is my accurate load finding method ok?

[omahaguy]

first I pick a powder charge that is within a grain or so of max according to my manual and load up 4 rounds per shot group as follows,
-.090, -.060 -.030 touching lands +.030
then when I find an oal that shoots best i make fine adjustments in .010, "ex. -.030 shoots best I work up as -.050, -.040, -.030, -.020, -.010"

Then I work up different powder charges, in I grain increments again using 4 rounds per shot group, I will go a few grains below max listed up to 3 or 4 grains above max listed to find the safe max charge
"ex. book says 45.6 grains max I do loads in the following 43.6, 44.6, 45.6, 46.6, 47.6, 48.6"

Then I pick the most accurate charge and work up charges in .3 grains "ex. 46.6 is the most accurate I will work up as follows 46.0, 46.3, 46.6, 46.9, 47.2"

then again lets say that 46.9 is most accurate I work loads as follows 46.7, 46.8, 46.9, 47.0, 47.1, 47.2

Then I should have the most accurate load as well as the safe max load for my gun and I will have fired approx 108 rounds,

is there a faster easier way? I have looked at the ladder test and I got lost, so Please give me details on your process..

I am extremely grateful and appreciative for any and all help..
Thank you all very much

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

I wrote these quite awhile ago, but it still pretty much describes how I proceed.

http://yarchive.net/gun/ammo/load_development.html
http://yarchive.net/gun/ammo/benchrest_loads.html

Toby Bradshaw
baywingdb@comcast.net

 

[Gearheadpyro]

My load development process is as follows,
Step 1. Determine components and maximum load. Determine C.O.L. by either maximum magazine length or chamber. Prepare components, sort bullets (by length to ogive), prepare brass. My load development ammo is the most perfect ammo I make, everything is identical.
Step 2. Start charge at 90% of maximum load, load 5 shots each at 90%, 92%, 94%, 96%, 98%. Load these at factory recommended OAL. Shoot these rounds and look at point of impact and group size. You want to pick a load that the point of impact is close to the same on it and the loads beside it. Also look at group size and use that in determining which load to proceed with.
Step 3. Load .4gr & .2 gr above and below your picked load, shoot and record while looking for same things as in step 2. If two targets in series produced about equal group sizes in step two, I load in .2 grain increments between the two. Pick your best group size out of this step and that is the charge I go with.
Step 4. Load incrementally longer C.O.L.'s out to your maximum length, I usually do 5 shots each in .020" increments. Use the charge determined in step 3. Shoot and record group size. Select the best group size for the next step.
Step 5. Now you are really close to your best load, shoot some of these, try tweaking .1gr of powder or .005" C.O.L. to see if it tightens up any, but your darn close here.

Takes about 100 rounds for me, currently I only sitck with something if it shoots .75" or less at 100 yards regularly. I try to get the loads down to even less than that, but by that time I feel like I'm more of the problem than the ammo.

There is no right or wrong way to do load development, although some techniques are certainly more efficient. I did notice a few things about your technique that concern me slightly.
1. You said you start about a grain below max and load some .030" into the lands. That sounds a little bit risky to me. I'd start off a bit lower.
2. You said that you load over manual max's. That also sounds a bit risky to me. I know some guys do it and are fine, but I kind of figure that if I by a reloading manual I'm going to stick to what it says. They do all the pressure testing and stuff in their labs and determine what is safe, not what will leave pressure signs. Load where you like, but me and my loads will be below max (determined from an average of at least two reloading manuals, usually more like 4 or 5). I have found much better accuracy at some lower velocities anyways, not to mention the less wear and tear on my gun.

Hope that helps

 

[Moderator]

With a BR-sized case, I'll start 1.5 grains below max with bullet loaded .015 past initial land contact, and shoot .3 grain intervals, one round per load, until I see pressure signs--typically a bright ejector mark. Then I'll back off 0.2 - 0.3 grains and call that "practical max". At this point I've shot 5-7 rounds, with the only real goal to find a pressure max. But I will keep track of whether any of the loads seem to be tossing shots away from the point of aim worse than others, remembering that vertical will shift as you change loads.

Then I'll shoot three, 3-shot groups: first at my "practical max", then 0.2 under, and finally 0.4 under. That's 9 more rounds for a total of 14-16.

If one of those is promising, I'll go to a 5-shot group and look at the ES/SD. If none are promising I'll go straight to .025 off the lands and work in. Caution: in a small case like the 6BR if you go from .015 in the lands to .025 off the lands you are reducing the case capacity significantly, and this can cause pressure to INCREASE. Therefor I'll reduce the "practical max" charge by 0.3 grains when I start at .025 jump.

Assuming you've picked a good bullet for your barrel and the powder is appropriate (such as RL15 for the 6BR with 105s), using this method you should have a good load in 40 rounds or less. You can confirm the load with ladder testing at 300 yards. I do my initial work-up at 100 yards to minimize the effects of wind.