What "order" to find the best???

[bluedog69]

Are there any awesome threads already on here about what order a guy should
experiment?

Looks for accuracy nodes with a chrono?
Mess with seating depth first?
Back to powder variation after seating depth?

Just looking for ways to save powder/primers and get to the pet load faster
and cheaper.

 

[MNbogboy]

Are there any awesome threads already on here about what order a guy should
experiment?

Looks for accuracy nodes with a chrono?
Mess with seating depth first?
Back to powder variation after seating depth?

Just looking for ways to save powder/primers and get to the pet load faster
and cheaper.

No real easy shortcuts to find faster & easier. It all takes time and there is no easy street. Set your goals first then go after them.

 

[ShtrRdy]

There are a couple good videos on two different approaches to consider:

Optimal Charge Weight "OCW" Load Work Up. By Ryan Furman

This will be the discussion and question thread for Ryan's new video on OCW load work up. Follow this link to down load the OCW TARGET or in a PDF HERE To watch Ryan's video and learn his process GO HERE "Optimal Charge Weight" and the acronym OCW as regards the reloading of...

www.longrangeonly.com

Ladder Testing for Long Range Load Development by LRO's Ryan Furman

This is where we will discuss and ask questions about Ryan's ladder testing procedure for long range load development. Please watch the video in full before asking questions. Thank you! To watch this video review please GO HERE

www.longrangeonly.com

 

[Dmagna]

Powder first then seating, shooting at mag length or .020 off. I then look for SD below 10 FPS, then I change seating depth of the best SD to see if I can shrink groups.

 

[emp1953]

Find nodes with combinations of powder, bullet, brass and primer. Once a node is identified, hone in on it with seating depth adjustments. All of my rifles except one like .020 off the lands. Once you've identified the seating depth you may want to go back and tweak the powder weight .10 up or down. Through all of this keep meticulous notes. Those can save you lots of frustration later on. When developing a load, at the range, I always run a cleaning brush through the bore a couple of times every 5 shots.

 

[nicholasjohn]

Are there any awesome threads already on here about what order a guy should
experiment?

Looks for accuracy nodes with a chrono?
Mess with seating depth first?
Back to powder variation after seating depth?

Just looking for ways to save powder/primers and get to the pet load faster
and cheaper.

There's a guy named Shep who has posted a ton of stuff on this forum, and he had a short essay a while back about his sequence for finding his best loads. I won't steal his thunder by going into it here - you can search for it under 25WSM and get his story. In a nutshell, he states that he has almost always found the best loads ( lowest ES & SD's ) in the top 25% of the node. After doing his Satterlee testing and finding a node, he now only works within that part of the node. This saves on components and range time. He also goes into his sequence for when he does his seating depth work in the essay. If you can pull it up and read it, his methodology may suit your needs. Good luck.

 

[Wedgy]

It also depends on the bullet you are shooting such as VLD's where you do seating depth first per Berger's recommendation versus say a hybrid bullet that isn't as sensitive to seating depth.
https://bergerbullets.com/vld-making-shoot/
I run a ladder test at least 600 yards recording velocity with a Labradar

 

[emp1953]

I have a .270win Sig 970SHR that shoots 3/4" groups at 200 yds. The load is 150gr Nosler ABLR over 51.1gr of IMR4350, new federal brass, CCI200 primers, .020 off the lands. 2 years after settling on this load my buddy buys a Labradar Chrony and borrows a Caldwell. We set up both chronographs. ES on this load was nearly 90fps consistently with SD nearly half that at 48. With new brass and once fired brass, still groups 3/4" at 200yds. So I guess Velocity SD should not be the total of your goal to obtain an accurate load.

 

[Wedgy]

I have a .270win Sig 970SHR that shoots 3/4" groups at 200 yds. The load is 150gr Nosler ABLR over 51.1gr of IMR4350, new federal brass, CCI200 primers, .020 off the lands. 2 years after settling on this load my buddy buys a Labradar Chrony and borrows a Caldwell. We set up both chronographs. ES on this load was nearly 90fps consistently with SD nearly half that at 48. With new brass and once fired brass, still groups 3/4" at 200yds. So I guess Velocity SD should not be the total of your goal to obtain an accurate load.

If you stretch it out the velocity variations will show up, that is why everyone strives for low ES numbers but if you shoot at 200 yards it doesn't matter.

 

[Sconnie42]

Are there any awesome threads already on here about what order a guy should
experiment?

Looks for accuracy nodes with a chrono?
Mess with seating depth first?
Back to powder variation after seating depth?

Just looking for ways to save powder/primers and get to the pet load faster
and cheaper.

Here is a great podcast where Scott Satterlee describes what he currently does and what works for him. Neck tension, jump, then velocity.

Modern Day Sniper Podcast: MDS Episode #0014: Scott Satterlee and Hand Loading on Apple Podcasts

Show Modern Day Sniper Podcast, Ep MDS Episode #0014: Scott Satterlee and Hand Loading - Apr 1, 2020

podcasts.apple.com

 

[emp1953]

If you stretch it out the velocity variations will show up, that is why everyone strives for low ES numbers but if you shoot at 200 yards it doesn't matter.

All of my white tail shots are 200 to 500 yds. The ones I took at 490 were one shot kills. The ABLR's worked great. At that range I'm looking for "minute of deer" accuracy.

 

[L.Sherm]

I dont strive for the lowest E.S..
Target is what matters to me, ive had some great E.S groups that sucked on paper.
Alex has touched on E.S also

 

[carpetman2]

Almost all my loads have ES's in the 12-25 range and 200 yard 1/2 moa's. At distance verified out to 800 yards which is my limit on game. I believe ES is very important but I do not rely on it only. If the accuracy is there and I'm running a large majority of those shots with ES in the sub 10's with the rare 15-25 one I stop and enjoy. As for my method I start with bullet of choice .020 off lands and research what others have done successfully and start low in those nods working up until I have the best ES and group. Then I adjust seating if I need to and the play with the primers (sometimes). Works great for me

 

[LongBomber]

I changed my order in the last year or so. I do seating depth first, take new brass and a powder charge on the low side of mid-book and do a seating depth test, I load 3 shots at each step and start at 40 thou off and go out in 4thou steps, usually 7-8 steps.

I have over 20 brass that is formed to the chamber from that test. Then pick the best from the seating depth test - usually I get consecutive two steps that show good grouping and run on the short side of that length and do a powder ladder shot at 500+ and past the chrony. The powder ladder starting .2gr below the charge I already used and going up in .2gr increments till I see some pressure signs.

Find the highest powder node and run that with the seating depth I already found. That seems to get me very solid results fairly quickly.