Today's challenge

[BoydAllen]

You wouldn't believe all the junk that I haul to the range, just about every time, reloading equipment, cleaning equipment, wind flags and stands, sometimes a chronograph and stands, front rest, rear bags, the whole Magilla, but I have valiantly resisted one item, a Chargemaster and battery pack. In pursuit of this goal, to defend my red line, I have spent a lot of time working with various powder measures measuring my results with electronic scales, that read to two places. (Don't laugh, I shoot short distances.)

So here I am, my 6BRA all assembled, some sized brass in front of me, and today eight pounds of H4895 arrived, along with some CCI 450 primers.

As I sit here, with college football playing in the background on my TV (Oklahoma and W. Va.), I feel pretty good. I should. For a short run, I managed to stay inside of +-.1gr throwing H4350. I pulled out every trick I know, and one that I had not tried in more than a decade, with a powder measure that is probably over 50 years out of production (SAECO Micro-Measure). Nevertheless I believe that I can manage this.

The plan is to work up a load using only measure markings for reference, and when I get one that I like, I will load an extra, measure it and weigh the charge when I get home.

In the course of my tests, working with a Bald Eagle load cell type scale, and having to deal with doubts about drift, it hit me. Instead of worrying about drift, why not add the weight of the pan to my desired charge and look for that total on the scale for each charge, the advantage being that every time I remove the pan from the scale, it should return to zero. ( Yes, I know that there are other ways to do this.)

In any case, I will call it good for the evening, and leave all of the equipment out so I can verify my result in the morning. Time to check the scores watch the Sooners do what they do for a while (Yes I am a real Okie, born in Norman, near the OU campus....in 1948.) and then off to bed.

 

[Jet]

I feel your pain Boyd. Working on a tune/developing a load at the range is an efficient process once everything is set up. Getting it there, set up and back home does take a bit of effort though.

I tried a few different scales in an attempt to weigh charges at the range and kept getting frustrated. For the past few years I just pre weigh charges in the weight range I want to test and place them in 1 dram glass vials. Take at least 25 in each weight I want to test. Works great.

Good luck with the BRA and good shooting.

Rich

 

[divingin]

Instead of worrying about drift, why not add the weight of the pan to my desired charge and look for that total on the scale for each charge, the advantage being that every time I remove the pan from the scale, it should return to zero.

I do similar (though not at the range): I zero with the pan (so I'm weighing just the charge), but check zero by noting what the scale reads empty (on mine, I think it's -74.8 gns.) I allow a drift of .02; any more than that and the empty pan goes back on and the scale gets tared, which usually resets everything.

I also (on occasion) hedge the offset: If the scale is reading -74.4 empty, I bump the charge up by .04 grains.

Not really sure how this would work out in the open - my scale gets pretty wacky with a window open just above the bench.

 

[Fotheringill]

Not really sure how this would work out in the open - my scale gets pretty wacky with a window open just above the bench...."

Or any window open or the burner/boiler in the next room kicking on and off or the washer emptying or the dryer tumbling or the mosquito two levels up beating his/her wings, or .....

Among accuracy issues and sensitivity, Brownell's got it back.

 

[mike a]

I feel your pain Boyd. Working on a tune/developing a load at the range is an efficient process once everything is set up. Getting it there, set up and back home does take a bit of effort though.

I tried a few different scales in an attempt to weigh charges at the range and kept getting frustrated. For the past few years I just pre weigh charges in the weight range I want to test and place them in 1 dram glass vials. Take at least 25 in each weight I want to test. Works great.

Good luck with the BRA and good shooting.

Rich

Where do you get these vials?

 

[dogdude]

Where do you get these vials?

Were you get everything...AMAZON.

 

[newbieshooter]

Where do you get these vials?

I use these 1 dram glass vials with the coned cap.

 

[Jet]

I use these 1 dram glass vials with the coned cap.

Same here

 

[K22]

I absolutely hate, with a passion, load development. For me it's like a root canal. The second thing I hate the most is shooting off a bench which is necessary for load development and initial scope sight in. God Bless those shooters that like this kind of shooting.

Fortunately after 40+ years in this game I've got a fairly good handle on loads that work in my rifles. I've also downsized to three calibers (not rifles ), 223 Rem, 243 Win, and 308 Win. These calibers handle all my needs from varmint to predator to deer / black bear hunting. I've also consolidated powder / bullet / primer choices so I can buy in bulk. I hate shopping too.

What I enjoy the most is practicing with my shooting sticks simulating hunting conditions. I call ever shot, record every shot and score ever shot with the goal of trying to improve my field shooting skills. I try to make to the range twice a week for practice and hunt as much as my wife will allow me which is often. I've come to know my rifles and my limitations. Still trying to lean how to read the wind more consistently.

Truth is I'd go hunting every day if wifey would permit it. Was out last night, got two ghogs, one at 196 and another at 211. I just love it, can't get enough it.

 

[Homerange]

I absolutely hate, with a passion, load development. For me it's like a root canal. The second thing I hate the most is shooting off a bench which is necessary for load development and initial scope sight in. God Bless those shooters that like this kind of shooting.

I never liked that much either but if you're serious about load development it's a necessary evil.
Things that have helped immensely are ways to manage/reduce recoil that include 'sissy' padding and/or just more shots from the bench. Training the body to 'go with' the recoil instead of trying to resist it will really help reduce 'felt' recoil.
Then you can concentrate on the POA and the trigger without knowing in the back of your mind: this might hurt !
Recoil management, good trigger, good rest and good optics all help make bench time enjoyable.

 

[perry42]

I absolutely hate, with a passion, load development. For me it's like a root canal. The second thing I hate the most is shooting off a bench which is necessary for load development and initial scope sight in. God Bless those shooters that like this kind of shooting.

Fortunately after 40+ years in thisperry42 ame I've got a fairly good handle on loads that work in my rifles. I've also downsized to three calibers (not rifles ), 223 Rem, 243 Win, and 308 Win. These calibers handle all my needs from varmint to predator to deer / black bear hunting. I've also consolidated powder / bullet / primer choices so I can buy in bulk. I hate shopping too.

What I enjoy the most is practicing with my shooting sticks simulating hunting conditions. I call ever shot, record every shot and score ever shot with the goal of trying to improve my field shooting skills. I try to make to the range twice a week for practice and hunt as much as my wife will allow me which is often. I've come to know my rifles and my limitations. Still trying to lean how to read the wind more consistently.

Truth is I'd go hunting every day if wifey would permit it. Was out last night, got two ghogs, one at 196 and another at 211. I just love it, can't get enough it.

I enjoy the whole process of reloading. If I shoot smaller groups that is my pay off. Being retired gives me the time to do all the tasks necessary for creating consistant reloads. I would enjoy hunting but my trouble with sciatica limits my participation. Using a portable bench for prairie dogs is on my to do list for the 6br.

perry42

 

[K22]

I never liked that much either but if you're serious about load development it's a necessary evil.
Things that have helped immensely are ways to manage/reduce recoil that include 'sissy' padding and/or just more shots from the bench. Training the body to 'go with' the recoil instead of trying to resist it will really help reduce 'felt' recoil.
Then you can concentrate on the POA and the trigger without knowing in the back of your mind: this might hurt !
Recoil management, good trigger, good rest and good optics all help make bench time enjoyable.

Agree, load development is a necessary evil. I don't like recoil the older I get and I'm old. I recently developed some "sissy" loads for my 308 using 125 Nosler BT's and Hornady 125 SST's with 40 grains of H 4895. These are a whole lot more fun to shoot that my full house 150 gain loads. At 2500 to 2600 f/sec these are still effective deer loads for the distances I encounter i.e. <200 yards. One of the reasons I love the 243 is the mild recoil. I shoot probably more 223 than anything else.

But it's not the recoil that bothers me off the bench, it's the boredom. I enjoy more performance based shooting in practical field situations. That doesn't mean that I don't truly admire bench rest shooters shooting those tiny groups and do not in any way diminish their skills especially since I'm a terrible bench shooter.

 

[K22]

I enjoy the whole process of reloading. If I shoot smaller groups that is my pay off. Being retired gives me the time to do all the tasks necessary for creating consistant reloads. I would enjoy hunting but my trouble with sciatica limits my participation. Using a portable bench for prairie dogs is on my to do list for the 6br.

perry42

I feel for you brother. I have a degenerative disc condition in my L4 and L5 which causes almost constant pain. I've had to cut back on my style of hunting. I use to leave at 8:00 in the morning and hunt to dark. I'd walk the fields covering 5 to 10 miles a day hunting ghogs. I loved the walking and stalking but I can't do it anymore. Now it's about 4 hours in the late afternoon to dark, sitting on tree lines and some limited stalking. I think I hijacked Mr. Allen thread - sorry - senior moment.

 

[newbieshooter]

Same here

There's been some questions as to how much powder these 1dram vials hold. Here are some examples:



If you need more capacity - they do sell 2 dram vials (and larger).

 

[Homerange]

Agree, load development is a necessary evil. I don't like recoil the older I get and I'm old. I recently developed some "sissy" loads for my 308 using 125 Nosler BT's and Hornady 125 SST's with 40 grains of H 4895. These are a whole lot more fun to shoot that my full house 150 gain loads. At 2500 to 2600 f/sec these are still effective deer loads for the distances I encounter i.e. <200 yards.

Funny you say this as my 308 light/small deer hunting load was born from the same desire to reduce recoil and I stumbled on a max 'book' load of 50gr of Varget behind 130's. Shoots very well with a fps spread of only 6fps @ ~3000.

One of the reasons I love the 243 is the mild recoil. I shoot probably more 223 than anything else.

I use my 223 heaps and it alone is responsible for learning how to really shoot and all the little things that go into making you a good shot. I always thought 243 is a bit light for the larger deer but my son bagged a reasonable red stag at shortish range with 95gr pills but we don't try to push it too hard as 243's have a rep for inconsistent performance much beyond factory spec. 6mm Rem on the other hand........

But it's not the recoil that bothers me off the bench, it's the boredom. I enjoy more performance based shooting in practical field situations. That doesn't mean that I don't truly admire bench rest shooters shooting those tiny groups and do not in any way diminish their skills especially since I'm a terrible bench shooter.

Load development takes time, real time that few of us find easy to acquire.
I've still got to do one for a 120gr 7.08 load that we need for some 450yd deer we can get access to.
That one I'll have to stoke reasonably hard but it is in the realms of possibility.