Is ELR load development different?
Do you test seating depth and powder charges for nodes?
Do you test seating depth and powder charges for nodes?
ELR Load Development
- Thread starter Terry Balding
- Start date
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I say not, but that is not different than how I do it.
ladder, a couple 3 shot groups, then 5s based on the threes, then seating variations.
some where along the line you gotta test at long range, some have ranges where they load development at long range,, I do not
ladder, a couple 3 shot groups, then 5s based on the threes, then seating variations.
some where along the line you gotta test at long range, some have ranges where they load development at long range,, I do not
odoylerules
Well-Known Member
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- Dec 6, 2016
- Messages
- 605
Not really, but I try to be as efficient as possible. If you have a barrel burning big bore rig you definitely don't want to waste time developing. I shoot a ladder over a LabRadar at distance. Minimum of 600 yards. I load increasing charges until pressure signs show. This gives me the powder nodes, along with the most favorable velocity node and pressure ceiling. After this test I'll try groups at a hundred with a few different seating depths. Keep good notes so you can back your powder charge down when the barrel speeds up at around 100-200 rounds
milo-2
Well-Known Member
I would attack this from this angle. Ok, so it is an ELR rig, at just what distance does this rifle and load NEED to perform at? Above all else, it has to work at this point, anything closer is a given, anything farther is frosting.
So now that you have set point, you need to determine just how much vertical dispersion you will accept from this load, or the total platform. We all know what wind can do to well laid plans, but if your load has a vertical spread built into it, well you are kind of screw ed.
This does not mean if the goal is 1800 yards, that load dev needs to be done at this distance, but needs to be verified there.
So in my opinion, I would do load development for an ELR rig the same as I would any other rifle I own, but like an above poster mentioned, I am going to try be as efficient about it as I can.
Yes, you will need powder charge nodes and a tight seat depth to pull this off and be successful.
Another thing I think some people over look, and it will cause increased or changing velocities and extreme spreads is annealing your brass. How often it should be annealed I don't know for sure. I have a buddy with an amp annealing machine and he does it after every reload. His guns are consistent and shoot really good, and have very low es and sd. So I think the annealing process makes a big difference.
