I'm about to reload my first round in about twenty years. I have some Woodleigh 140gr 6.5 projectiles, getting powder and primers this pay.

So how do you guys do your load development? Do you load 3 or 5 rounds in each powder weight? Go up half a grain of power or 1 grain?

Whats your method?

Tony,

I suggest you try 3 shot groups, and 1 grain increments.

The groups and loads that give you better results, you can try fine tuning by half a grain and 5 shot groups.

That's how I do it. Also use a chronograph when fine tuning.

I shoot three 5 shot groups of each load. If I think something is suspect I throw that entire group out and start over.

You can't lie to yourself if you shoot 15 shots of a load. This statistical errors are not really a problem.

I have missed somethings and then re-did a group later and found I screwed something up.

It does make it expensive. Every 50 round box only equals 3 loads tested.

Ideally do it at 200 yards if you have good weather.

Thanks Gents. I have a chronograph that I've never used. I bought it before I went to the NT. As there were no ranges in Katherine I never reloaded, just used factory rounds. I'll try the three round approach, mainly because I'm a tight arse.

What is the caliber?

What is the load you want to try?

What is the manual you are using?

Since you are going back to reloading after so long, I suggest you read the front chapters of Lyman manual. That is the basic starting point for sensible safe reloading.

You may have a lot of old info in the background and it is easy to get confused and make a mistake.

I would go back and just reacquaint myself with the whole issue of pressure! A change in one component can cause unsafe pressures.

Get your priorities and goals clear at the beginning.

I may sound like I am teaching you to suck eggs but this is serious stuff.

The other thumb rule is that the rifle chooses what bullet it wants to shoot well. If your bullet choice gives you a 2 inch group with starting loads, you may or may not be able improve on it with further development.

On the other hand a slow starting load of 1 inch groups may give you bug size groups with development.

You also want a load that will shoot to point of aim repeatedly even from a cold barrel first shot.

Good luck.

You're worse than me, Bakes. I generally reload when my deer cartridges run down - and that can take years. Then I have to reread the die instructions to remember what to do.

In the mid-sized case range, half-grain increments are probably OK. As you're someone who obviously does not obsess about reloading, three-shot groups combined with measuring the solid heads of your cases will probably do, initially.

I also keep hunting ammo seating depth - ogive at 30 thou off rifling. Mono-metal bullets are 50 thou off rifling.

I'll be loading for my 6.5x55. Using Nick Harveys manual and double checking with ADI's info.

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
I also keep hunting ammo seating depth - ogive at 30 thou off rifling. Mono-metal bullets are 50 thou off rifling.

50 thou? Being old school I probably give them that anyway but I've had trouble with our home-grown brand: they are too long and the driving bands are too far forward for the short throat of my .338 Sako, though the magazine has plenty of length; the Winchester 94 Big Bore has a long throat but can only lift short rounds, meaning deep bullet seating - then I can hardly fit the starting powder weight without a two-foot drop tube.

Nick Harvey and ADI do not give you modern loads of 60,000 PSI. Their loads are for old 96 Mauser action and 29 inch barrels IIRC

In my Sako & Winchester rifles in that caliber I got 2750 fps with 139 gr bullets using VV N160, AR 2209 & Re 19 was the best.

While many books recommend 4831, MRP & Re22, I had no luck with them. Way too slow with full case.

quote:

Originally posted by Bakes:
I'll be loading for my 6.5x55. Using Nick Harveys manual and double checking with ADI's info.

50 thou is the Barnes recommendation for the old X bullets. I found that out only after I blew a primer 20 years ago by seating at 5 thou!

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
I also keep hunting ammo seating depth - ogive at 30 thou off rifling. Mono-metal bullets are 50 thou off rifling.

50 thou? Being old school I probably give them that anyway but I've had trouble with our home-grown brand: they are too long and the driving bands are too far forward for the short throat of my .338 Sako, though the magazine has plenty of length; the Winchester 94 Big Bore has a long throat but can only lift short rounds, meaning deep bullet seating - then I can hardly fit the starting powder weight without a two-foot drop tube.

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
Nick Harvey and ADI do not give you modern loads of 60,000 PSI. Their loads are for old 96 Mauser action and 29 inch barrels IIRC

In my Sako & Winchester rifles in that caliber I got 2750 fps with 139 gr bullets using VV N160, AR 2209 & Re 19 was the best.

While many books recommend 4831, MRP & Re22, I had no luck with them. Way too slow with full case.

Thats ok mate. My action was built in 1915 so I'm not interested in modern loads.

I shoot one round going up a grain at a time until I get pretty close to max, then go to 1/2 grain at a time.. and I only use that one round over and over reloading it and keeping count of the times reloaded, so I know how the primer seats, when it get loose I stop and cut back a grain, when I get a sticky bolt, a flat primer with a black ring around it, an shiney ejector mark on the face of the case, a crack as opposed to a boom.any of these signs are max or more..cut back a grain , maybe two when they show up.. Also I highly recommend a chronograpy, and they are the best $100 investment you can make..I have several chronographs, expensive and cheap, but my favorite it the Pro-chrony at about $120.00. its quick to set up and get your velocity..not a lot of features that one really has not real use for.

I have a chrony, purchased years ago and have never used it in anger. I went to buy powder the other day but because I was waiting for my new licence to come in the mail I couldn't purchase it. Apparently I have to be put on a register to buy powder now.

G'Day Fella's,

Bakes the way I do it is as follows.

After determining the bullet seating depth (generally, 0.020" off the lands. As long as this OAL will fit in the magazine, and reliably feeds thru the magazine and into the chamber).
I then, after previously consulting all the available reloading data available for this combination (Chambering, bullet weight, case and primer type, etc), I load up One (x1) cartridge each, with 1/2 grain increases in powder charge weight (from Starting to Maximum recommended powder charge - a ladder test).
I then get the rifle and ammo and take a step to the left of my reloading bench, load the lightest powder charged round of ammo in the magazine, point the muzzle into the bullet trap, load and fire the shot.
I then remove the fired case and have a look at it and mike it up if I think it's required.
I repeat this until I have either found indications of excessive pressure, or as happened recently (with the 7.62x39 (M43) cartridge, in a modern front locking Bolt Action rifle), I fired the heaviest recommended powder charge, and had no indications of any excessive pressure. I won't go into the details on this here but................

So once I have this aspect confirmed to me, I then load up Five more of what I refer to as Maximum Safe Working Loads (MSWL) and Five more of each load, in 1/2 grain and 1 grain increments below the MSWL, and I head to the rifle range of paddock on a good day for shooting groups, with some targets and the chronograph (Oehler 35P).

I again start low in powder charge and work up from there, to see which load is the most accurate, and go from there.

In most instances (in 40+ years of experience doing this), this system not only works but is the most efficient way of determining what works best, in the individual rifle/cartridge combination.
Mind you, Ray Atkinson's method, looks to be an even more efficient way of "Skinnin this Cat"!

So, as a follow up to this, I must have 20 + hard copies of various reloading manuals. I sit down before I even go near the reloading bench, and work out what the actual experts consider an appropriate Starting Load and a recommended Maximum powder charge, for this combination.
I write this information down, and then go to the reloading bench.

Hope that helps

Doh!
Homer

Thanks Homer

I'm guessing you live in the country? Whats your bullet trap set up look like?

Nah Bakes, just 15 minutes drive from Parliament House, here in Canberra. I am a f/arms dealer, manufacturer, etc though.

The bullet trap is made from a piece of 10"/250mm Dia, 3/8"- 9.5mm wall thickness and 5'/1500mm long steel pipe I got from a Boiler maker mate. He also welded a piece of 1/2" Bisalloy steel, to the bottom.
FYI, the bottom 600mm of this is filled with dried sand, then 400mm of ground rubber is on top of that. I then have a piece of 16mm MDF sitting on top of that, to keep it all in place. There is a rubbery bit, with a 50mm hole in it at the top to poke the muzzle thru. It sits in a frame, at an angle of 45*.
If I need to do a lot of test firing, I ring the Police and let them know, just out of courtesy.

You could also use an old Oxygen, or another high pressure gas bottle, with the pointy end cut off (but not Acetylene bottle, as there full of concrete, etc?).
Google up; Snail Bullet Trap Design or Spiral Bullet Trap Design, for another option.

Hope that helps

Doh!
Homer

That explains it. I thought you were letting rip in your shed

Homer:
Sounds like you over did that bullet trap.
I have a 2' section of 9" pipe with a 1 1/2" plate welded on the back end. Stuff a roll of foam rubber in the mouth to keep splash back from flying out. I've shot over ten pounds of slugs into it so far. Mostly cast, but, bunch of jackets too. Up to .375H&H 300gr. A great majority are revolver rounds, .45 Colt and such.
I try to hit the side of the pipe going in to slow it down a bit and save the end cap but, when I cleaned the lead out last summer. 2" thick of it, there was no dimples in the cap.

Cheap and easy, I put a short 1/2" rod U under the front for a leg to tilt it up with. Yep, I shoot it inside my shop at ten feet from the muzzle. It's real loud in there but, I've never had the law called except the one day I had the big door open. Talked my way out of that by showing him I'd been using the rosebud torch and popped it like a shot. "ok, that's got to be it".

Good wishes to all of you.
George

G'Day Fella's,

Yes George, it is a bit of overkill but.... when you get it from "The Right Price" (Free), I'm not going to argue, LOL!. Your trap sounds more compact than mine but a bit noisier. Keep an eye out for a "Spare" high pressure gas bottle, as they are just made for this job.
I also have an 2" diameter exhaust vent on the bottom of the Trap and another vent that I stick the vacuum cleaner hose in. But despite this, I once blew the front wooden (MDF) facade off it, when I shot my .340 W/by in it (93grns of powder). This piece of wood, took my left thumb nail off as it zipped by! So these days, I limit test fires to .30-06 powder capacity rifles in it.

Doh!
Homer