load development what next

[jrebel]

I'm not a speed guy by any means and have often wondered why people continue to try and squeeze an extra 100 fps out of a load.  I also don't like to load to pressure signs and back off a little due to the fact that not all powders are temp stable.  I'm not saying that I'm afraid of speed and pressure, just not one to always push the envelope. 

My process (and I can usually find a Sub MOA load in under 30 rounds) is to find a velocity node first.  I will shoot from the low end of the recommended powder charge to the high end in .2 or .3 grain increments depending on how large the spread is (usually 8-12 rounds).  Quite often their will be two flat nodes.....and I usually pick the faster node unless the slower node has a wider powder range (if that makes sense).  My starting seating depth is usually the recommended OACL.  I pick the middle of the node and then play with seating depth.  I now measure off the ogive and load toward my jam spot (spot there the bullet will jam into the lands).  I never load to the jam and always load a minimum of 0.003 off the jam.  This assures I will not jam a bullet in the lands and potentially pull it from the brass dumping powder everywhere and obstructing my barrel in a hunting situation. 

I have had great luck loading this way.  The last rifle I used this method on shot .88 5 shot group at 300 yards.  The below youtube video explains it better than I can. 

[BULLBLASTER]

Yeah tikka's are awful 

Fixed it for you....   

[Karl Blanchard]

Yeah tikka's are awful 

Fixed it for you....   

[Mtnwalker]

I think I did pretty much what you did with my 7mag.  Seating depth test first, but then ran a ladder over the chronograph.  I then tweaked some more with seating depth at the chronograph number that looked flat, and confirmed what I was looking for over the chronograph again. Might have been a waste but I got good trigger time.

Next trip is to verify some drop data, and maybe order a new CDS dial based on my new load.  For those smart guys with verifying drop data.  I have a 200 yard zero.  Do I throw a target up at 300, 400, and 500 and shoot for 200.  Im thinking the 500 yard target will have to be 5 feet tall??  Would that drop give me actual verified BC for the bullet and how do I figure that out from the drop.  Sorry for the mini hijack.

For a CDS I would think you'd want to shoot it at each distance and go with what your dial says vs measuring the drop and doing the math? If your scope isn't dialing exactly MOA but is still repeatable at each distance, wouldn't the CDS coincide with the clicks anyways? If you get what I'm trying to say  I'm having difficulty englishing

[Mtnwalker]

Yeah tikka's are awful 

Fixed it for you....   

Well I bought it years ago to build off the action but the darn thing just keeps making these tiny little groups with all kinds of different bullets... its a superlite in an Altitude stock so a wee bit jumpy

[hunter399]

My loads are...........
Always work your way up.

H1000/70 grains/160 grain
H4831/65 grains/160 grain
Hybrid100/63 grains/160 grain

I've also have reloaded 162 grain sst.
162 grain sst / over the h1000 took down the deer in my avatar last year.

The h1000 was like almost 3100 MV
The hybrid100 was like 2975 MV with 62.5 gr
H4831 I haven't cronograph that load yet.

I have goals I set ,like a certain speed ,then play with seating depth,and try to get some degree of accuracy,within those goals. Sometimes it works out ,Sometimes it dont.
The fun of reloading I guess ,everybody does it different,and that's what makes there loads "special".

[Crunchy]

I think I did pretty much what you did with my 7mag.  Seating depth test first, but then ran a ladder over the chronograph.  I then tweaked some more with seating depth at the chronograph number that looked flat, and confirmed what I was looking for over the chronograph again. Might have been a waste but I got good trigger time.

Next trip is to verify some drop data, and maybe order a new CDS dial based on my new load.  For those smart guys with verifying drop data.  I have a 200 yard zero.  Do I throw a target up at 300, 400, and 500 and shoot for 200.  Im thinking the 500 yard target will have to be 5 feet tall??  Would that drop give me actual verified BC for the bullet and how do I figure that out from the drop.  Sorry for the mini hijack.

For a CDS I would think you'd want to shoot it at each distance and go with what your dial says vs measuring the drop and doing the math? If your scope isn't dialing exactly MOA but is still repeatable at each distance, wouldn't the CDS coincide with the clicks anyways? If you get what I'm trying to say  I'm having difficulty englishing

The dial is for a different load and about 80-100 fps faster

[BULLBLASTER]

I think I did pretty much what you did with my 7mag.  Seating depth test first, but then ran a ladder over the chronograph.  I then tweaked some more with seating depth at the chronograph number that looked flat, and confirmed what I was looking for over the chronograph again. Might have been a waste but I got good trigger time.

Next trip is to verify some drop data, and maybe order a new CDS dial based on my new load.  For those smart guys with verifying drop data.  I have a 200 yard zero.  Do I throw a target up at 300, 400, and 500 and shoot for 200.  Im thinking the 500 yard target will have to be 5 feet tall??  Would that drop give me actual verified BC for the bullet and how do I figure that out from the drop.  Sorry for the mini hijack.

For a CDS I would think you'd want to shoot it at each distance and go with what your dial says vs measuring the drop and doing the math? If your scope isn't dialing exactly MOA but is still repeatable at each distance, wouldn't the CDS coincide with the clicks anyways? If you get what I'm trying to say  I'm having difficulty englishing

The dial is for a different load and about 80-100 fps faster

I think mtnwalker meant to dial the elevation and shoot at each range so you know the actual amount of correction needed and use that data for ordering your new dial.

[Magnum_Willys]

Next trip is to verify some drop data, and maybe order a new CDS dial based on my new load.  For those smart guys with verifying drop data.  I have a 200 yard zero.  Do I throw a target up at 300, 400, and 500 and shoot for 200.  Im thinking the 500 yard target will have to be 5 feet tall??  Would that drop give me actual verified BC for the bullet and how do I figure that out from the drop.  Sorry for the mini hijack.

Zero at 200 yrds and set turret to zero.   Adjust turret so it hits bullseye at 300 and write down number on dial.  Repeat for 400, 500, etc.

 Plug those numbers into an app and print your dial chart to use with existing turret, or use those numbers to order a CDS turret. 

[Mtnwalker]

Next trip is to verify some drop data, and maybe order a new CDS dial based on my new load.  For those smart guys with verifying drop data.  I have a 200 yard zero.  Do I throw a target up at 300, 400, and 500 and shoot for 200.  Im thinking the 500 yard target will have to be 5 feet tall??  Would that drop give me actual verified BC for the bullet and how do I figure that out from the drop.  Sorry for the mini hijack.

Zero at 200 yrds and set turret to zero.   Adjust turret so it hits bullseye at 300 and write down number on dial.  Repeat for 400, 500, etc.

 Plug those numbers into an app and print your dial chart to use with existing turret, or use those numbers to order a CDS turret.

  and put your regular dial back on to do that if you still have it

[Miles]

Don’t over complicate things.   When you’re talking 5’ targets, you’re doing just that... 

[TooTallMike]

I think I did pretty much what you did with my 7mag.  Seating depth test first, but then ran a ladder over the chronograph.  I then tweaked some more with seating depth at the chronograph number that looked flat, and confirmed what I was looking for over the chronograph again. Might have been a waste but I got good trigger time.

Next trip is to verify some drop data, and maybe order a new CDS dial based on my new load.  For those smart guys with verifying drop data.  I have a 200 yard zero.  Do I throw a target up at 300, 400, and 500 and shoot for 200.  Im thinking the 500 yard target will have to be 5 feet tall??  Would that drop give me actual verified BC for the bullet and how do I figure that out from the drop.  Sorry for the mini hijack.

For a CDS I would think you'd want to shoot it at each distance and go with what your dial says vs measuring the drop and doing the math? If your scope isn't dialing exactly MOA but is still repeatable at each distance, wouldn't the CDS coincide with the clicks anyways? If you get what I'm trying to say  I'm having difficulty englishing

Turretlabels.com

That's where you can create a free account and plug in all your data and print a custom label on vinyl sticker paper then I trim and wrap it around my turret. Saves you the money of ordering a cds and I like to diy as much as I can

Here's an example of one I made for my 308 shooting 165gr Lazers

[jasnt]

This is basically my load development.  Low load seating depth, ladder over chrono, fine tune seating depth.  Tons of folks on the web have scoffed at this technique.  Maybe I’m just lucky but it’s worked for me over and over and over.   I’m not the guy concerned with 2” groups at 500.  Most folks don’t even believe their gun is capable of the distances I shoot.  With my shooting Es is king! And it works pretty good at 500 too.  Jmo

[Magnum_Willys]

I tried Jasnt’s method last time and got this group at 1016 yards.   Not bad for an 11 lb rifle delivering well over 2000 ft lbs.