Okay I want accuracy plus speed. I know faster does not always equate to better accuracy but I want a blend of both. Here is my game plan on developing some future hand loads. My goal is to achieve the best accuracy/speed combo without wasting a lot of components and since I have started reloading various calibers I am working up a collection of partial powder containers.

Step 1: Load up one cartridge of each weight stepping up in .5 grain increments from min to max. Shoot each cartridge over the chronograph going from lightest charged to heaviest. Watching for pressure signs and monitoring speed. This step is basically to test the upper end of the charge scale and see if it is safe in my rifle and also to see the approximate fps gain for each half grain increment and see if the speed increase flattens at a given point.

Step 2: Once complete with step one load up 3 cartridges each of the top 5 loads from above. Now shoot these for groups at 100 still using my chronograph. If one load shows promise then work around it in smaller increments and more shots per group (maybe 5). If not try a different powder that I have on hand known to work in the cartridge I am loading and repeat from step 1.

Again my goal is to find a good accurate load with upper end velocity. I know sometimes slower is more accurate in certain combinations, but I feel with the right combination I should be able to get both or at least a good balance.

Thinking out loud but thought this would be good food for the brain!

i don't if it is "correct" or not, but i go about just slightly different. i don't really like firing just one round and relying on that one sample to look for pressure or velocity, there's too many things that can miss-read with just one sample
i'll pick three or four bullets, load up a couple sets of 6 rounds in each bullet type and powder with starting charges and head to the range. the load that shoots the best initial group is the one i'll work on more. i think it's more a factor of bullet/cartridge/barrel combination than actual charge weight that shows potential, that is, untill you reach a point that you're pushing things too hard for the bullet/ twist rate relationship. initial display of a good group at starting( or close to it) charge weight usually carries through as velocities go up, unless you're outside or right on the boarderline of the "box" of twist vrs. bullet weight to begin with.
with that said, at the same time, i have a 6.5-.270 ackey that i've been discussing here that will give me one hole groups with a particular bullet weight, but only if i push them to the point of opening primer pockets at a rate of about 3-4 for every twenty shells loaded....i don't like that at all. the odd thing is that it doesn't show any particularly good potential loads with anything and this load is on the boarderline of the box( 129gr. hornady spires/ 9" twist) for 6.5mm.. even the load that shot the one- holers didn't stand out any better than anything else at starting charges. this particular gun kind of goes against what i posted above as the groups tightened the harder i pushed them, but it's the only gun i've had that doesn't follow the "rule". it does demonstrate what happens when you get outside that box, though! my pushing that load was the same thing you're looking for.

quote:

will this work?

yup....It'll work.....best of luck to you.

I with vapo, that system works for me.

Larry Gibson

All good processes and inputs. I go about it slightly differently:

Start at a safe minimum and load several batches of 3, increasing powder charges in .5gr increments. These are loaded to maximum OAL, within the following parameters:

Must fit into magazine without binding;
Bullet must be seated at least 1 calibre deep, and;
Bullet must not engage rifling.

These I take to the range and shoot for group over my chronograph. Results are plotted on an Excel graph. This graph shows me when I reach a point of diminishing returns. Somewhere around this point, I normally find a fairly decent group, with a low extreme spread. That's the load I take forward.

Back to the reloading bench, and I load up several batches of 3 cartridges, reducing OAL by 0.5mm on each batch. These I shoot for groups over the chronograph again. (The chronograph is simply a control, as I haven't found noteworthy velocity deviations on this step. I generally find that the groups would shrink, and then suddenly start opening up again. The best group of the lot gets the nod.

I use a sim. method, but for smaller vol. cases you may want to up in 0.2gr increments. I start powder that gives me near 100% load density. Start w/ charge 10% off max. & then work up 1/2gr at a time for one shot each over the chrono to find a practical max w/ a given bullet. Then back off that charge 1gr & shoot for 100yd groups over the chrono (3rd for big game & 5rd for varmint). If that load shows promise, I'll adjust OAL 0.05-0.1 up or down, maybe swap primers, to see if I can get tighter groups. SOme of the magnums run their best near max. loads.

I quit shooting groups over a chrono when blew my first chrono to bits...

Fredj338,

You're spot on with the load density thing. I use Quickload to help with powder selection. I have found best results when above 85% load density. In fact, I key 85% density into QL, to determine what I can expect from each powder. BigBlack wants to avoid wasting components, so this may be the way to go.

Cewe,

I too have a brainshot Crony mounted on the wall right between my Impala and my Nyala I replaced it with a ProCrono Plus with BIG screens, and haven't looked back. Also, I take a buddy or get somebody on the range to help me get it set up just right. It's not a one-man job.