Best way to find powder charge?

[nealm66]

Quit Texan had excellent advice

I am still learning GRT and first with the heat, then with the cold here in Houston, plus the scarcity of supplies, I have not done any testing in a while, but this is my process
I will load at least one set of 5-10 rounds, same charge, same everything, if I have data of a "good safe load" I'll start with that.
I will shoot those over a chrono. Take the fired cases and get the average volume of water.
I use the data I gathered (bullet, charge, case volume, cartdridge length and fill in the tables.
I got to measurements and fill that table
Follow the procedures in GRT guidlines for obt, node, charge.
Make three sets of 5 with suggested load, one at, one below, one above.
Shoot over chrony, and look for the best group.
Repeat if necessary.

I do expect strong reactions to this. I did simillar with QL, but its a manual calibration

It just seems like a lot of time. I will probably do load work up on about 10 rifles a year and sometimes a couple different bullets with all the data and I use the quickest path that shoots inside 3" at 500 meters and after that I don't care. If your way is more accurate say at longer distances which I'm guessing is the intent, than it might be worth the added time for some for sure

 

[asd9055]

It just seems like a lot of time. I will probably do load work up on about 10 rifles a year and sometimes a couple different bullets with all the data and I use the quickest path that shoots inside 3" at 500 meters and after that I don't care. If your way is more accurate say at longer distances which I'm guessing is the intent, than it might be worth the added time for some for sure

I have been reloading since the early 80's. Back then it was OCW. I have tried many different methods since then, and in my opinion, they all work for the objective they are meant for. Being somewhat of a geek, I like to tinker with software and hardware when ever I have the chance. I do not advocate that for anyone else.

 

[nealm66]

I will say that before I purchased the v3 powder setup my old pact dispenser could be off up to 1/10 of a grain either side of my intended charge and working up accuracy with the powder charge ladder would definitely find the node. No mistaking that. With the v3 I don't worry as much and run a tuner for shooting the longer ranges on the east side where the weather hits the extremes.

 

[dogz]

Whats the best way to find the powder charge when testing for a new load. I have tried many ways, but not sure what way is best. Thanks

Shooting has always worked best for me

 

[QuietTexan]

Anyways, here's Alan's post on the subject.

Holy geeeeeez, I'm crazy but not "driving around with open charged cases" crazy. Those things would be tossed all over riding in my truck Good logic in the post though, my one change would be that I put pre-weighed powder charges in little vials and bring a funnel.

All I take with me to load at the range is an arbor press with in-line seating die and neck sizing die, thing of Redding dry neck lube, a funnel, hand primer with a sleeve of primers, and maybe a Lee hand press with a body die/can of OneShot if I'm going to shoot a single case to failure. All of it fits into one Pelican case easily.

Amazon - Glass Vials

 

[asd9055]

I will say that before I purchased the v3 powder setup my old pact dispenser could be off up to 1/10 of a grain either side of my intended charge and working up accuracy with the powder charge ladder would definitely find the node. No mistaking that. With the v3 I don't worry as much and run a tuner for shooting the longer ranges on the east side where the weather hits the extremes.

Still use my pact. Can't afford to buy a new one now, and can't justify it

 

[nealm66]

I had no issues with the old pact but definitely noticed improvement with the ball powders with the v3 for whatever reason. Plus I can pick my velocity

 

[Buckys]

Oh MY! You are opening a can of worms now.
I have tried many, and they work. My favorites are:
1. Modified ladder test. Shoot at 300 yards or more, tracking both velocity and POI (but only care for elevation). Round Robin with marker color on bullets. You are looking for the velocity node and the minimum elevation change
2. I pick a charge, fire 5 shots and measure velocity. Calibrate GRT (Gordon's Reloading Tool) or QL. Find optimu "modelling load) go test with that, a few crains below and few above.

I would NEVER call these the best. And I expect to be attacked. Works for me, but I spend my career modeling calibrating and validating computer models with hard physical data.

#2 - are you referring to the OBT, etc. features in GRT? Like those demo'd here?

 

[asd9055]

#2 - are you referring to the OBT, etc. features in GRT? Like those demo'd here?

The more I use it, the more I like it, but then again, I am just another dumb aggie

 

[ShtrRdy]

Holy geeeeeez, I'm crazy but not "driving around with open charged cases" crazy. Those things would be tossed all over riding in my truck Good logic in the post though, my one change would be that I put pre-weighed powder charges in little vials and bring a funnel.

All I take with me to load at the range is an arbor press with in-line seating die and neck sizing die, thing of Redding dry neck lube, a funnel, hand primer with a sleeve of primers, and maybe a Lee hand press with a body die/can of OneShot if I'm going to shoot a single case to failure. All of it fits into one Pelican case easily.

Amazon - Glass Vials

How much powder can you fit in one of those? The 1/2 dram size.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Whats the best way to find the powder charge when testing for a new load. I have tried many ways, but not sure what way is best. Thanks

It depends on the bullet. If it's a depth sensitive bullet you will need to shoot for seating depth then run up the pressure.
I personally loath bullets that are terribly seating depth sensitive and simply check for interference (both magazine and rifling origin) to pick a seating depth with most any bullet I shoot.
I pick an appropriate powder or three and run a mild to wind ladder- 1 shot each charge- 1/2 grain on really small, 1 to 2 grains on bigger cartridges. I find good pressure a bit below max. and run a couple groups. If the barrel is happy with the bullet you will have a load. I've done loads in three to 10 shots a number of times. The only bullets that have given me fits the last few years have been the eld-x bullets and the heavy Sierra 7mm's (183?). I have loads for the eld-x pills now and am currently trying not to work on the Sierra pills.

 

[Darryle]

Holy geeeeeez, I'm crazy but not "driving around with open charged cases" crazy. Those things would be tossed all over riding in my truck Good logic in the post though, my one change would be that I put pre-weighed powder charges in little vials and bring a funnel.

All I take with me to load at the range is an arbor press with in-line seating die and neck sizing die, thing of Redding dry neck lube, a funnel, hand primer with a sleeve of primers, and maybe a Lee hand press with a body die/can of OneShot if I'm going to shoot a single case to failure. All of it fits into one Pelican case easily.

Amazon - Glass Vials

Small corks are cheap, you can also use the same case he uses, cut foam to fit the lid and put mylar between the foam and charged cases to keep the powder in place.

 

[cajun]

Pick a bullet. Do some research. Find the powders that work best. Pick a starting coal based on your mag length or .020 off. Run a one shot ladder based on loading data research or run quick load and start low and work to max in .5 grains. Shoot at 200-400 yds based on how accurate you think your rifle is. Light barreled hunting rifle or custom mid weight to heavy barrel rifle. Look for the vertical clusters on target grouped together. Watch for pressure signs. You should see a few shots on the same vertical plane. Go back and load some 3-5 shot groups around those charge weights. 3 shots for a light barrel 5 for heavier.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Unless you specify best at what this is nothing more than begging for an argument between people with vastly different goals.

Best at making .100" groups from a bench?

Best for a 7 year old to use schwacking does under the feeder at 50 yards?

Best for shooting an elk at 600 yards when it's -15* outside?

Best at making a cold bore shot at a mile?

Best at ****ing off everyone who thinks differently than you do?

Some things are worth shooting 0.2 gn increments of 5-10 shots per weight. Somethings I just shoot until there are pressure signs and back off a grain to shoot as few rounds as possible. Some things I shoot whatever the book spits out as a middle load and never change the powder weight at all. Those are all the best ways for each of those situations for me; if they weren't I'd do something differently.

For anyone curious, the answers are: 38 clicks on my Harrel with LT-30, half a case of H4895 behind a 125gn SST in 30-06, anything with a magnum primer over at least 90gns of powder, anything loaded into a 6.5 Creedmoor, and BC doesn't matter just shoot it faster.

90grs in a 30/06 case?