as I can given the limitations of magazine. If the magazine is not the limiting factor is start .002 off the lands. I do not like to start touching the lands with any bullet as it can cause problems that are not worth it. Particularly in a hunting rifle. So I start as long as possible and work up. Then if there is seating adjustments to make there is only one way to make that adjustment. Shorter.

With some setups you may have to look at single feeding the rifle in order to shoot the longer bullets. .002" off the lands is usually a good bet and could make the rifle a single feed. Not such a bad thing. I have hunted quite a bit with my rifle set up this way. I just carry ammo on my hip. Doesn't take long to grab one and feed it and have a follow shot.

Steve

Are your bullets BTO that consistent that you are able to start at .002" from the lands? Most bullets on the market can vary as much as .003-.004" in their BTO measurements which will not allow them to be seated any closer than .005" without the possibility of some of them touching.
 
Are your bullets BTO that consistent that you are able to start at .002" from the lands? Most bullets on the market can vary as much as .003-.004" in their BTO measurements which will not allow them to be seated any closer than .005" without the possibility of some of them touching.

We hold .0002" tolerance. They are all the same.

Steve
 
Thanks for all the replies and advice.

Steve so to clarify when you shoot your 6-8 shots are you looking for that charge area that 3-4 shots group together or are you just looking for the upper end charge weight before you see pressure and working with that upper end charge weight?

Yes. I am generally looking for the top working load. I like to find pressure then back off. That does not mean lock up the bolt or blow primers out. That is beyond pressure.

Steve
 
Yes. I am generally looking for the top working load. I like to find pressure then back off. That does not mean lock up the bolt or blow primers out. That is beyond pressure.

Steve

Ok I want to use an example to make sure I'm understanding correctly. Using my 243 and RL25 for the example (numbers are close not exact).

I load up 6 rounds one at each charge of 45, 45.5, 46, 46.5, 47, 47.5. I get a cluster of 45.5-46.5 hitting about the same spot and about a 45fps difference between the 3. At 47.5 I start to see light pressure signs with a flattened primer no other marks.

So would you choose 46 grains cus it should be about the middle of a node? Or would you choose 47 grains cus it's at max working pressure?

What would be your next step once you have chosen the charge from this initial test?
 
Ok I want to use an example to make sure I'm understanding correctly. Using my 243 and RL25 for the example (numbers are close not exact).

I load up 6 rounds one at each charge of 45, 45.5, 46, 46.5, 47, 47.5. I get a cluster of 45.5-46.5 hitting about the same spot and about a 45fps difference between the 3. At 47.5 I start to see light pressure signs with a flattened primer no other marks.

So would you choose 46 grains cus it should be about the middle of a node? Or would you choose 47 grains cus it's at max working pressure?

What would be your next step once you have chosen the charge from this initial test?

With our bullets I would choose the 47g assuming it is not pushing the pressure too much. Just a good top end load. Depends on how hard the 47.5g load pushed the limit to make me decide to drop .5g or 1g. Load 3-4 more and shoot them over the chrono to make sure the sd is good. Then start the process of setting the zero and shooting at distance to confirm drops.

With a bullet other than ours I would pay more attention to the target and pick that load that was in the center of the cluster. Check it over the chrono, then shoot it for a group. Make seating depth adjustments if necessary. Then sight in and shoot to distance for drops.

Steve
 
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