When working up loads for a varmint rifle. How many rounds do you make for a given powder charge?

Do you want your barrel to heat up as it would while shooting varmints? Say 5 to 10 rounds?

Or, do you stay with a 3 shot group or something similar?

Thanks,

When I make a load for any rifle I load 5 rounds with a particular charge and increase charge weight .5 grain increments until I reach suggested maximum charge weight according to a data resource manual. I start by firing the lightest load first and let the barrel cool between shots as necessary, then I repeat the firing and cooling with the next higher charge weight and so on and so forth. I look at every piece of extracted brass for any signs of excessive pressure or lack of sufficient pressure and compare the accuracy between each group fired. I keep firing each 5 shot string until I have either fired all my test ammo or stop when I see signs of excessive pressure which usually shows up as stiff bolt lift. I look at the best group and determine if the accuracy is satisfactory to me. My accuracy requirement for a varmint rifle load is .5 MOA or less. If none of the groups give me this level of accuracy I change my load, which may be a change in COAL or a completely different powder. Once I opted for a whole new rifle. This is how I work up a load and I don't infer it to be superior to another loaders system but it is what I do.

I do 5 shot groups....

then let the barrel cool...

normally I take a bolt action 22 along and plink with that while the other rifle's barrel might cool down a little...

helps pass the time...

however once I develop some loads I am going to use, I do see how they shoot when the barrel is hot...

I load 5 rounds with each powder charge in all my rifles, except true bigbores, 375 on up.
I slow shoot all rounds, taking at least 30 seconds between shots. I do not start with a squeaky clean barrel either, I always shoot 2 foulers first.

I also work on a single 10 shot group in my varmint rifles, once I have found the most accurate load and COL. If I don't get the accuracy I expect straight off, I do this:

I load 5 rounds with the most accurate powder charge and alter seating depth in .005" increments, so for the 22-250, I load 5 at 2.475", and continue through to 2.500", which is the maximum in my rifle with 50gr and 55gr Ballistic Tips.
Luckily for me, the COL of 2.500" is normally the one that produces the best accuracy, so that's what I start at. The above example is for the loads that don't produce good accuracy up front.
416RigbyHunter.

Load one of each. See where several may cluster on the target. Then load five of each of those.
Which ever one groups best use to refine by neck tension, seating depth, different primers.
Search this board for the Audette ladder method of loading. Or ask HotCore where to find the info.

muck

quote:

Originally posted by muck:
...Or ask HotCore where to find the info. ...muck

Here you go muck, that would be the never improved upon Creighton Audette Load Development Method. The closer a person follows Mr. Audette's Method, the quicker they will locate the best Load possible with a specific set of components. Or, so it seems to me.

Once you know where the Harmonic Nodes are located that muck referenced, then shoot all the Loads you desire to Verify the Final Load.

Over-shooting a barrel will destroy the accuracy potential relatively quickly.

Best of luck to you folks.

Thanks guys!

So, what is a good spotting scope size for seeing 204 bullet holes at 300 yards?

I don't have a spotting scope and would like to purchase something that could double at the range and in the mountains here in Colorado.

Thanks again,

quote:

Originally posted by graybird:
Thanks guys!

So, what is a good spotting scope size for seeing 204 bullet holes at 300 yards?

I don't have a spotting scope and would like to purchase something that could double at the range and in the mountains here in Colorado.

Thanks again,

Nevermind, I just ordered a Leupold Green Ring Sequola 20-60x80mm. That should work!

Hey graybird, You might want to PM "woods or flippy" and ask about a link to the thread where they both had some excellent ideas on the actual Target Paper.

They each devised a way to make their own style "Shoot-N-See" Targets. Some of the Black flakes off around the Bullet Hole and gives you a chance to actually Spot the Point-Of-Impact.

There is a problem with "Mirage" and tiny movements created by the wind, breathing or your heart beat as you crank the Power up on a Spotting Scope. Their Targets allow you to see what is happening much easier, with the Spotting Scope.

1. I take my loading equipment to the range and make up ammo lots of 5 rounds for chronograph testing and then 10 round lots for promising loads.

2. I keep my barrel cool.

3. 3-shot groups with fast .22's, et al
5-shot group with standard .222's .223's et al

If I see a load that looks promising shooting 3 shot groups for the light barrels and 5 shot groups for the heavies, I go back to the loading bench and replicate those loads. NS or FL or new brass or 1X........duplicating them exactly....same lot of powder and same lot of bullets. Then I test them another day and another day and another day! 4 repeatable tests usually convince me of their usefullness. BUT 100 yards doesn't tell me a lot! It just tells me the rifle stabilized the bullet and is good to go on the short stuff. 200,300,400 and 500 yards worth of testing gives me a pretty good idea of the load and the rifle for varminting. GHD

I do 5 shot groups for 223 and 3 shot groups for belted magnums.

Anything in between depends on the mood.