CurryCornDog
Member
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2023
- Messages
- 33
That's good. It's good to test/work with measurable repeatable data.
Here's a tip for load development and range testing, which you obviously will get to next - "How do we know when our powder work up loads are accurate?"
Easy, just compare to known reference loads or have known accurate factory ammunition on hand to compare during range tests.
For 9mm, my reference load is 115 gr FMJ/RN bullet loaded with 4.8 gr of W231/HP-38 to around 1.130"-1.135" using .377" taper crimp that is comparable to Winchester/Federal white box in accuracy, if not slightly better. (This reference load will produce 1" groups at 7-10 yards, 2" at 15 yards and 3" at 25 yards on average out of various fullsize pistols)
So when I am conducting powder work up/range test or having a "bad range day" where holes on target are not grouping, I will do comparison shooting with my reference load. If I get similarly poor groups, I deem the shooter to be the fault having a "bad range day". If I get 1"/2"/3" groups at 7-10/15/25 yards, I will blame the new powder work up loads and keep on working up til I identify accuracy node by incrementally increasing powder charge then decreasing OAL/bullet seating depth without exceeding published max charge.
Greta point! Since I still have a lot of Blazer 124 gr. on hand, that is definitely my reference load. It has the same point of impact as my HST 124 gr. defensive loads, which is why I like them on hand. Cheap and easy training ammo.
Every time I go to the range (at minimum until I hit that accuracy node), there will be Blazer 124 gr. on hand to test against. That will be a good litmus against my reloads.
