Can i just be lazy???

[Elite Survivalist]

Hello all,

I'll be reloading 300blk subsonic/supers, 300wm, 9mm, and 10mm nuclear loads.

I've been collecting load data for all these calibers with multiple bullets and powders.

I've only got to test 300blk with N120 and I'm about 150fps low from load data on the books.

My question is I don't want to spend so much time testing on paper but I do care about accuracy for hunting and plinking so can I just chronograph all my groups and decide on the load with the best es/sd near max and no pressure signs and call it a day?
I would of course test a final group of that best load off of deviations and see if I like the grouping but I'm just hoping that the best es/ds would mean best tight group.

 

[jimmymac]

No

 

[AccelR8]

In my experience for short to mid range, which I consider to be 50 to 600 yards, the most accurate loads are rarely the one with the lowest sd/es. Makes no sense but that's the way it turns out.

 

[divingin]

You're (I assume) an adult - you can do what you want.

That said, the result on paper is the end-all/be-all of accuracy. Despite all the "guides" out there saying to find velocity flat spots and consistent ES and low SD, where the bullets land are the tell in how the gun shoots. I've had huge ES shoot well, and had low SD shoot not so well.

And I've hardly ever had chrono'd loads shoot to book velocities.

 

[Elite Survivalist]

Ah okay thanks for comments, I guess I'll test a few loads this fall but just a rough start and for plinking and make some precision and hutning loads on paper during the spring/summer due to it being cold and I want a summer to winter load to avoid possible over pressure loads from winter to summer loads.

 

[Walt Krafft]

For your list to load, I would be lazy and buy factory ammo.

 

[dellet]

If you are planning on hunting subsonic with 300 blackout and are not willing to spend the time working out groups and drops on paper, please don’t hunt with it. Supers aren’t much better.

It’s an underpowered cartridge, minimal ES/SD are very important past 50/100 yards. N120 for both sub and heavy supers is an excellent choice. Bullets under 150 grains you’ll want a different powder.

There really is no substitute for time on the range no matter what you’re shooting.

 

[Kevin1990]

I don't even break out the chrono out until after I develop a load, and even then it's just more for data collection. I just go by what the target is telling me. I recently shot a club match with a 20 shot string and my SD was 5.5. A few weeks before that at my range with a different rifle I shot a 20 round string and had an SD that was nearly quadruple and the group was better than what I had shot at the club match. Not very scientific, but it's still data.

Secondly, not trying to be a A hole, but if you're not willing to put in the time behind the trigger, I wouldn't bother hunting. Yes it is just an animal, but if we as hunters don't take the time to familiarize ourselves with our equipment, then we are bound to make bad shots, and that is at the very least unethical.

 

[dthomas]

No

 

[linebaugh]

ES/SD is typically not imlortant but you threw in the 300BLKT in the mix. Subsonically speaking if you intend to shoot past 50 yards with subs tight ES numbers become very important if you ever want repeatable groups. I am currently on my 3rd dedicated subsonic endevour and I can tell you that ES shows up vertically in a big way at even 100 yards if zerod at 50.
This is IMO of course. I see a lot of people accepting 2-3" grouos at 50 yards with subs as good. That would be impossible for me to personally to deal with. I would not be happy with that at 100 and I sure would not hunt with it.

Its a love/hate relationship but usually ultimately very rewarding to work through load development and see what a gun/cartridge is capable of. I would encourage you to give your load development a much higher priority and learn something while doing it. It can be very rewarding.

 

[searcher]

One doesn't "have" to do a great deal of testing to come up with a hunting load that hits hard, is safe - and be "reasonably" accurate. If you plan on doing VERY LITTLE testing and re-testing, I'd forget about the SD's altogether and focus on:

a) Choosing a load in your test that is the most accurate for targets and plinking (even if it is 200 FPS lower in velocity than book - but still above the minimum velocity as called for). If you shoot targets at 100 yards, test the loads at 100 yards. SD's be damned. If it is good on paper, use it. Mild loads are often very accurate. Unless you are a very competitive target shooter, that 200 FPS loss is no big deal if it is accurate.

b) Choosing a load that delivers velocity at the higher end of the load manual for hunting medium/large game, though that will depend on what you are hunting and which of those rifles you are using. Having a 300wm shoot 200 FPS slower than max book is still a very adequate load for most critters. With the 300 BLK, that 200 FPS means a lot more in respect to loss in performance. Whether you should seek super accuracy with your hunting load depends also on how far you plan to shoot. If you don't plan on shooting past 150 yards, 1 1/2" groups are fine on deer-sized critters. If shooting small game, that will ideally get smaller. I'd increase the charge on the 300blk if using that for large game. Test shoot it up to the max distance you plan to shoot and don't worry about the ES or SD

Lots of folks get hung up on SD's for all the wrong reasons - such as hunting within average hunting ranges on big game, tuning self-defense medium-to-close-quarter weapons and, sometimes, target shooting at close range (200 yards or so) when they otherwise have a load that works well. But one can't know what WILL work best without more testing. Me - If I could only shoot five groups and I were looking for the most accurate load for that same distance, I'll take the best group on the target over the SD readings every time - other factors not considered.

 

[JB10]

I have found es/sd does not equal good groups for me on paper. While i dont compete i want repeatable groups for hunting. I look for a load that shoots good that i can repeat on another range trip.

 

[K22]

No - there is no substitute for load development and results on target if as you stated, "care about accuracy". At least that has been my experience in over 50 years in the sport.