Load Development... what’s your process

[Country Bumpkin]

A buddy was giving me a hard time about my load development process so I thought I'd put it to you folks. How do you go about load development? Let's NOT go into great detail, or try to argue with each other about who is right, just post your simplified process.

I know that there are a bazillion different ways to skin this cat and we all have our own motivations.... but I want to see if there is a consensus.

BEFORE we get into this, I want to say, my time is more valuable to me than components. I LOVE to shoot, BUT I have a wife and two little kids that deserve my attention. With that, I get very few opportunities to shoot through various load tests. If I get shooting time, I'd rather be shooting rocks from field positions. As such, this is my modified way of "rushing" through ladder tests and load development. YES, I know that I should shoot 3-5 shots at each powder increment. I'm probably going to keep doing this, because it's working for me (I have 3 different bullets that will shoot just over half - good enough for me.... but I am still looking for that ragged hole unicorn).

Parameters: Hunting purposes only (let's say 600 yds, mulies, elk, bears and rock chucks).
Caliber: 7 RM
Rifle: semi custom - Full workup on Rem 700 action, Proof at 22", Trigger Tech, in bedded stocky's VG2.

My process:
Select components: Barnes 139, 145 and 150, Hornady 162, Nosler 150 and 160. RL26, H4831, IMR4831, H1000
Select brass and primer (let's not even go there).

With selected bullet and primer, load one bullet at SAAMI length, at half grain increments, from lowest to max suggested. So if suggested range is 68.0 to 71.0, I'd load one bullet in each increment at 68.0, 68.5, 69.0, 69.5, 70.0, 70.5 and 71.0.

Shoot ladder test (yes, only one bullet per increment - you had better be on your A game and willing to call shooter error/flyers). Do this until you notice pressure.

If you find 3 consecutive increments that group well, focus on that "node". Alter the charge weight and then seating depth. Hopefully you find a unicorn.

If you don't find a unicorn, move on to the next variation (either swap to different powder or give up on that bullet).

SO, I'm simple concise terms, what's your process?

 

[Country Bumpkin]

For example, this is one of my results with 160 AB's. Shots 1-4 were all good, but started going a little wild at 5 and 6 (I also saw pressure at 6 and didn't shoot 7 and 8).

Given these results I selected 3 (60.0 gr) as my node to mess with. Onward to seating depth adjustments.

 

[aushunter1]

Not sure how.you evaluate a charge if your only shooting 1
Anyway what I do, for huntiong & LR.
Start all my LD @ 10 thou off lands, 4 rounds per incriment, sometimes its 1gr sometimes its .5gr depending on min to max load.
Choose the best group from charge range & change the CBTO to 5thou & 15thou x 4 each.
Find the best from that & then if I want to try & bring it in more I will then do some.smaller increments either side of that charge with the best CBTO.

 

[NEMTHunter]

T I will put this out there quick I to only shoot one of each charge to get a feel for speed and pressure and where the best nod is. No need to shoot groups to see what powder charges work well. Then when I see a nod where even with a .5 grain span they still group good then I load some up on both sides and try again.

I jump in half grain jumps in a smaller round like my 06 or .243
to find pressure and 1 grain and if I am starting way low even 2 grain jumps my .300BSM. This thing tops out around 124 grains of powder give or take with a 230 OTM. I do this if I am looking for a nod and pressure. Mainly pressure though. When you get a group that touching and the powder covers a couple of grains you now you are in a sweet spot.

 

[Lone Hunter]

I like Berger's method for getting it to shoot. Has worked well for me. Here is a link to read. It works pretty good for all Bullets not just vld's..
https://bergerbullets.com/getting-the-best-precision-and-accuracy-from-vld-bullets-in-your-rifle/

 

[aushunter1]

T I will put this out there quick I to only shoot one of each charge to get a feel for speed and pressure and where the best nod is.

I will put this out there
How can you tell if there is a node by firing 1 shot

In the end its whatever works for you & your happy with the way it works

 

[Country Bumpkin]

I will put this out there
How can you tell if there is a node by firing 1 shot

In the end its whatever works for you & your happy with the way it works

That's the reason my buddy was giving me a hard time. The theory, right or wrong, is that if you get 3 consecutive charges to group (let's say 59.5, 60.0 and 60.5) all group reasonably close, then I would assume there's a node at 60.0.

Again, I'm just winging it and trying to get to a "good" load with the least range time as possible (so that I can spend the bulk of my range time practicing on rocks).

 

[six pack]

Bumpkin, there's nothing wrong with your process if you're doing it without a chronograph. It accomplishes the same thing as loading a ladder of rounds increasing the charge up to pressure. You will see a node(s) where the velocity is fairly flat over a few rounds. That's your "sweet spot". At this point you can tweak the charge up and down and adjust your COAL.

 

[Good]

You're doing fine Country Bumpkin. Keep running your method. I like a similar method, but repeated over a few targets to prove results.

 

[ThrdKllr]

Hey, if your way of doing it works for you, do it that way. I would load 3 each of 2,3 and 4 and see if 1 is more consistent than the other. Usually get more consistent powder burn at higher pressure levels with slow powders and higher case volumes.

 

[Bang4theBuck]

I take a lot of heat from a buddy over my load development process too. I will say that if I am looking for the best possible groups, I don't cut corners. I do however, look to minimize the amount of time I spend finding 'nodes to develop'. Here's how:
1. Assuming the barrel is new, I load 2 rounds of each charge, in .3 increments from some point in the middle of the published load data (i've decided not to mess around with the slow end of the spectrum) all the way up to a point where I am sure I am going to find pressure. I do this with the magnetospeed on the gun.
2. I use these initial loads only to seek out the max pressure for that chamber and that bullet/powder/primer/case combo. I am also accomplishing my shoot/clean/shoot/clean barrel break-in with this ammo.
3. Once I get that work done, I load up rounds only in the upper 1/2 of the range that I just tested, and I start them all at .020" off the lands. I make up 5 round groups in .1-.3 increments, depending on the case capacity, and I shoot them using the chronograph and I note the speed of every shot.
4. I look for the highest velocity without pressure where there is a flat spot in the velocities between the 5 shot groups.
5. I then load up 30 rounds at that powder charge, and I seat them to .005" off the lands (need to be sure that I'm not jammed). I set my portable lee hand press up at this .005" off dimension, and off to the range.
6. When I get to the range, I shoot the first group .005" off the lands, and then reset the die to seat to .010" off, shoot a group, then .015" off, shoot a group, and so on. The important thing to do is to save a few rounds to shoot a verification group, once you found the best result.
7. If I happen to find that the rifle is shooting multiple different charges and or multiple different seating depths into small groups, I might try to fine tune even further looking for that 'one-holer'.

Hope that was informative.

 

[Don A Parsons]

Five target dots 1 to 5
Example :
Target 1 is 40gr
T2 is 40.3
T3 is 40.6
T4 is 40.9
T5 is 41.2,,,, ect...

Place target at 4 to 500 metres and shoot my ladder on a zero wind calm day... Also works at closer range to get started...

I shoot target 1 with low charge working my way up to T5 of more powerful charge...
Then repeat from T1 to T5,,, so basically I'm shooting 5 sets of 5 each...

The benefit of shooting the 40gr charge then the 40.3gr ect... to the 5th target lessons the chances of light breeze or pressure change

"""If""" this happened to occur in the string of T3 or T5,,, hopefully I see this on the other targets """before and after""" them as well...

I use to shoot all 5 shots of 40gr boolitz at the first target,,, then move to the next,,, then a old guy told me about lessoning the odds of atmosphere change by doing the 1 to 5 targets in steps...

Its a old school way of doing it,,, but I've been lucky to tune 4 rifles this way...

Yes I know it's a Hill Billy way of doing things,,, but it seems to work for me...

Good luck finding what works,,, don't over think it and keep it simple...

 

[bassassassin104]

I use the ladder test method and shoot at 500 yards. I pick a starting point for powder charge based upon book data, usually start around 30% of book max. I work in 1/3 grain increments and will seat the bullet based upon what amount of jump others have had success with. I carefully check each casing after every shot for signs of pressure and stop as soon as I see them. I will typically find a group of three and settle somewhere in the middle. Then it is just a matter of how fine do you want to tune. I take extra precautions when doing this testing. I shoot two foulers and always let the barrel cool to the roughly the same temp between each shot. Keep all the ammo out of direct sunlight and don't load the next round until the barrel has cooled. You don't want any outside factors skewing your data. I have had good success with this method. I recently acquired a decent chrono, I will definitely shoot through it during my ladder testing, it will be interesting to see if it improves my understanding of the relationship between barrel harmonics and velocity. Been at this on and off for several years and I am still learn something new every time I'm on this forum.

 

[Eagle eyes 17]

A buddy was giving me a hard time about my load development process so I thought I'd put it to you folks. How do you go about load development? Let's NOT go into great detail, or try to argue with each other about who is right, just post your simplified process.

I know that there are a bazillion different ways to skin this cat and we all have our own motivations.... but I want to see if there is a consensus.

BEFORE we get into this, I want to say, my time is more valuable to me than components. I LOVE to shoot, BUT I have a wife and two little kids that deserve my attention. With that, I get very few opportunities to shoot through various load tests. If I get shooting time, I'd rather be shooting rocks from field positions. As such, this is my modified way of "rushing" through ladder tests and load development. YES, I know that I should shoot 3-5 shots at each powder increment. I'm probably going to keep doing this, because it's working for me (I have 3 different bullets that will shoot just over half - good enough for me.... but I am still looking for that ragged hole unicorn).

Parameters: Hunting purposes only (let's say 600 yds, mulies, elk, bears and rock chucks).
Caliber: 7 RM
Rifle: semi custom - Full workup on Rem 700 action, Proof at 22", Trigger Tech, in bedded stocky's VG2.

My process:
Select components: Barnes 139, 145 and 150, Hornady 162, Nosler 150 and 160. RL26, H4831, IMR4831, H1000
Select brass and primer (let's not even go there).

With selected bullet and primer, load one bullet at SAAMI length, at half grain increments, from lowest to max suggested. So if suggested range is 68.0 to 71.0, I'd load one bullet in each increment at 68.0, 68.5, 69.0, 69.5, 70.0, 70.5 and 71.0.

Shoot ladder test (yes, only one bullet per increment - you had better be on your A game and willing to call shooter error/flyers). Do this until you notice pressure.

If you find 3 consecutive increments that group well, focus on that "node". Alter the charge weight and then seating depth. Hopefully you find a unicorn.

If you don't find a unicorn, move on to the next variation (either swap to different powder or give up on that bullet).

SO, I'm simple concise terms, what's your process?

Sounds like you have a great process for your load development