Finding pet loads

[Crunchy]

So I have been reloading for two years, and have my 7mm load down to a science.  That took a couple of hundred rounds to determine, with different powder charges and seating depths.  You all have any short cuts to finding the pet load.  I am going to work up a pet load for my 338 win mag and have all the components minus the primers that nobody has lol.
Just curious as I plan to start a smidge of the lands and work on powder charges.  Once I find the powder charge sweet spot, then tweak the seating depth to see if that brings it all together.  You all do anything different?

[HighlandLofts]

You should go check out the WAC Gun Show this weekend at the Puyallup Fair Grounds for your primers.
What are you looking for? They might have some up North here that I could pick up for you.

[BULLBLASTER]

When I develop loads for a rifle I start with a seating depth somehwere in the area of .01 - .03 off lands or magazine length and work up charge strictly to develop max load. Then once I know that I will load a seating depth test of 4-5 different depths around .01 different from one another and from either .005 or mag length on the long side. One should stand out. If none of that works for the components I have selected it is usually time to double check components or do some accurizing on the rifle itself

[Forks]

There is a great thread on 6mmbr.com by Eric Cortina that covers long range load development at 100yds you might want to check out.

[Crunchy]

You should go check out the WAC Gun Show this weekend at the Puyallup Fair Grounds for your primers.
What are you looking for? They might have some up North here that I could pick up for you.

I'm looking for Fed 215s.  Hard to come by as of late. 

Forks I will take a look at that article.  Thanks

[JDHasty]

I have 215s coming out of my ears.  Let me know if you are still hurting for them and I can hook ya up.

I'm in Tacoma

[yorketransport]

In a single shot gun I always start with seating depth. Pick a charge weight 7% below max and start the bullets at .025" from the lands and work them towards the lands in .005" increments. One of those loads will show the most potential. Take that seating depth and use that when adjusting powder charge in .3-.5 increments up an down from the initial load until you find one that works best. Then start adjusting powder charge and seating depth one at a time in smaller increments until you're happy with the results.

[TVHunts]

Out of curiousity, what bullet and powder did you select for the 338?  What make is the rifle? 

[Crunchy]

Its a win model 70 pre 64 in 338 mag.  Im gona try some relaoder 19 with accubonds in 225 grains.

[TVHunts]

Good choice on bullets, I didn't try Reloader 19 in my .338's so I can't speak to that.

Not really a shortcut but I always try the most accurate load listed in the book whether it be Nosler or any other manufacturer. I start below whatever that charge was by a 1.5 -2 grains dependent on if the most accurate load is in the middle of the load range or not. If it is low in the range I reduce it by less, middle range I'll go 1.5 below and the same above it watching for pressure signs. But, I'm not loading to see how hot I can go before pressure signs, but accuracy. Not that accuracy can't be found in a hot load, I just seem to find it without testing the limits.  Once I get accuracy there I will start trying different seating depths if the round still needs improvement

I have had two .338's and both shot the 210 grain Barnes TSX well and performed very good on elk and moose.  I used IMR 4350 in both rifles.

Good luck!

[NWShooter]

In a single shot gun I always start with seating depth. Pick a charge weight 7% below max and start the bullets at .025" from the lands and work them towards the lands in .005" increments. One of those loads will show the most potential. Take that seating depth and use that when adjusting powder charge in .3-.5 increments up an down from the initial load until you find one that works best. Then start adjusting powder charge and seating depth one at a time in smaller increments until you're happy with the results.

👍

Every barrel is different.

[dewandgin]

Its a win model 70 pre 64 in 338 mag.  Im gona try some relaoder 19 with accubonds in 225 grains.

I use IMR4350 and 225 Accubonds . I have the exact load on the ammo box and wrote down out in the reload room.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

[GUHunter]

It seems like the most common. Ethos for load development is to choose a generic seating length and then test varying powder charges till one shows promise and then adjusting seating depth and/or primers until you're satisfied. I know many people have good luck doing that but I've always thought that by changing seating depth at the end, you're changing the pressure with each adjustment and are therefore changing multiple variables at a time. It makes better sense to me to establish an optimal seating depth by choosing a powder charge (I generally choose a midrange charge weight) and starting .005 off the lands and moving back from the lands in .010" increments back to perhaps .035 or .045 off.

Once I've established optimum jump for that bullet, I'll move on to charge weight and load varying charges at my established seating depth and shoot these loads for group.

[jasnt]

In a single shot gun I always start with seating depth. Pick a charge weight 7% below max and start the bullets at .025" from the lands and work them towards the lands in .005" increments. One of those loads will show the most potential. Take that seating depth and use that when adjusting powder charge in .3-.5 increments up an down from the initial load until you find one that works best. Then start adjusting powder charge and seating depth one at a time in smaller increments until you're happy with the results.

It seems like the most common. Ethos for load development is to choose a generic seating length and then test varying powder charges till one shows promise and then adjusting seating depth and/or primers until you're satisfied. I know many people have good luck doing that but I've always thought that by changing seating depth at the end, you're changing the pressure with each adjustment and are therefore changing multiple variables at a time. It makes better sense to me to establish an optimal seating depth by choosing a powder charge (I generally choose a midrange charge weight) and starting .005 off the lands and moving back from the lands in .010" increments back to perhaps .035 or .045 off.

Once I've established optimum jump for that bullet, I'll move on to charge weight and load varying charges at my established seating depth and shoot these loads for group.

this is similar to what I do as well. I start with seating depth with a mid load though I use increments of .02 and have backed out to .180 off the lands(weatherby free bore plus mag fed)  then it's on to powder charge in 1% of max listed charge increments I do a ladder test at 300-400 yards. Then I fine tune seating depth then powder charge in 1/2% increments both above and below the first charge.
I don't think there is any short cuts to load development