Work up protocol

[dppd971212]

I was just wondering how other people work up their loads. For example do you load say 10, then test, then load 10 more with higher load, test etc. Or... load 5-10 of each incriment up to max and then test all at one time and then figure out what is best and then fine tune? Im going to start reloading for 308 soon and I was just wondering what a good pratice would be to work up my loads. I was thinking of loading in incremental batches i.e. 3-6 of each one up to max and then take them all to the range since my range is 30 miles away, shoot 2- 3 rnd groups to find out what works best. Let me know what seems to work, I may have overlooked something that could wind up making my life so much easier

[daywalker627]

I load 5 rounds each in 1 grain increments for the first time out. Take the best grouping then start with that in .5 grain incremets 5 rounds each then take the best from that and if I have room play with seating depth until i get what I am looking for..

Oh be ready man, you opend a can of worms LMAO.... There are going to be quite a few different ways!!

[Black Mamba]

I have a couple different ways that I do it. Sometimes I will pick a midrange load and load 5 rounds of it then 5 each of .5 grain above and below. Then I shoot them and will work in the direction of the tightest group. Other times I will load 1 round each from min in .5 grain steps and as I approach max I will go in .2 grain increments. Here I am looking for a given velocity then will tune with seating depth and neck pressure. It depends on what you want, I think the first way is better for finding a really accurate load but the second one works better if you are looking for bullet performance. If you are hunting with it or trying 1000 yard target shooting it doesn't matter how accurate the load is if the bullet doesn't expand on game or if it doesn't stay supersonic. You could also use the good old ladder test but I have not found this to work as well for me as the first method and it takes a lot of concentration and walking back and forth to the targets.

[newloader09]

I usually take the minimum load and and work up to the max load in 5 or 10 round increments.  For example, with my 1911 I load 5 rounds of the min load then go up .2 or .3 grains and do 5 more and so on until I get close to the max then I test them all in one range session.  The same goes for rifle but I go up by .5 or 1 grain for each group.  I usually don't test all the rifle rounds in one session due to time and barrel heating (and shoulder pummeling  )

[XbonesX]

depending on the spread between the min and max grains determines how i work mine up.

say min is 25 and max is 30, i'd start in the middle 27.5 or 28 and load (5) in .5gr increments stopping .5gr short of maximum. if i dont get the results i am looking for and my chronograph says i'm still safe, the the cases look fine, then i might load up beyond that for a second range test.

say the spread between min and max is only 3gr, i'd start at the min and load (5) in .5gr increments again stopping .5gr short of maximum.

after shooting my batches whatever load looks the most promising I load (5) again, and then (5) in .2gr increments in both directions.

i find it generally takes me 3 range trips till i find the results I am looking for.

[Dills]

yupp....

[tsokasn]

This post is specially made for me

[nhblaze]

no


but there is always lots of good info around here   

[jprice]

man you have done it now!

I use a completely different method, it is called the OCW (optimal charge weight) to help with the powder charge.  From there I go one to bullet seating depth.

I'm not even going to try to explain it so here it is: http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/#

I do alot of theoretical research with several different programs that I have, then I go to the bench and field to prove it

I have a few really good loads using this technique

[Dills]

you can always teach a old post new tricks!!!

[Mohunter]

man you have done it now!

I use a completely different method, it is called the OCW (optimal charge weight) to help with the powder charge.  From there I go one to bullet seating depth.

I'm not even going to try to explain it so here it is: http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/#

I do alot of theoretical research with several different programs that I have, then I go to the bench and field to prove it

I have a few really good loads using this technique

It makes perfect sense to me, and I get it. I really do get it and it's not that difficult to wrap my mind around the concept. Thanks for the link to the article/blog I'm going to save it in my favorites and explore it even deeper when I have more time.

I did read a bit in the "Tools of the trade" section and found a statement that I liked very much, so I thought I would share that with everyone. It just re-affirms what I already knew from my limited experience in reloading.  

" I bought a set of Lee "RGB" (stands for "really great buy" according to Lee) for every caliber I loaded for.  I found that these dies did the job nicely, and I have had no trouble turning out sub 1/2 MOA ammo with these ten dollar a set dies.  This is, I believe, worthy of note since there are actually die sets on the market which cost more than my entire loading apparatus did!  I've shot along side the users of these dies, and found that they produce no better ammo than the cheaper dies do--at least insofar as the rifles we use.  Perhaps if one had a dedicated benchrest rifle he could tell the difference, but for 1/2 MOA performance I'm convinced you'll never see the advantage of spending more than 15 to 20 dollars max on a set of loading dies.".

I personally will go up to $40 dollars only because I really like the Lee 4 die sets and in carbide when I can afford it, and those are around $36 bucks before tax and shipping.

Oh No.......I'm probably going straight to hell for that one!  
Look out down there!  


****************************************************************

It's just a quote from an article, so please don't anyone tar and feather me, or accuse me of starting a brawl, I merely thought it was a practical assumption that new reloaders should know, and I wanted to share it.

[Mohunter]

I just had to add something else, sorry for a bit off topic but this is amazing enough for anybody to enjoy. Most of you know that I have a Rem. 788 .243 and I've talked quite a bit about how awesome of a shooter it is.
Well, did anybody look at the "Photos and Misc." section of this blog??
3-Shots at 600 yards with a 788 .243 and .25 MOA......OMG!!
That is UNREAL!! WOW, I'm so impressed!

Look here--> http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/#/photos-and-misc/4529816824

[hawcer]

wow! That OCW system is pretty neat.

And it looks like a good gun, good scope and good shooting skills is a must have to develop good ammo the OCW way.

Thanks for sharing that link!

[jprice]

It helped me out a lot when I was searching and I like to think that it saved me money as well.  Glad you guys like it, enjoy it.

[Ammosmith]

All good posts here. I work up in different ways depending on the cartridge. The process is the same as you guys but in a rifle of medium capacity 17 Remington to 30-06 I go up in .5gr increments but in magnum - 50BMG it's a solid grain ladder process. Once I get the best groups with that load I play with seating depth then I switch brass brands. Weird thing is a change in brands has a big effect on accuracy and pressure.

If you are looking for the highest degree in accuracy...try weighing your brass to within .5grs after trimming. This too has a huge effect.

Barrel weight has a large part in this too. Harmonics. A thin barrel will vibrate in a different frequency than a bull barrel or even a fluted barrel. I have shot two identical rifles with handloads and they both favored different loads. Totally different powders too.