Steve,

I've used some of your data for the .243 Winchester with good results. I have not yet tried the IMR 4350 charges in the 30-06, but do intend to do so.

I assume that you get a respectable amount of feedback from folks who test your load recipes.

My question is, in your experience, what range above and below your recommended charges do you find folks having success with. Take for instance your recommended 56.6 grain IMR 4350 charge for the 165 grain 30-06 bullet. Do folks report good results with charges ranging from, say, 56.1 to 57.2 grains?

My own ideas on the ideal charge for a given load recipe would have what I call the OCW (optimal charge weight) right in the middle of the hypothetical 56.1 to 57.2 zone, or about 56.5 or 56.6 as you recommend. The Nosler manual mentions that 57 grains of the IMR 4350 was their most accurate load tested. They may have been on the high side of the accuracy groove with that charge, but still within it. (The next lowest charge tested was 55 grains, perhaps too low for optimal burn).

What I normally try to do is find the low and high side of the charge weight zone which still allow MOA accuracy at 100, 225 (my usual zero), and 300 yards. I have noted that 57.5 grains of H4350 (in the 30-06, 165 grain recipe) seems to be in the middle of such a zone, and this recipe will tolerate charge variations as low as 57.2 to 57.8 grains without opening up groups beyond MOA. I've even found that Remington and Winchester cased loads of this recipe shoot to the same POI at 225 yards.

I find that your .243 recommended charge of 40.4 grains (with 85 grain Sierra bullet) of IMR 4350 shoots to virtually the same POI with Winchester, Frontier, and Norma cases. Groups in my rifle went from 3/8" to only a little over 1/2" with the varied cases, which I found quite remarkable. The Nosler #4 manual recommends 39.5 grains of IMR 4350 for their 85 grain bullet in the .243 as the most accurate load tested with this powder, but the next charge weight tested jumped to 41.5 grains--perhaps too far above the optimal burn rate for that powder in that case. The 39.5 grain charge may be at or near the bottom of optimal, with about 40.5 grains at or near the top. I also plan on testing a flat 40 grains of the IMR 4350 in this application just to see how it goes.

What I normally like to find is a load that will tolerate a 1% increase or decrease in the normal charge weight without opening up beyond MOA. I have noted that at least two of your recipes seem to do this. Such a load tolerates variations in cases, powder lots, and temperatures better than non-optimized loads.

It is my experience that once the optimal powder charge for a particular application is identified, fine tuning for group can then be done with OAL adjustments. And even if the load will "only" produce 3/4 to 1 MOA, it will at least do so consistently. This in my opinion is preferrable to a 1/4 MOA load with likes to toss flyers 2 MOA out of the group every time the stars aren't all aligned.

I read your load development technique on the 22-250 and Varget just shortly ago. Your approach seems very thourough and well thought out, and it prompted me to ask the questions I pose here.

Thanks for your time,

Dan Newberry
green 788

Hummm....

To answer your question fully would take a very long time...so I will give you a short version.

Generally the loads I have listed are as such:

The "starting" load is the first load tested that does not blowback by the neck of the case.

The "maximum" loads is the last that did not show any signs of excess pressure.

Now...you have to take into consideration that these related only to the firearm I tested the loads in...I always suggest that reloaders who use my data start with the minimum load, since I do not believe in SAAMI.

When developing loads for other users (using their choice of bullet, brass, primer and powder) I strive for less that 1 MOA accuracy. I never load for maximum velocity!

When I load for myself, I strive for 0.5 MOA or better, up to .308 caliber; 0.75 MOA from .311 to .358; and 1.0 MOA for anything over .358.

The powders highlighted in each load, and the primer selected, are what worked best in my firearms or the firearm I was reloading for.

Generally...and that is a very general statement...I have found that 98% to 103% load density has worked best in most of my loadings.

I load most of my cartridges to the maximum OAL that will function in the magazine, or in single-shot firearms, just so that bullet is about 0.010 off the lands.

I do not publish velocities or pressures! I have found that they will vary widely with the shooting conditions and the firearms.

If I were to make another general statement, it would be that I usually obtain the best accuracy about 5% under my listed "maximum" load.

NOW....

I have a question for you...

Have you loaded the .22-250 with the Sierra 52 HPBT using Varget? (When I was younger I didn't mind spending 6 years to find the right load for one of my .25-06's, but now that I am approaching "old age" I ain't got that time to spare...grin!)

Steve,

I have not tested the load you mention. As much as I love Varget in my .308 match loads and .223 loads, I have to admit that in the 22-250 IMR 4895 and H380 seemed to beat every Varget load I tried.

I hated that fact, too, since I wanted a powder with the temperature stability of Varget.

I was shooting 55 grain Noslers, and found 34.0 grains of IMR 4895 to be a real screamer in a Savage 12FV I had.

Thanks for your time and patience in answering my question.

Dan Newberry
green 788