New brass and new gun

[Solaction]

I've been thinking how to load these first loads on this new Nosler brass for my new 6.5X284 Norma. I've FL sized, deburred the flash holes, uniformed the primer pockets, turned the necks, and annealed all the brass.

My dilemma is do I load some cheap rounds to fire form the brass first or do I load the bullets I'm planning on using in this gun and try different seating depths or powder weights? I always FL size my brass after firing so would fire forming really help any at all?

Thanks in advance
David

 

[lightflight]

I always start load development right off. Start with the powder and bullet i want and start working up the charge through break in.

The numbers wont be perfect if you are cleaning during break in but it gives you an indication of where you are at and helps you plan for were you want to go.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I've been thinking how to load these first loads on this new Nosler brass for my new 6.5X284 Norma. I've FL sized, deburred the flash holes, uniformed the primer pockets, turned the necks, and annealed all the brass.

My dilemma is do I load some cheap rounds to fire form the brass first or do I load the bullets I'm planning on using in this gun and try different seating depths or powder weights? I always FL size my brass after firing so would fire forming really help any at all?

Thanks in advance
David

If it's brand new Nosler brass, all this has already been done for you by Nosler, along with them being weight-sorted...

I always start load development right off. Start with the powder and bullet i want and start working up the charge through break in.

The numbers wont be perfect if you are cleaning during break in but it gives you an indication of where you are at and helps you plan for were you want to go.

This is what I do. I load up a rough ladder test, spacing them about 1gr apart 5 shots of each powder charge (25 shots total, 5x5), and find me a good idea of where I need to be heading with the other 25 brass on my second ladder test, that I will be doing in ½ grain increments between xxx load and xxx load that produced the best nodes and groups with the rough ladder test. Then once I narrow that down even more, I work up in .1 grain increments to find my max safe load for that rifle, or my best velocity node (whichever comes first), and calculate my results from there.

 

[RT2506]

I learned a long time ago that sometimes a rifle does not like new cases. I bought a new Rem 700 SS rifle in 7mm Rem. mag once and free floated the barrel and set trigger at 2 1/2 lbs and mounted the scope and started doing load work up with 100 NEW cases. I thought I got a lemon. With the BEST load I could come up with it would only shoot 1 1/2" three shots groups at 100 yards. I ran out of the new cases and just part sized, just bumping the shoulder, some of the once fired cases and tried the best load. BUG HOLE. Turned out that you could almost fill the case with AA3100 and seat most any bullet 140 to 162 grs and it would BUG HOLE. From then on I always do my serious load work with cases that have been fire formed.