load development process

first thing... here's how i do it. i do not claim this to be the be-all in load development; it is simply what works the best, the fastest for me.

second thing... some of the loads listed here exceed the max listed load in at least one of my manuals. do be careful in your work-ups. don't just jump to the top to see what happens!

i use a combination process of the ladder method and the trial-and-error method. i used the test-n-try method forever... burnt a lot of powder, and shot a lot of bullets that didn't need to be burnt, or shot. probably shot half the life out of at least one of my rifles, too...

i start by determining the max load for the powder and bullet i'd like to work on. then, i add 1-2 grains, and this is my temporary max for pressure testing purposes. this also lets me cover all the charge weights for top accuracy. then, i check the book minimum, and go below it by one grain. i now have the range i want to test.

since the new-to-me 30-06 is my newest gun, i'll use that for an example. i wanted to test h-4831, hornady 165 flat base, fed cases, and fed primers. i started by loading one each in .5 grain increments from 58 - 63 grains. i seated the bullets to the lands (both my mag and the distance to the lands is quite generous, so i ended up w/ some extremely long cartridges).

then, i went and shot my string, permitting the rifle ample cool-down between shots. you only get one shot, so each one must be perfect. do not adjust windage and elevation between shots - as long as the bullets are landing on the paper, their precise location is irrelevant at this time. here's what i ended up w/:

it is important to label each bullet hole as it happens - besides, running to the target helps prevent you from shooting your next shot too fast.

you are looking for the bullets that impact the closest. remember, there is .5 grains of difference between each shot. the 2 or 3 holes that are closest together will represent the range of powder that is likely to give the best groups. while #3 and #8 are nice and tight, the charge range between those 2 is just too big to work w/. however, note that 9, 10, and 11 made a pretty tight group. these 3 shots represent the powder range i want to work w/. also, note the velocity of the bullets in your charge range. if they are not close to what you want, then you are likely wasting your time to continue w/ that powder - find another.

shots 9-11 are 62.0, 62.5, and 63 grains of powder. the velocity ranged from 2772 to 2824. ok, velocity was good enough (its just an 06...). so, it appears that somewhere between 62 and 63 grains of powder is what i want. so, i'll then load two 3-shot groups for 62, 62.5, and 63 to see what the groups look like, and what kind of velocity and standard deviation (i don't think 5-shot groups are necessary for big game rifles) i can expect to see. after my next range session, i found that load #13 shot a pair of groups that looked just like this (they were identical in shape, and group size was within .1" of each other):

my other test loads were nowhere near as tight, sizewise. this load clocked an avg. of 2761 f/s, and had a sd of 7. load #14 clocked 2800 avg, and 7 sd, but the groups were slightly larger, and were not shaped consistently.

so, there it is...20 shots, and i found a load that is worth tweaking - or even to leave as is.

notes: i almost always do this workup method at 300 yards, because it is much easier to see what will and what won't work, and group sizes at 300 are more reliable than they are at 100... but, i was hoping to hurry up and get to my 338 (didn't happen), so i cut the range short (closer to the bench).

after this initial development is done, it would behoove you to load up a couple more test batches to proof the load under varying conditions. w/ this method, it always has, but sometimes velocity figures stray a little. at any rate, the extra practice won't hurt ya!

i believe that for the components listed, i have found the peak in this rifle. i am going to try at least one more powder to see if i can shrink the groups a touch, or maybe get a little better velocity, but i wouldn't feel bad about loaning this rifle and load out to someone for deer season (it is a 30-06, afterall!).

hey bojon...

going above the listed max is dangerous - we all know that. but, i have my reasons for doing it. i don't blow by the listed max in all manuals, and i don't far exceed the max. the various manuals don't even agree on what a max load is. sometimes you'll find yourself working w/ a rifle that has a larger chamber, or can't reach the l&g because of mag restrictions (my 338 is this way). or, any of a number of things that prevent a rifle from reaching max pressure earlier. also, in the 30-06, the powder (h-4831) is slow enough, and the case small enough that i don't think you can reach a dangerous pressure level without running out of case capacity.

i don't have the ability to load at the range, either. so, by loading for more contingencies at home, i can reduce the number of range trips necessary for development, and i don't have the nagging 'what if i went up .5 grains' questions.

so, anyway, there's my justification for going above max. and, just because i have cartridges loaded that are hotter, does not mean they have to be shot. if i start getting pressure signs earlier, then i don't continue to shoot. the max has been reached and working beyond that is asking for troubles.

anyway, i'm glad you got something from the post. when i first started reloading, this was the information i was looking for, and nobody could provide it. everytime i asked for a little guidance on reloading, i was always told 'you'll just have to load 'em up and try it'. i put this up for a general reference for both new reloaders, and seasoned handloaders looking for a different way.

last note: i let case capacity dictate how big of an increment my jumps are. in small cased cartridges, like the 223 (and most handguns), .5 grain increments are too big. large cased cartridges like the various mags, .5 grains is ok. maybe a little small, but nothing that will prove dangerous.

Very interesting Dakota.You may have just saved me a lot of bullets and powder.I will try that method (with your permission) on my sons new 223 that hopefully arrives this week.

What difference in test accuracy have you found at 100 compared to 300 yards?What happens to the ladder at 100?Are more shots closer together?

Macca

macca- to expound on the 100 vs. 300 yard thing...

in one 223 i was working w/, i found a load using varget that shot sub moa to 200 yards, but beyond that groups went to hell. for the longest time, i just suffered thru this gun's abilities because i hadn't discovered longer range tests yet.

then, last year, i was kind of 'auditing' my loads, and decided i wasn't all that happy w/ this 223, so i went to re-do it. this time at 300 (instead of 100). i started from scratch w/ the gun, and by the time i was done, i had a load that was sub .5 moa to 300... at 100 yards, the previous load looked just as good as this one, but at range, they sure didn't shoot the same. thus, i like longer ranges for development. they tend to shine a light on the rifle a little better.