Strange loading question

Id stick to 5 and then use larger to confirm its doing what you are after. Its exhausting to test everything that doesnt work that much.

rdsii640 said:

I am almost out of my favorite powder so I'm going to work up a new load with what I can get.
I had a thought that this time out I might try ten shot groups. (I usually do five shot groups with ten charge weights). My question is
whether 10 shot groups is really necessary.

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As @spife7980 said, doing large group sizes just burns components on loads that aren't worth burning components on. Starting with smaller group sizes doesn't definitively give you a specific load (or loads) that will work, but it does give you an idea of some loads that may. Pick a couple/few of those and then run 15-20 to validate.

Do what you have been doing. If you find one (or more that you like) take it out to distance to confirm.

rdsii640 said:

I am almost out of my favorite powder so I'm going to work up a new load with what I can get.
I had a thought that this time out I might try ten shot groups. (I usually do five shot groups with ten charge weights). My question is
whether 10 shot groups is really necessary.

Click to expand...

I'll load 5 cartridges for each charge weight, but I may not use all 5 of a charge weight if the result on the target is not good. For example, just the first 2 shots of the charge weight is over 1 MOA, any further shots isn't going to make that any better. So, I just move on to the next charge weight. If I get 3 shots that look really good, then I'll shoot the remaining two to see a larger sample for whether that charge is really working. And like has been mentioned, following up on another day with 10 or more cartridges loaded to what appears to be good charge weight(s), this is to confirm if the charge(s) can produce repeatable results on target.

The cartridges that were not shot due to performance, I'll simply pull the bullet and recharge the cartridges and seat the same bullets. As long as I don't damage the bullets when pulling them, they still perform well, even in the same case where the neck was expanded a little during the fist seating.

straightshooter1 said:

I'll load 5 cartridges for each charge weight, but I may not use all 5 of a charge weight if the result on the target is not good. For example, just the first 2 shots of the charge weight is over 1 MOA, any further shots isn't going to make that any better. So, I just move on to the next charge weight. If I get 3 shots that look really good, then I'll shoot the remaining two to see a larger sample for whether that charge is really working. And like has been mentioned, following up on another day with 10 or more cartridges loaded to what appears to be good charge weight(s), this is to confirm if the charge(s) can produce repeatable results on target.

Click to expand...

I do this process for seating too. One of the nice things about an arbor press is that you can seat them all long and seat deeper as you go. Which reminds me... I need find where the hell I put it from my last seating depth adventure at the range.

rdsii640 said:

I am almost out of my favorite powder so I'm going to work up a new load with what I can get.
I had a thought that this time out I might try ten shot groups. (I usually do five shot groups with ten charge weights). My question is
whether 10 shot groups is really necessary.

Click to expand...

I'll defer to the other posts about your direct question.... but will suggest you stick with the better known recipes when you go out to hunt down something different.
We spend way too much time on the forums with beginner folks who go buy stuff that doesn't really suit their goals and they are trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.... Maybe mention your pet load and you might get some good suggestions for well known alternates that are available these days.... YMMV
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!