GW Hunter
Well-Known Member
How do you proceed when you have new brass for a rifle that you have already loaded for? e.i. you know what it likes concerning bullet jump... What steps do you take to get the brass to a finished load?
load development with new and different brand brass
- Thread starter GW Hunter
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You are usually safe to drop back a couple of grains or so and work back up. Some brands of brass have less internal space and reach velocity/speed at a slightly lower charge.
GW Hunter
Well-Known Member
Do you use ocw tests to find your load? I've seen comments in the forum about not using new brass for ladder tests. What do you do as you go through "seasoning" the brass?
I shoot over the chronograph to look for likely nodes (similar vel and lower sd's), then verify by shooting groups with the most promising loads. Final tuning is last.
I'm not an expert.... but I'll share my experience.
I had a load worked up for hornady brass.
I got new ADG brass and did a small ladder test to find my previous velocity.
ADG brass took one full grain less of powder to reach my same velocity as my hornady brass. I then verified accuracy and it was the same.
Biggest thing is stick with same brass when doing your load work. Same brand and same firing or else you'll be chasing your tail.
I had a load worked up for hornady brass.
I got new ADG brass and did a small ladder test to find my previous velocity.
ADG brass took one full grain less of powder to reach my same velocity as my hornady brass. I then verified accuracy and it was the same.
Biggest thing is stick with same brass when doing your load work. Same brand and same firing or else you'll be chasing your tail.
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
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- Feb 25, 2008
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If you change brand, do another OCW test @ 100.
Verify @ 300-600, depending on what ranges you are hunting at.
My Kimber in 300WM, or my Super America & Model 70 EW, rarely see shots beyond 500 in the terrain I hunt in, even shooting across gullies, so I verify @ 600 so I know what's what. These 3 rifles aren't true LR rigs and I treat them that way.
For my LR, 5R or Sendero, because I will hunt with them to 1000, I verify at that range, if it doesn't hold 1/4 MoA, it gets re-done @ 600 with powder tweaks.
All initial testing for me is at 100. The OCW test is just as good as a ladder at 300.
A node is still seen at 100, the tightest group tells the story, all a ladder test does is verify how wide the node is.
Cheers.
Verify @ 300-600, depending on what ranges you are hunting at.
My Kimber in 300WM, or my Super America & Model 70 EW, rarely see shots beyond 500 in the terrain I hunt in, even shooting across gullies, so I verify @ 600 so I know what's what. These 3 rifles aren't true LR rigs and I treat them that way.
For my LR, 5R or Sendero, because I will hunt with them to 1000, I verify at that range, if it doesn't hold 1/4 MoA, it gets re-done @ 600 with powder tweaks.
All initial testing for me is at 100. The OCW test is just as good as a ladder at 300.
A node is still seen at 100, the tightest group tells the story, all a ladder test does is verify how wide the node is.
Cheers.
