Pistol Load Development Methods

Wondering what testing methods people use for pistol load development?


Previously I would start loading in 0.2 increments from mid range to a little below max published data. I would make 5 rounds of each and fire over a chrono looking to what got me closest to a 130 power factor. Im not a competitor but figured this is what is most used by minor competitors for accuracy with the lightest recoil.


Recently though I have started testing with a ransom rest and shooting 10 rnd groups @ 25 yards. The results were disappointing and really proved to me just how bad my reloads were. On a good note though was finding out that what I previously thought of as my limitations was more a matter of my ammo choices. This has definitely changed up my load development. Now Im more goal orientated to find what is most accurate.


My testing has changed and continues to change as I find ways to improve. For each rung testing I’ll shoot two groups of 10 rounds from the ransom rest and record the group sizes as well as the velocity results. I’ll compare the results to see what groups the best across a few 0.1 increments.


My older testing was much smaller in rnds per group as well as larger increments between rungs. It’s a more of a hassle now though to drag out so much gear and an hour to get setup and ready. So now Im loading everything, 20 rnds of each 0.1 increment from a little above low to max. I loaded up 300 rnds for my next test. 20 rnds each of 15 different increments. I figure I’ll test shoot in 0.2/0.3 increments till the results narrow that down a bit to whats working best and I can further test from there. Definitely overkill but Id rather just get the testing done in as little trips as possible. Left over ammo I’ll re-designate to plinking rounds.


Any advice, suggestions, criticisms are welcome. And also interested in testing methods used by other members. If it needs to be said; my goals are finding out loads are most mechanically accurate out of each of my pistols. I put it this way to “hopefully” head off any debates on shooters skills vs mechanically accuracy.

Nice concrete bench at my range and using there 30lb base plate as well as clamping everything down. Luckily no consistency problems but it is a hassle to drag all the gear through the range and takes at least an hour to get setup, on target and the 20 settling shots done; just to start testing... And friggin had mess ups with both my last two RR trips. Last weekend after getting all setup, I winded up having problems w my gun and had to call it quits before even starting. The trip prior to that, I got all setup and realized I forgot my damn chrono and had to wait another hour for the gf to run it out to me. Least I had another gun w me that trip to go plink around while I waited

I only recently got the ransom rest; so not too many trips out with it yet.

First trip out I decided to run some tests on a bunch of different brands of factory ammo to use as a baseline for comparing to my reloads in the future. I tried 8 different brands from your cheaper blazer brass to atlanta arms match grade. No surprise the match grade did well and was grouping (10 shots per group @ 25 yards) around 2" give or take 0.2". What did surprise me was how bad factory brands I normally use such as blazer brass and american eagle did. These groups spread out to like 5-6". Would have to be in front of my notebook at home to be more exact. One surprise was a brand called Browning Performance Target 147g. I have never personally shot it outside this test but picked up some for the test after reading of someone else's testing. This shot as well as the expensive atlanta arms match grade. They also had an 115g fmj at an even cheaper price that grouped a little worse at around 3"

My second trip out was with my normal reloads made up of berry's and precision delta projectiles and titegroup powder. Again I would need to check but charge weights should be around 4.0-4.2g. These were as bad if not slightly worse than the blazer brass groupings at 5.5-6". I did not at the time do a full ladder test of each. Again my loads at the time based around a 130 power factor

I really need to go back and experiment more with the above now that I have the rest and only change one variable at a time. However I was so disappointed in the above results I decided to try something completely new. My next testing was or 6.0 to 6.6g of Alliant Power Pistol and Hornady 115g fmj's.

These grouped excellent and were getting 1.5" to 1.7" groupings! Huge difference by near 4 times my previous grouping size and even tighter than the match grade factory ammo. However my lowest rung test was shooting a bit hotter than the book data (difference in barrel size im guessing) at put me at near max listed velocity range so I only tested the 6.0 and 6.2 loads and stopped there.

I came back home and made up some loads from 5.0 to 5.5g intent on lowering the velocity back to my normal 1150 range but after discussing it further on the board here I agreed w the others advice to not worry so much about a particular velocity range and also not to be so fearful of going over the published max's.

So now I have everything from 5.0 to 6.6g made up for my next testing. Unfortunately last weekend I went to the range and had problems w my gun and didnt get to actually test anything.

I guess the biggest thing I learned so far was what I previously thought of as "my" 5-6" groupings at 25 yards as being my shooting skill level and age was limited by my ammo choices both factory and reloads. Looking forward to unsupported testing myself in the future with ammo choices I know are at least capable of better.

Im testing with a sig 226 4.5" barrel myself. And i agree, ive always favored 124 grain in the past. When i was doing the first test though with the differing brands of ammo, it really showed the 115g doing the best so i figured i would try it in my new loads. I probably should add that i had an barsto semi drop barrel in it and it has a 1:16 twist compared to the stock 1:10

By the way, nice groupings. I havent had a chance yet to shoot the new reloads unsupported. I wanted to finish my ladder testing first before cranking out a large output

And yes i was impressed w the power pistol. It was my first time using it. I was using only titegroup previously