Need reloading help

[David Emerson]

The sierra manual accuracy load is a good place to start. As said before the nosler accuracy load too.

 

[7070yshot]

Im looking for speedy process suggestions not component suggestions. I have the components ironed out but thanks for the suggestion. The main concern is getting a load worked up in the two week time period.

2 weeks is plenty of time however knowing what bullet you are using the twist of your barrel would make this quicker.

process
1 bullet selected for purpose (Barnes doesn't like to be that close to the lands
2. Is the bullet weight appropriate for the twist ? Use calculator to determine then check stability factor (Miller formula) to ensure stability above 1.5
3. Create 12-15 loads with only difference being powder in increments of .3 - ensure cases are as close to the same dimensions and weight as possible - within .4 grains smaller variance the better .1 is perfect
4. Primer depth at .003
5. Shoot each round cold bore - very important- ensure you have a good way to measure velocity because that's all we are after here. Labradar is the best.
Record each cold bore shot and make graph looking for widest plateaus if velocity. What I mean is, you will see steady increases in velocity as the powder volume increases- at some point- sometimes 2 areas where the velocity will have much smaller increases or even stay the same. That is your accuracy node. Keep going until you see signs of pressure, sticky bolt, flattened primers, etc, if you never reach signs of pressure then you haven't gone far enough IMO. You know your rifle and your tolerance for risk so do what you want- certainly not advising you to do anything dangerous- ok disclaimer over
6. Now make series of 4-5 shot strings (4-5. Shots per string) within the accuracy node. Again everything except powder is same, same case weight, same primer depth, same neck tension. DM me if you need to discuss this
7. Whichever is the most accurate, regardless of the size of the group - could be 3in, if that's the most accurate we can tune it to the best the rifle can do. Or you could be at 1MOA or under already - call it done for 300y shot, 1MOA gives you a vertical variance of 3in at 300y so that's a dead animal even in poor conditions
For further development
8 take most accurate load and start moving off and towards the lands in .01 increments - shouldn't take more than 3 strings
9. Which ever one the barrel likes now adjust primer depth in increments of .0005 so of stock .003, try .0025 .002, .0035, .004, .005 one of these will shrink the group Significantly.
10. Lastly neck tension- although this is critical so far you should have been producing exactly same neck tension in each load you have made. Hunting ammo .004 is good .003 is pretty light and .002 is extremely light and could be a problem with recoil moving the bullet unless you plan on doing single feed only


Final note if you have a limited amount of virgin brass - once you have an accuracy node identified reload exact same load in once fired and see what the velocity difference is - there will be some variance - if it remainsin the accuracy node then good, if not you may need to add a.1, .2 grains of powder to maintain accuracy node. Make sense?

Let us know how it goes. If you work on this in 3 days you should be done

 

[bubbaonpc]

Just chiming in...Nosler data was BEST with my 257 Rob. And I tried bout every manual getting started. Start at lands and work back

 

[smokepoler]

Go here and you'll have a load in two trips. It's a proven method of LR load development. I found it works out to 700 yards.

You are being redirected...

 

[nksmfamjp]

In a solid rifle, I can run 1 round of OCW at CBTD = fired - 0.002" and CBTO = lands - 0.030" and get 90% of accuracy and velocity for the components in hand. This is after forming loads.

(charge weight max - charge weight mid)/4 =charge increment.

i like 5 round groups, but 3's can work.

if my load data is sketchy, I would run a 10 shot ladder to find pressure max. Then back off 1-2% for max.

 

[30BR]

Load 10 -12 rounds, each .4 gr apart starting well below What you THINK will work. Jump them all the same amount. Using a tall target at 200, fire all aiming at same bull.
Make sure you mark each impact correctly as to load.
Look for 2 or 3 rounds clustered together. Thats your node. Load 0.2 gr more than the slowest in that node.
Then you can fiddle with seating depth if you feel you need to. Chrono is nice but results on paper matter more.

 

[SheepSeeker]

300 YARDS OR LESS ! He could shoot factory 257 Bob ammo in his rifle and kill anything within 300 Yards.

Looks like a solution in search of a problem.

ANY of the 257 AI loads in the Nosler book, will shoot "minute of deer" (9") @ 300 yards.

 

[dfrahm]

I would find your lands. Then start .020 off. Seat bullets in .005 increments deeper and shoot 3 shot groups until you find the best one. Then start with powder. Pick your powder of choice, start 2gr under max, load from 2gr under max to book max in 0.5gr increments. Stop if you hit pressure. Pick the load that either has the lowest ES or the load that meets your velocity goals and still has low ES. If you're only shooting 300 yards, I would focus more on accuracy than an ES that's low. Anything with an ES under 30 will be good enough.

I don't know your rifle at all so this might sound stupid, but make sure your loads will fit in the magazine (if that is appropriate).

 

[Jud96]

I don't know your rifle at all so this might sound stupid, but make sure your loads will fit in the magazine (if that is appropriate).

Very good point. If your rounds at .020 off are too long, then seat .020 shorter than max magazine length and then work back from there.

 

[redleg1013]

Go here and you'll have a load in two trips. It's a proven method of LR load development. I found it works out to 700 yards.

You are being redirected...

I have found this to be a very effective method for developing a solid target load load too, however, it isn't the most efficient in terms of resource expenditure, as the OP was asking for. You're going to go through a ton of bullets and powder and primers to find loads that don't work, or aren't optimal. For 300 yards, as they stated was their max distance, a "good enough" load would suffice, as in, I'd be OK with factory ammo, for The Bob.

 

[5gauss]

Ok heres the deal, I have two weeks to get a load together for a rifle that traditionally has given me fits in terms of reloading. Max range for the upcoming hunt will probably be 300 or less. Gun in question is Ruger Mk II in 257 Rob AI. It has a new quality barrel hence the AI and less than 50 rounds through it.

What is the quickest most efficient way to iron out a load in your opinion? I am open to suggestions because in the past I have never been under time constraints to find a load and needless to say it wasn't done in a timely fashion. For what its worth, I have some fire formed winchester brass, 1x fired, and non fire formed Nosler brass. Only have access to a 200 yard range for the next two weeks and a limited time to be at it, maybe 2-3 trips max. I have a magnetospeed for data collection as well.

What would be your methodology if you were in my position?

Should be pretty easy if you pick your bullet, load by the book/medium charge to start. You only need 1 to 1.5 minute accuracy at your max range. Use chronograph if you have one to verify, otherwise you should be fine

 

[Lee Goodwin]

What is the quickest most efficient way to iron out a load in your opinion?

Posted on here somewhere in good detail but here is my version.

Pick your powder charge, and start low, add maybe half grain increments. Then with a ink marker, write charges on brass. Go out with your 15 to 20 rounds or so and say 75 to 100 yards out, aim at the same point on a nice new target. As the powder charge increases the bullet impact should rise, incrementally. As you find nodes the impacts might be closer together. Note these charges. Pick one. I usually go low node in heavier cartridges, due to recoil. Once you pick your powder charge node, fine tune it if you have time. One projectile choice, one powder charge, site in for 200 to 250.? Or 100 and scope dial if comfy. And, have yourself a time on this hunt trip. !

 

[Blacktail63]

I think I saw you mention Accubonds as the bullet. If so, measure distance to lands and start your loads 50 thousands off. I shoot nothing but Nosler and have for twenty+ years. All their bonded bullets like a running start. I've alway had great luck with Nosler's accuracy loads. Last year I did a 257AI and it loved 115gr BTs and RL26. Don't get lost in the weeds. Lots of good idea already suggested but some will take longer than 3 trips. If you find a load that prints at 1.5" run with it. Tweak it later.

 

[LanceB]

Ok heres the deal, I have two weeks to get a load together for a rifle that traditionally has given me fits in terms of reloading. Max range for the upcoming hunt will probably be 300 or less. Gun in question is Ruger Mk II in 257 Rob AI. It has a new quality barrel hence the AI and less than 50 rounds through it.

What is the quickest most efficient way to iron out a load in your opinion? I am open to suggestions because in the past I have never been under time constraints to find a load and needless to say it wasn't done in a timely fashion. For what its worth, I have some fire formed winchester brass, 1x fired, and non fire formed Nosler brass. Only have access to a 200 yard range for the next two weeks and a limited time to be at it, maybe 2-3 trips max. I have a magnetospeed for data collection as well.

What would be your methodology if you were in my position?

The best and quickest would be to use Quickload or GRT.