Any suggestions on how you approach this would sure be appreciated.

Rick

PaulS

if you have any questions you can E-mail me at:
paulstephens2@attbi.com

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stay safe and live long!

Usually I start looking for a powder that is known to burn clean, consistent, and match the case capacity. There may be more than 1 powder that fits this category...

Then I choose the one that is the slower burning, it allows you to approach higher loading density.

Pick a bullet type you want to use, start with one that is reputed for good results.
generally the bullets are seated as deep as the caliber(.22's are seated .220" deep, .30's are seated .300", not a hard-and-fast rule but it's a start)

Now as you load, you change powder weight...
for example : 41grn, 42grn, 43grn, 44grn.
if loads are not accurate, try the middle numbers : 41.5grn, 42.5grn, 43.5grn.

If they still are not accurate, try a different powder or bullet and start over.

But if an accurate load is found, alter the powder charge or bullet seating depth a little up and down, see if it can be more accurate, for example 43.5grn is found to be accurate, but 43.4grn may be even more accurate if you ever tried.

That's how I explore the loads. Some people use BOSS, instead of tuning loads for the rifle, they tune the rifle for the load, they work fine but takes the fun out of reloading if you ask my opinion.
Pyro

The problem with visual pressure signs is that by the time you see them pressures are probably way to high already. The trick is to use as many things as possible to determine where the max load is for your rifle/load combo is. Primer appearance, bright shinny spots on the case head from the ejector/extractor cut outs on the bolt, sticky extraction, case seperation, heavy recoil, abnormal muzzle flash, blown primers, shot shell like groups on target are all see/feel/hear indicators that can also be caused by other things than pressure. But if pressure is the cause, it is way over max. I use case head expansion and a cronograph while keeping an eye on the see/feel/hear indicators. When working up a load and shooting over a cronograph every increase in powder charge usualy will give about the same increase in bullet speed. If the next charge up gives a larger than normal increase in speed you are probably over max, back off. If it gives a smaller than normal increase than you have reached a point where it is not doing any good to go higher and you are probably over max anyway. Eratic bullet speeds also indicate a problem with the load or powder charge. At the same time I'm watching the crono I'm measuring case head expansion, I like to use cases that have been fired with at least two full pressure loads and if I can measure 0.0001" expansion at the point just in front of the extractor groove than I back off. Also if bullet speed is a lot more than factory loads or what the reloading manuals show I begain to look real close at all my indicators. I personaly believe that a cronograph is the one most important tool you can use to finding max loads. One more thing that helps alot is expeareance with the rifle and powder your using, you learn certain things about each and can begin to predict results. Hope this helps and I hope I didn't make this sound to difficult, it realy is an easy and quick process once you do it a few times.
Good Luck

[This message has been edited by Whitespider (edited 02-18-2002).]

quote:

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Originally posted by rickdm:
Since I will load these at home and take them out to the range I am trying to figure out where to start. Load 6 cartridges for each load in 1 gr intervals? Do I start at the bottom and load to the middle (following the Nosler numbers), or start in the middle and load to the top (following the Hodgdon numbers)?

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My first recommendation would be to load just 3 at each powder increment. That should be enough to tell you what velocity you're getting and whether pressure is excessive (I judge by velocity, measuring the "pressure ring" and external indicators like sticky bolts, the more clues the better!) and will leave you fewer bullets to pull with the loads that are too hot.

Second, if you haven't loaded for this rifle before I would start at the lowest figures and work your way up in 1 gr. increments.

With experience you may learn that a given rifle can handle bigger charges -- I have one .30-06 that has never shown any sign of excess pressure with any book maximum load, and another that has to stop a grain or two earlier.

John

quote:

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Originally posted by rickdm:
I am very new to reloading, but after buying the equipment and reading everything I could get my hands on, I think I am ready to work up my first loads. I want to work up a load for a 140 gr. Partition for a 7mm STW. I am trying to figure out where to start. The Nosler and Hodgdon manuals list this load with IMR 7828 ranging from 74gr to 80gr of powder. Since I will load these at home and take them out to the range I am trying to figure out where to start. Load 6 cartridges for each load in 1 gr intervals? Do I start at the bottom and load to the middle (following the Nosler numbers), or start in the middle and load to the top (following the Hodgdon numbers)? The possibilities seem endless, I will have to replace the barrel by the time I finally get it sorted out ;-)

Any suggestions on how you approach this would sure be appreciated.

Rick

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I HUNT LONG RANGE.AND YES I USE MATCHKING'S.

It also sounds like I am going to have to get a chrono to figure out what the loads are doing. I have monitored the case expansion for the brass that a friend loaded up for me, and the area in front of the belt expanded by .0045. This was with a pretty mild load, does that seem OK?

Thanks,
Rick

If you leave powder in your "powder thrower" after a session ALWAYS tape a piece of paper with the "powder type" thats left in the thrower. You'd be surprised at how age can affect the memory.

Most of all take your time and enjoy. Be deliberate, a whole new world of shooting is opening up to you. Reloading is a gas!

And dont be afraid to ask questions, there are some master re-loaders on this forumn.........good shooting..........10

1. Decide what the purpose of the load will be.

2. Decide on a bullet/powder.

3. Back off about 10% from max and load 10 rounds each, charge increasing 1 grain at a time until I get to max. (If using moly bullets and slow powder I will go up to 2 grains over max in a 30-06 or 338 Winmag size case.) Then I shoot a 10 shot group with each load. Making sure I do not overheat the barrel. I clean the bore between groups to make everything as equal as possible. Usually the first round from a clean bore is a bit low, about 1 inch, from the group.

4. The most accurate load I then reproduce in 10 rounds lots with bullet seating varying in 1/100th inch per lot from 2/100ths into the lands to 3/100ths off the lands. I Shoot these 60 rounds in 10 shot groups, cleaning between, to see what is best.

5. Try the best load with different primers to see if one is significantly better.

I shoot over a chronograph so I know exactly what the velocity is. Depending on your purpose, your criteria for best load should consider: Accuracy, velocity, extreme spread, and standard deviation.

Good Luck, MM

Do you ever get so far into reloading that you instead of reloading to shoot, you shoot to reload? Seems like it could happen ;-)

Thanks,
Rick

Thanks!

http://www.shootingsoftware.com/ftp/chrontech.txt

It's very interesting. Actually, all the "bench tips" at the www.shootingsoftware.com site, written by Jim Ristow are very interesting. He's quite a tinkerer. If you use an electronic scale you need to read about his tests--you'll be back to your 10/10 scale before you know it!

He has a nice little rig you can build to load powder and seat bullets at the range, which is ideal for load development. The key is an electronic scale that runs on a battery like the Dillon model.

Roger

Do you ever get so far into reloading that you instead of reloading to shoot, you shoot to reload? Seems like it could happen ;-)

END QUOTE

That's what happened to me , twice the fun.