How many of each formula do you make when working up a load?

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What do you mean by 5 different loads? 5 loads with the same components? Brass bullets powder or 5 loads with different bullets and powders?

Since I do not have a chronograph I do much more loading and testing. Usually 9-12 rounds of each load fired in 3 shot groups at separate targets. Targets are all the same and after firing I superimpose them to find a composite group. The ones that look promising I load again and repeat.
 
Presiccion or a hunting load?

Withthout a chronograph your going to need 3-5 each charge weight. Personally i like 5 if i dont have a chrono. You can ladder test but its best with a chrono. Same with Saterlee method IMHO.

No hurry and make them count reguardless of what your loading for accuracy still matters.

With hunting where the first shot matters cold bore is the best way. Dont heat the barrel or your reults wont be good. 3 shots is what most hunters use for developement with hunting loads but more never hurts if your letting the barrel stay cool so that you dont get jmpact shifts.

A cold bore on a typical light hunting barrel can shift POI quite a bit. A good chamber chiller/barrel cooling device between shots is better. Again take the time needed and do it once.

Use a good powder if you can that is not too temp sensitive. That way you can load in warm weather and still be on in cold wether.
 
5 minimum for sure. For a manually cycled rifle I'll usually load up between 6 and 9 rounds. That way I can do at least 2 groups of 3. Or even better 3 group of 3.
2 volleys of 3 shots is usually enough to let you know if the load is good or bad.
For a semi auto, at least 9, after its dialed in, on that second draft of loads. I need to know how it groups but also how it cycles the gun.
 
Pretty much what milsurp guy typed above.

I actually have a standard system ... five of each to chrony for velocities and check for keyholes, rough grouping, etc. I'll also check to make sure it is functioning the bolt, locking it back on the final round in semis ... etc. Since I usually start in the middle and work-up I'll also watch for pressure signs ... .3 grain increments.

Once I narrow it down to three loads, if I really want to dial-the-recipe-in ... I'll load ten of each at .2 grain increments. I usually only do that with my bolities actually ... or with my 18"-20" AR 500 meter rifles ... but usually it's the bolties I really get down and dirty with, or the M14s/M1As/M21 ... but man oh man I gotta be in the mood and really be in a load-work-up groove and mindset.

Then, once I dial it in I make work-up a couple of 1000 rounds of my MK262 knock offs or say 100 rounds of my .308 bolty paper punching loads or 40 of my .308 hunting loads or 1000 of my M21 loads or 2000 of my M14/M1a loads ... and then what happens is they'll sit for awhile and then my kids and kids-in-laws will hit the range here on the property and they'll challenge me with their loads and sticks and .... it's a vicious cycle.

And don't even get me started on my leverguns and how I work-up loads for those. That's a completely different process.

But yeah, if you do the 5x5 method that works in the beginning provided you check your two best loads minimum and duplicate the winning loads in short order to verify your original results.
 
If I'm sticking to published data, like that actual bullet part number and the recommended powder load data for that bullet I don't even chronograph them. Most of the time. Every time I use the chronograph there's a small chance it could get shot. I haven't shot one yet and want to keep it that way.
But if I'm doing something off book with 9mm, I'm chronographing them.
 
Its been a while since I worked up a new rifle load. Usually I start with 5 rounds each loading, and 4-5 loadings. All the same components, different charge weights. I look for pressure signs and groupings. Once I think I have something promising I may load 8-10 of what I think is promising and check grouping. Expect the group to grow as you move the number of rounds up. Finally I may tweak COAL in or out to see if it makes a difference. Sometimes it shrinks the group up sometimes no difference. Since I only shoot for pleasure and hunting there's not a lot of science in my methods. Just looking for a decent load that is somewhat accurate and safely goes bang every time.

-Jeff
 
Rifle loads I usually load 10... 3 go across the chronograph, which leaves me 2 sets of 3 for the target, with a leftover in case the chrono misses one, this for general load testing. Once I settle on a load, I expand on that and I might load 15 or more of each weight, etc because my strings go to 5- or even 10-shot groups.

Pistol... I'll load 20 or 25 of each variation. 5 or more across the chrono, and the rest into the target.
 
5 per load on the initial ladder test. Then evaluate chronograph data and run 10 per load on anything that looks promising. Even five shots per load can yield sketchy data, so verifying with 10 shots per load will give you a very good idea of true velocity and accuracy.

The 5-shot strings will help you eliminate loads that are too light or heavy or just don’t shoot well.
 
I usally load 10 of the first load to get sighted in then 5 loads of 5 all different loads to see how they group
 
One, or maybe two. I have a bunch of good, proven loads to shoot so I'll take one load for testing. I don't mind reloading, shooting, or analyzing. I'll load up 12 rounds (if it's a load close to a previous load, I may load as many as 20) or so depending on the gun and test them...
 
Having just started last summer I load 3 of each charge weight and usually load 5 or 6 charge weights. It’s not ideal but it’s tough to get hold of items. It also helps that I’m not terribly picky. I’ll load them up and whichever one shoots tightest gets confirmed with one more set of three. After that I’ll start replicating that load.
 
I load 4, go up .3 grains, load 3, go up .3 grains load 3, go up .3 grains and load 4.

The 4th round in every 3rd group is a fouling round as I clean the barrel after every third group.

I think 5 round groups provide more information but at this point I’m just getting started.

Most times I’ll see groups shrink as I go up then at some point, near or over max, they’ll begin to widen.

At that point I’ll go back and load 5 round groups just below and above where I got the most accuracy.

Besides cleaning after every 3rd group, there are a couple other things I do. I set up a minimum of 3 targets for 3 different guns and shoot one shot from each gun allowing the other guns to cool between shots. Between looking at the last round fired through the spotter, opening the bolt and inspecting the brass for pressure signs, removing the gun from the line and putting it in the shade, getting the next gun out, adjusting the Lead Sled for the new gun and sending another round down range, by the time I get back to the first gun it’s usually been 10 minutes since i shot it. So in an hour I’m lucky to get two 3 round groups out of each of the three guns. Add 15 minutes to clean after every 3 groups and it’s normal for me to only get 5 groups of each gun done in 3 hours. If the wind starts blowing, I’m done and that happens here a lot.

PS: I usually buy 1 box of factory ammo to condition my barrel with. If I still have some of that, I’ll use it for fouling rounds until it’s gone.

PSS: I usually start .005 off of the lands. If I can’t get accuracy, I’ll mess with that after I do my initial ladder. I make a dummy round and cycle it several times through the gun. Slowly close the bolt to try to feel if I’m getting any contact, or smoke the bullet with a match and chamber to see if I’m getting any contact.
 
I usually do one 5 shot groups for each change in powder level. Then I can start narrowing in down to best 2-3 groups. It usually will dial in for me.
Always start each range session with Clean barrel—well duh!
But in addition I have learned to always fire a fouling shot or two prior to starting group testing. It helps to eliminate flyers!
Jmho
 
I have seldom found the perfect load with only one range trip. I use a chronograph working up loads. I load 3 rounds near starting load data up to midrange data. Then I load 10 rounds with each charge up to near maximum data. I seldom shoot over one or two rounds of the starting to midrange data. I still only shoot 3 rounds a powder charge and when I find good velocity and promising accuracy I shoot more of that group. I come home with several unshot rounds that get pulled down both starting loads with low velocity and maximum rounds I don't want to go that high. I usually load more tweeking the most promising groups and do another range trip. Don't want too many test rounds because shooting, waiting for barrels to cool, and barrel cleaning can take most of a day!
 
Five of each load, initially. Then, I often make up 5 more of each bracketing the apparent accuracy node(s) I want to verify and refine.
 
I guess I'm the odd man out.
I run one 10 shot ladder test at 3-400 yards.
Then I take the two nodes that show up and do 3 shot groups with varied seating depth.
After that I do a 5 shot group half a grain on either side of the winner.
If the 1 grain spread doesn't give me at least an moa group. I change a component.
(This is for a rifle that is accurate enough to matter)
Lever guns, milsurps, and muzzleloader get 3 shot groups untill I find a winner that is repeatable without point of impact shift.
 
I usually do 5 of each charge weight, then retest the best plus a couple on each side in .1 - .2 increments. The work ups I did for 243 win last summer were a little different because I only had a few 243 win cases to start out with, thanks go out to @Highland Lofts, for shipping me more 253 win cases. Got 2 real accurate loads with 100 gr hornandy spbt bullets with h4350, and ramshot hunter.

Didn't get to see their performance on game, but hopefully will this comming season.
 
When loading for a new rifle or if I change out a scope I start at the minimum charge and step it up one grain increments to the charge just under msximun charge.
I never load max.
I load ten cartridges at the minimun charge weight to get it zeroed in.
Then i loady five rounds in each group to see what works best in that gun.

I will load severel powder/bullet combinations over a couple of weeks and get it right on the money.
I have two rifle cradles, i always use one to get accurate groups. Holding a gun in your hands is not as accurate as the rifle being secure in a rifle cradle.

I have a Remington 788 in 243. This target is all 100 grain soft points (different types and different manufacturers) and all the same primers and the same powder.
A hundred yards with a rifle cradle.


The 100 grain Hornady SST bullets were the winner
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I hate breaking down loaded ammo, so usually only load 5 of each charge weight for rifles at .3 gr. increments. If any of those show promise, I'll load a few more. If it's repeatable, I'll play with seating depth and try to get it better. If that doesn't get it to where I think it should be, I'll try different bullet, powder, etc.
 
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