Newbie Load Development Question - How many rounds and how many grain increments?

[CleanShot]

Hello

So, brass is cleaned, chamfered/deburred, neck sized, and primed. I have chosen my bullets and powders and gotten a fairly good idea of my rifle's headspace. Seating dies are adjusted and blanks were made. I've checked the manuals and the manufacturers websites for load data so I'm pretty much armed with everything I need to know.

Now comes the scary part to a newbie reloader... it's time to throw charges. I know my starting load and my maximum load, but how many rounds of each load should I make? Also what is the normal step increment? Is it .5 grains?

Does anyone have any favorite process they can share or have experience with ladder testing?

Thanks!

 

[Rich Coyle]

First let me say I am a wildcatter. So I approach most loads like I would a wildcat. If it is about like a .308 or .30-06 .5 grains seems okay. If smaller I would go with .3 grains and larger .7 grain or a full grain between loads.

But before that I would pick what is a mid-range load and load three about .010" off the lands. Then I would back off about .025" with three and then back off another .025" with three till I was at least .180" with three shot groups each. If you are not a really good bench rest shooter you might have someone do the test for you. Somewhere in there you will find the sweet spot. This sweet spot should work for that bullet fwith about any powder you choose.

Then you do the ladder test with one each of the powder you choose. Again use a good shooter for the ladder. The farther the distance the better.

Maybe someone who knows more than me will come along and help us both.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Hello

So, brass is cleaned, chamfered/deburred, neck sized, and primed. I have chosen my bullets and powders and gotten a fairly good idea of my rifle's headspace. Seating dies are adjusted and blanks were made. I've checked the manuals and the manufacturers websites for load data so I'm pretty much armed with everything I need to know.

Now comes the scary part to a newbie reloader... it's time to throw charges. I know my starting load and my maximum load, but how many rounds of each load should I make? Also what is the normal step increment? Is it .5 grains?

Does anyone have any favorite process they can share or have experience with ladder testing?

Thanks!

The simple rule of thumb is this, 222 size cases, use .5gr increments, 22-250 thru 30-06, use 1gr increments, the same for magnum cases. When you get to huge cases, like theRigby/Gibbs based cases, you use 2gr increments.
For initial load work up, pick a COAL within SAAMI specs, this should be safe and listed in your manual, and start with 3 rounds per charge weight and shoot groups at individual targets at 100 yards. Pick the tightest group, then try .3gr below and above that charge weight, if the groups stay the same, or improve, then this combo is a real good one.
I wouldn't worry or concern yourself with seating to the lands .010", .020" or .030" off at this stage, SAAMI spec, or near to it, will provide all the accuracy you need.
Be safe, and enjoy this sport we all love, the technical side of things will come in time and experience.

Cheers.
gun)

 

[just country]

morning, i load 3 rounds. Check the barrel for heat, normally i load with .003 to .005

increments. if using unfired brass u could experience nominal group sizes. i have

found a good loading in first firing of the brass. the second firing of the brass

normally is where the groups start to get tight.

Alot depends on optics, customizing of weapon. shooting experience and reloading

experience and foremost patience.

bullet seat depth, brass prep, primers and make of bullets, and many more variables

that can a reloader pull hair out.

the people that run this site r extremely proficient and knowledge about reloading.

ask any questions, go to the search mode. do not b afraid to ask questions.

PATIENCE.

 

[RT2506]

I learned a loooooooog time ago that much of the accuracy work you do with NEW cases is a waste of time and money. Get you some cheep bullets and use what ever powder you have that is suitable and load up a mid range load 10 or 20 thousands off the lands if they will fit the magazine if not load to mag length. Go to the range and shoot all your cases. Then neck size or use a FL size die to just size the neck portion and try a couple to see if they chamber OK. If not set the FL die to just bump the shoulder a little and try in the chamber until you get a no resistance fit. Now you can start your load work up. A little tip I have found that has helped cut the cost of finding a good load is to simply go to the Sierra manual and look up my cartridge and go to the bullet weight I am using and see what their suggested accuracy load is. It is usually right on the money with any bullet make. For a hunting load I NEVER load a bullet any closer than 10 thousands of the lands because of the danger of sticking a bullet in the bore when you are out in the sticks without a cleaning rod to poke it out with. Been there and done that. Check with the bullet maker to see what seating depth they suggest. Many mono bullets suggest 50 thousands off to start with. .5 gr between loads for 308 size and smaller cases 1 gr for 06 size up to the standard mag cases for me. Never loaded any of those 90+ gr smokeless cases only Black Powder which is a whole different world.
Also when you change powders clean your bore between them and shoot at least 3 fouling shots before you start your accuracy testing. These are just some things I have learned from the school of hard knocks over the past 35 years or so of handloading.

 

[4xforfun]

morning, i load 3 rounds. Check the barrel for heat, normally i load with .003 to .005

increments. if using unfired brass u could experience nominal group sizes. i have

found a good loading in first firing of the brass. the second firing of the brass

normally is where the groups start to get tight.

Alot depends on optics, customizing of weapon. shooting experience and reloading

experience and foremost patience.

bullet seat depth, brass prep, primers and make of bullets, and many more variables

that can a reloader pull hair out.

the people that run this site r extremely proficient and knowledge about reloading.

ask any questions, go to the search mode. do not b afraid to ask questions.

PATIENCE.

.003 - .005 incruments.......at that rate it would take at least 200 three shot groups to move up 1 grain. I am thinkin that you misplaced a decimal point.

 

[just country]

this person is new to reloading. yes it would possible take multiple rounds to get

a suitable load. when the person gets accustomed to the practice of reloading, he can

if practiced advance the amount of powder per round depending type, weight of the

bullet and the associated powder charge. I forgot to mention to the

new person when reloading. do check the bullet weights and powder charges to start

with a nominal load. that way u can see ur progress. depending on the caliber of

weapon, what type of action, barrel length etc.etc. remember use the search mode

on LRH. u can get a lot of valuable knowledge and shooters experience.

good luck and enjoy this marvelous sport.

 

[CleanShot]

Geez this all seems so complicated and there seems to be so many ways to do it. What about OCW? Is that easier for a newbie?

 

[Rymart]

Ways to work up a load are like ********, everyone has one...

For powder increments, I've always used 1% of the 'middle of the load range', rounded to the nearest .1 grain... So for example if the min was 45.0 gr and the max was 55.0, I'd use 0.5 grain increments.

OCW, Ladder test, and similar methods are used to determine the most stabile nodes, and often more tuning is needed (seating depth, neck tension, etc) to achieve optimum precision. In other words, the best nodes in OCW or ladder tests do not always produce the smallest groups. A chronograph is another tool often used to find/tune a load.

It only needs to be as complicated as you want to make it. Many people start by just picking a bullet jump (say 0.010" - 0.030", or whatever fits in the magazine if those are too long), loading up 3-rounds each at whatever powder charge increment they choose, and shooting to see what produces the best groups. You could take it a step further and take note of the center location of each group and choose your best group that isn't near where there is a significant shift in the location of group centers between charge increments (read OCW theory if you need clarification on this).

I use a modified version of OCW for my load work up most of the time, and have also had luck with ladder tests as long as I shot them at 500+ yards on a calm day (good luck with that in Wyoming where I live). Another suggestion is to look up Eric Cortina's post "Long range load development at 100 yards." on the Accurate Shooter site (6mmBR). That method is simpler than the OCW method and seems to work well for many.

Geez this all seems so complicated and there seems to be so many ways to do it. What about OCW? Is that easier for a newbie?

 

[FearNoWind]

Long range load development at 100 yards.

I think every question you could possible have can be answered somewhere in this lengthy but valuble post.

 

[4xforfun]

this person is new to reloading. yes it would possible take multiple rounds to get

a suitable load. when the person gets accustomed to the practice of reloading, he can

if practiced advance the amount of powder per round depending type, weight of the

bullet and the associated powder charge. I forgot to mention to the

new person when reloading. do check the bullet weights and powder charges to start

with a nominal load. that way u can see ur progress. depending on the caliber of

weapon, what type of action, barrel length etc.etc. remember use the search mode

on LRH. u can get a lot of valuable knowledge and shooters experience.

good luck and enjoy this marvelous sport.

So, are you saying that you actually increase your powder charge .005 of a grain at a time when developing a load? You recommend that others do the same?

Question...how do you even measure to the third decimal point??

 

[Bart B]

I've been called every bad name in the book for not working up loads. Just used what the match winners and record setters use. My ammo tested as accurate as anyone else's. Sometimes I won a match with it.

But only when the barrel's groove diameter was smaller than bullet diameter. If it's larger, good accuracy will be hard to get.

Use a 2% change between charge weights.

Shoot at least 20 shots per test group. Any less is statistically insignificant.

Little difference in accuracy between new and proper full length sized cases. Neck only sizing rarely produces best accuracy.

 

[just country]

morning yes I have a rcbs 1500. yes u can measure .005. instead of being so pessimistic

add some advice to help this newbie progress his skills and gain confidence to progress

his needed reloading skills. r u could keep belittling me and show ur incompetence.

 

[Rich Coyle]

morning yes I have a rcbs 1500. yes u can measure .005. instead of being so pessimistic

add some advice to help this newbie progress his skills and gain confidence to progress

his needed reloading skills. r u could keep belittling me and show ur incompetence.

What tool do you use to measure .005 (5/1000th) of a grain?