You can all call me crazy if you like......Go ahead I'm waiting. This is how I work up to a maximum load in a modern rifle.

1. Select a load from a manual specific to one of the components I am using. That is powder or bullets.

2. Select a powder and bullet weight from the selections available in the manual.

3. Starting at the smallest load listed. Load 1 round each in 1/2 grain increments from the starting load to the maximum load listed (and maybe even farther!!!!!).

4. Go to the range and shoot each round over a chronograph being careful to inspect each fired case for signs of pressure and looking for extreme jumps in velocity. (If you are not familiar with pressure signs then you need to educate yourself).

5. Stop when I see those signs!!!

That is the maximum load for my rifle. I will then drop a full grain and work around that load in 1/4 grain increments for accuracy.

I know their are critics of this method. However, I have recieved exellent results in exceeding "maximum book loads" in several modern rifles chambered for surplus calibers. That is, 6.5X55 and 7X57 Rugers along with some wildcat calibers.

Now you can all tell me how my gun will blow up. It's O.K. really. I don't mind at all. have a nice day!

The late Creiton Audette, a famous gunsmith and rifleman, did it that way with his "Ladder Technique" Good news for you is that he died of old age.

You should look that up.

I know of some not so smart guys who indiscretly build "hot" loads without even an understanding of the danger theyre putting themselves in. Compared to them your a cautious fellow and should have a long life.. Ive always thought another 100 fps isnt worth "that" much. When it does become that important Ill get a gun thats made to handle it.

"All bears walk through the woods single file . . . At least the one I saw did."

One round loads won't provide you with much pressure data. You may get a single load that is representative for that data, but chances are you will get some variation of a specific load.

I load 0.5 gr increments and 10 rds minimum for each charge weight. When I get "into the window" where the loads are producing good results, I load 20 or 30 rds in each charge weight.

I've had precisely identical loads vary by 200 fps or even more. I've had one round work just fine and pressure signs on the other four.

When you get to "capacity" on a load you'll find that your gains in velocity start to flatten out. This afternoon I was getting about 100 fps gains in .223 Ackley loads for each 0.5 gr. increment up to a point where 0.5 gr. all of a sudden gave me only about 30 fps gain. I was getting very slight primer cratering at that point too.

Ten round groups were giving me between 10 and 100 fps variation in velocity depending on the load. You need to know how the load varies round to round as well as how it shoots.

You can ALWAYS pull the bullets and recover components on the stuff you don't need to shoot.

One round is not a "sample" and won't provide much data.

[ 06-10-2002, 08:10: Message edited by: Genghis ]

I agree with genghis on this matter , that a certain powder bullet combo flattens out at some stage . With our powder Sonchem S335 , I had the same in my 7x57 where at 44gr charge I had a velocity of 2890 fps with 140gr BT , I now this sound high but there wasnt pressure problems when I inpected the cartridge , I went to a load of 44.5 gr & boom she went dowm to 2720 fps at the higher load . This is simply where the linear flattens out on a certain bullet powder combo , and for some reaon this was exactly where I found the accuracy fr that load , at 44.2 gr , the velocity remained the same but the group shrunk to a nice 9mm, 5 Shot group , I was simply amazed with this rifle. I work up my loadings in halve grain increments right from the bottom on up. Look for the usual signs of bad news , and recording velocity as I go along . Once I have found what seems to be the linear flatting out , I drop halve a grain and work up in .1 graing increments until I find the most accurate load for that specific combo. This has allways given me quite a good load for consitency & speed & sometimes great loadings.

Regards
Rudie

OTTO,
I do like you except I load three rounds at each increment for a single barrel gun or four rounds for a double barrel.

This allows a slightly better sampling than one shot "variability" and allows a hint of accuracy and uniformity potential with each load along the way.

Chronogaph results are very important to watch for a nice linear rise in velocity with each increment. Take note of any flattening of the curve or any sudden steep rise. Stop there, and back up! In fact, I hope to stop before "there" and keep my target velocity in reasonable bounds of expectation.

Otto: I work up loads in 1/2gr steps. i will go through several reloading manuels listing the max and the min. for a particular load. I usually start at 1gr above min and go up from there. I load 5 rounds in each weight.
like some of these other shooters i have seen the velocities drop off and become eratic.
had a strange one the other day in a 25/06 win.
ww case once fired imr4831 75gr sierra hpbt
81/2- 120 staynless primers. loaded from 55grs up to 58.. 58.6 published max. the load at 57 shot the best at 3/4" group with one problem the 5th round out of that batch hit 4" high outside the group? the load averaged 3388f/s that round was 200 f/s faster? what happened dont have a clue unless it was from the heat? 85 deg.
I would not choose 58gr for this gun, they grouped over an inch. does It make any sense to go over max. in my opinion, I might get a better group. this is when barrel burn, stress on the action come into play how many max pressure rounds will that rifle take before it is used up.
Dave

It is a guarantee that if I only load one or two rounds at a given charge weight, my chrono will not read one and have an error on the other!