New reloading strategy, comments wanted.. :)

[[email protected]]

so instead of just doing a ladder or OCW test, im going to take all my reloading equipment with me to the range.

400 Yards (300 WM)
Ladder test with .5gr incriments till pressure signs
Take the best group, load touching, .01" off, .03" off, .06", take that best group
Fine tune with .002" seating depth change
Than fine tune with .2/.1 gr of powder

all in all I think it will take around 30 bullets.

What do you think?

 

[rodnocker1`]

I know of several people who take their gear to the range and work up a load right there. If you could back your truck up to your shooting bench and the conditions were good (no wind, rain, BooBoos wanting to bother you, etc) it would probably be good.

 

[Xtremegunnr]

Just keep all the stuff out of the sun and that should work. Just seems like it would be a pain in the arse.

 

[turbo54]

Loading at the range is definitely the way to do it.

You're insane if you think you'll be able to run through all the testing mentioned in 30 shots.

 

[wakajawaka]

I would like to see your 30 bullet strategy.

 

[[email protected]]

I do all the shooting out at our ranch so no one can buy me and my press will be mounted to my truck toolbox and I shoot out of my bed, what should I keep out of the sun, powder, primers, charge aster?

Also 30 shots might be a soft guess, my 300 WM took ~100 shots, I'm hoping my DTA won't be as hard and I get LUCKY!

 

[[email protected]]

When I'm shooting phase 2,3, and 4 should I do three or five shot groups?

 

[Pinecone]

Actually you don't need to take EVERYTHING.

Size and prime a number of cases. Then you only need to charge and seat bullet.

 

[2Shots]

Actually you don't need to take EVERYTHING.

Size and prime a number of cases. Then you only need to charge and seat bullet.

That's what I have done. Have the cases ready to charge and seat. I take a lee hand press and a beam scale, it works well.

 

[turbo54]

When I bring equipment to the range for working up loads, I like to also be able to size my cases.

Once I like the way the load is shooting, and I think I'm satisfied, the final test is reloading the same case at least 5 times to ensure I'm not beating up the brass too hard.

 

[[email protected]]

When I bring equipment to the range for working up loads, I like to also be able to size my cases.

Once I like the way the load is shooting, and I think I'm satisfied, the final test is reloading the same case at least 5 times to ensure I'm not beating up the brass too hard.

When you do this do you notice a POI shift from any of the number of times you fire the same case Ie. first firing and fourth firing?

 

[turbo54]

When you do this do you notice a POI shift from any of the number of times you fire the same case Ie. first firing and fourth firing?

Wish I could answer this, but fact is I don't think I've ever really paid attention to where those shots went... The test was really only to validate that the load wasn't going to trash brass in only one or two shots.

I'll have to pay attention to this next time I do it.

 

[Creature]

That's what I have done. Have the cases ready to charge and seat. I take a lee hand press and a beam scale, it works well.

This is what I have been doing. I will say that if it's windy out you're going to want to be inside while weighing your powder charge. If I'm working with non-extruted powders I'll just take my Redding BR powder measure and if extruted then I'll take the charge master and use it inside our high power building.

 

[ledavatar]

Regarding this topic, has anyone ever tried the arbor press / hand dies? I suppose they were made to do load development at the range. My range is far away and load development is near impossible unless you want to spend hours and hours thinking of every possibility that you can test. In the end, the ones that you want to test more are always not enough, and you're stuck with a bunch of other useless rounds.

Wilson/Sinclair Stainless Hand Die Kit | Sinclair Intl

 

[JGorski]

so instead of just doing a ladder or OCW test, im going to take all my reloading equipment with me to the range.

400 Yards (300 WM)
Ladder test with .5gr incriments till pressure signs
Take the best group, load touching, .01" off, .03" off, .06", take that best group
Fine tune with .002" seating depth change
Than fine tune with .2/.1 gr of powder

all in all I think it will take around 30 bullets.

What do you think?

Just load them to your manuals oal, and start 1.5grs below maximum, ie: max is 76.1grs RE22, start with 74.5grs RE22. What bullet you have? Powder?

 

[JGorski]

Actually you don't need to take EVERYTHING.

Size and prime a number of cases. Then you only need to charge and seat bullet.

This is what I do, size and prime at home, cuts down on things to do at the range. What are you going to do when the wind plays with your scale, indoor rangemaster office by your range?

 

[JGorski]

When I'm shooting phase 2,3, and 4 should I do three or five shot groups?

Hunting rifle, 3 shots, target/longrange rig, 5 shots.

 

[[email protected]]

I shoot at our ranch so all the powder and scale with be inside the cab.

It's a 300 WM, 208 gr AMAX, H1000 powder.

I thought I had a load, 75.5, .01" off, shot 1 inch a 300. Than I took it to 400 yards and it had a 5 inch verticale, WTF!?

Shot another round with .3 gr incriments up and I think 75.8 looks good with a 3/4 verticale and 2.5" group.

Why would it open up so much just after 100 more yards, bullet wasn't stabilized at 300?