Load development vs plinking ammo

[wannabefree]

I wonder how many re-loaders actually spend the time to really develop loads vs just making ammo to shoot or plink.
In the past I have done some load development but seem to never find the time to go out and set up my chrony and bench test for accuracy. Most of my reloading is done in the winter months were here its cold and snowy or at least not prime shooting weather. I am sort of retired but work a lot in the Spring and Summer months on my sister and brother in laws farm. I also work as a fire support vendor as a transport driver or running a portable laundry unit. So my summer shooting sessions are sometimes restricted.
I just setup my new Lee Pro 6000 and want put it to work making bullets but don't have a lot of time to go out and develop my loads. I mostly need to make 38/357 and 9mm pistol rounds and with my new progressive press can really up my production over my previous Turret press. So I am eager to go but hesitant to just pump them out without better development data.

I guess its nice to know when I want to go I have the tools to get it done although I could use some more primers and don't want use the ones I see available, I prefer the name brands.

Dave

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Well, if you use a Lyman manual you could try their accuracy loads and see how they work out of you.
Most of them work well enough for a lot of shooters in the guns they have.

 

[nettlle]

When starting to reload for a new caliber, rifle or pistol, accuracy is the first carrot I chase. When the accuracy I am looking for is achieved I may back off and try cheaper components. Most of the time trying the cheaper components doesn't work for me.

There are no plug and play reloads. Load a few. Try a few. There is no other way.

 

[Random 8]

I K.I.S.S. Follow my flow chart. Load safe? Load repeatable (component availability)? Load suitable for purpose in terms of repeatable accuracy and velocity? If all are a "check," that is the end of my load development.

I DO put some extra work into loads for competition shooting or longer hunting shooting with a rifle. In most cases, this development is already done, but inconsistent availability of components these days may force my hand into doing some more experimenting. I really hate wasting ammo...that is shooting off a bench for groups rather than shooting from realistic shooting positions. I try to keep this chore to a minimum, as I consider it work, not fun.

 

[Stefan A]

I'm a "plinking ammo" type of reloader. Load development for me is starting at the minimum and making sure it's safe before going a little higher. Very unsophisticated, but it's really all I need for shooting steel. It could hit at the edge of a 12" steel target or in the center but as long as it goes ping, I'm happy. I have been known to rest my pistol and shoot paper when developing, but that's rare. For carry, I use factory.

 

[BushMaster-15]

This always brings up and interesting question . How many rounds out of the firearm ,so as to break it in ; before one chases accuracy ?.

I and others I know ,clean the B Geezus out of our bores ,then start from shot #1 . Used to be some folks ( myself included ) put #20-150 rounds down bore before they began actually reloading for accuracy . Now for myself I changed because , the barrel manufactures changed methods of cutting or Button rifling broaching and or polishing . A whole lot less barrel fouling now days as opposed to yesteryear ,IMO .

 

[HowieG]

About all I do is test and develop rifle loads. That is kind of my hobby. My money and component saving routine for that is to load a ten round test ladder starting maybe a grain below max and working my way down .2 or .3 grains at a time with my chosen test powder (it varies according to my mood) until I have ten rounds loaded with my chosen test bullet. Then I go out and shoot the ladder(s) over my chrono into a 100 yard target. I pay attention to how the ten shots cluster up (or not!) and I collect my chrono data for analysis at home. From the data, I determine if there is a load I want to look at closer look at which requires some five round groups. Firing those groups gives me practice as I seriously try to shoot my best. From all the work, I settle on favorite loads for specific purposes in specific rifles (hunting, target, long range, zombies, whatever) that then get loaded as needed. The ten round ladder method saves some serious time and money, at least until I get to the five round group step. Sometimes, a ten round ladder just doesn't work out, but I've only spent ten rounds and a little practice time finding that out.

I rarely do much development at all for handgun loads. All I am interested in is minute of bad guy and that doesn't take much work. I don't practice a lot with a handgun because they aren't my thing and I don't really want to burn components that way.

My plinking gun is my Marlin 1894CL 32-20 in which I load some combo of powder and 115 grain cast bullet. Most work to my satisfaction shooting bottles and golf balls and such. Not a lot of development is needed or desired for that except I did spend some quality time working up a load with jacketed bullets to duplicate the 30 carbine cartridge out of an M1 Carbine. That was fun.

 

[nettlle]

What's the criteria for "plinking ammo"?

 

[Bazoo]

I test some and settle on something halfway decent and load it and be happy for plinking ammo. I then also continue to test a little at a time, but make the standard plinking load in bulk so I don’t spend all my time testing.

 

[kmw1954]

Since I started shooting a rifle league with a 223 and now being on my second rifle in two years it seems as though that is all I have been doing is load testing.. After this season will be changing again, either and aftermarket barrel or a whole new caliber.

 

[mcb]

Most of my loads have been tested pretty extensively. I chrono pretty much everything I reload. I also shoot it for accuracy though what is acceptable varies a lot depending on its application.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I wonder how many re-loaders actually spend the time to really develop loads vs just making ammo to shoot or plink.
In the past I have done some load development but seem to never find the time to go out and set up my chrony and bench test for accuracy. Most of my reloading is done in the winter months were here its cold and snowy or at least not prime shooting weather. I am sort of retired but work a lot in the Spring and Summer months on my sister and brother in laws farm. I also work as a fire support vendor as a transport driver or running a portable laundry unit. So my summer shooting sessions are sometimes restricted.
I just setup my new Lee Pro 6000 and want put it to work making bullets but don't have a lot of time to go out and develop my loads. I mostly need to make 38/357 and 9mm pistol rounds and with my new progressive press can really up my production over my previous Turret press. So I am eager to go but hesitant to just pump them out without better development data.

I guess its nice to know when I want to go I have the tools to get it done although I could use some more primers and don't want use the ones I see available, I prefer the name brands.

Dave

I try to make my plinking as accurate as possible. I’m plinking in the company of youngsters - young eyes, young reflexes, young muscles - and most can shoot circles around me. I need every advantage I can get just to keep up.

 

[brewer12345]

For handgun I go through the modest amount of trouble to gin up an accuracy load. It is a one time effort and once you have the data, you have it forever.

For rifle I do a ladder test for accuracy. In the past year I have been fooling with 6.5 Grendel for longer range hunting loads, so I have been ladder testing for accuracy and running loads through a chronograph as velocity and know what my drop is has become important.

Could you just use a middle of the road powder charge and get stuff that goes bang? Sure. But ladder testing doesn't take that much time, effort and components, so I think it is worth the modest amount of effort.

 

[wcwhitey]

I have loads that are specific to certain guns both for power and accuracy. Then I have generic plinking ammo for enjoyable range use. These are mostly mild known somewhat accurate and safe in any gun of that caliber.

 

[cfullgraf]

I spend time getting my rifle ammunition as accurate as I can. I do some prairie dog shooting. Small targets over some longer ranges require small groupings.

For handgun, except for when I was shooting IHMSA silhouette, I generally work to get reasonable accuracy at 20-25 yards. I’m no bullseye shooter so I do not expect super small groups.

Once I find a good load, I use it for about anything.

IHMSA requires a bit more load development because of the 200 meter range. Even with traditional hand gun rounds, small groups are required to reliably knock down the 200 meter rams and just reliably hit the 150 meter turkeys. Geez, the turkeys are small at that range

 

[kalielkslayer]

Handgun, functionality. Then I test it in every handgun me, my wife and my son own in that caliber for functionality.

I have played with the chrono with the .380 trying to get a hot, accurate load. But I think accuracy and .380 with a 2” barrel is an oxymoron.

I still have a project in .357. A load that’s accurate in both a Marlin lever and a G100. But it’s 3rd in line as far as projects go.

Rifle?? Like most, I’m always chasing accuracy. Then it seems when I get it, I try to find it with another bullet. This type of reloading isn’t cost effective, but it’s how I do it.

Shotgun? For skeet, lightest, fastest loads. Hunting, I pattern and watch velocity.

 

[wannabefree]

I would like to say I am getting a lot of good feedback. Sometimes I get too hung up on chasing the perfect load without really needing or wanting to take the time to achieve that goal.
My past re-loading has been on again off again as to load development. I am not a competition shooter and really just like to go out and shoot. For Carry I use factory ammo and because of the cost want to re-load rounds that closely match the ballistics and feel. But mostly I just shoot paper or steel targets at close ranges where accuracy is difficult to qualify. I do have multiple guns that shoot my favorite calibers 38/357 & 9mm and don't like the idea of separate loads for each gun accept for special purposes.
I do also load some rifle rounds in 30/30 & 3.06 but that is very limited and development for accuracy is more critical for them.
Most of my shooting is just target practice with hand guns. The biggest issue for me is choosing and staying with one or two powders because I usually only buy powder in small quantities and when I get close to running out I cant find the one I have been using and have to start all over.

 

[cfullgraf]

I do also load some rifle rounds in 30/30 & 3.06 but that is very limited and development for accuracy is more critical for them.
.

My largest rifle caliber rifle is a 30-06 Garand. The semi-auto Garand has some different accuracy potentials from a bolt rifle.

With some knowledge and information on the needs and limitation of the cartridge/rifle combination, finding a good, accurate load is reasonable.

 

[BJung]

I'm the handloader in my family so I develop loads almost exclusively. Like you, I'm limited on primers and powder so I want to find and have the most accurate load within reason. For one rifle I test load 4 different factory bullets through it and go through a pound easily. Then it's hard to find the same powder. I'll pay a premium for 100 primers just to keep my tests going. For handgun, I'll look for an accuracy load and stop there. Like you, I only shoot in the Winter and only once. So at the range, I'm constantly shooting a rifle or handgun. I once had a job where I was off during a weekday and had the range to myself. There I had two rifles and two handguns out and called my own cease fire. And so, I was running back and forth and printing targets. I leave the range with a smile, a sore right shoulder, and tired hand. My ammo bag of test loads is heavy. I always have test loads that I haven't had time to shoot and save them for the following year. If I plink, it's with .22lr but then it's only to warm me up for shooting a HP rifle or to wind me back down to identify flaws I picked up.

 

[barnfrog]

I wonder how many re-loaders actually spend the time to really develop loads vs just making ammo to shoot or plink.

For me, those two things are not mutually exclusive. Even for what I consider plinking ammo, I work up loads but just not to the level of accuracy I would for a hunting load. But then, any time I'm shooting something I've loaded it's to practice and improve my shooting, so I don't consider the components wasted. I don't do mag dumps or rapid fire just to make noise, so I don't make what some would call "blaster" ammo.

 

[AJC1]

Testing is all I do because it's fun. I gave a few loads that I've tested enough I just load when I need more. The 3.8 grain load for a 158 cast right on the front of the bottle is the 38 load. I've tested a bunch of others from unique to red dot, it's just easy cheap and shoots as good out of my carbine as 4". I tested my #9 357 load of 13.7 with a cast 158 for six months strait from 110 degrees to 40, indoor and outside and it's old reliable when I need a full power load in any case. 9mm 115 rmr match winners at 4.0 grains tg and 1.090 shot very tight in my pistol and the two people I've let try them it worked well in their pistols as well. Rifle is an entirely different affair and even the good loads are tested and reverified often.

 

[brewer12345]

I would like to say I am getting a lot of good feedback. Sometimes I get too hung up on chasing the perfect load without really needing or wanting to take the time to achieve that goal.
My past re-loading has been on again off again as to load development. I am not a competition shooter and really just like to go out and shoot. For Carry I use factory ammo and because of the cost want to re-load rounds that closely match the ballistics and feel. But mostly I just shoot paper or steel targets at close ranges where accuracy is difficult to qualify. I do have multiple guns that shoot my favorite calibers 38/357 & 9mm and don't like the idea of separate loads for each gun accept for special purposes.
I do also load some rifle rounds in 30/30 & 3.06 but that is very limited and development for accuracy is more critical for them.
Most of my shooting is just target practice with hand guns. The biggest issue for me is choosing and staying with one or two powders because I usually only buy powder in small quantities and when I get close to running out I cant find the one I have been using and have to start all over.

I can say that for big game hunting loads, I will often call it good enough well before I get to bullseye target accuracy. I knew that the bullet I was working with for elk wasn't known as the highest accuracy option, so when I got to 1.5 inch groups I called it good. I am not going to take shots beyond 300 to 350 yards and I have a kill zone the size of a manhole cover, so 1.5 MOA will do with a bullet that has optimal terminal performance and a load with good speed.

 

[2ndtimer]

I develop hunting loads for accuracy and sufficient velocity. Those are worked up with decent quality bullets, and suggested powders. When the suggested powders are hard to find (or obscenely expensive or both), I try to find affordable available alternatives. My latest deer hunting load uses Alliant Power Pro 4000-MR and a Hornady 130 gr Spire Point bullet in my .270 Win. It shoots under MOA at 100 yards from the bench and chronographs a little over 2900 fps. I can push it closer to 3100 fps but the accuracy falls off. It has plenty of punch for deer out past 300 yards, if needed.
My Varmint loads are also developed for accuracy and performance. I use the .223/5.56 exclusively with my bolt gun switching off between 40 gr Tipped bullets at 3700 fps and Hornady 50 gr SX bullets at 3100 fps, with the Hornady having the accuracy edge while the 40 gr V-Max or Nosler provide more impressive aerial displays.
My plinking loads for the AR’s are 55 gr FMJ with whatever powders I have on hand, as long as they shoot under 3 MOA at 100 yards, I am happy. The everything load for the 5.56 AR’s consists of the Hornady 62 gr BTHP, Ramshot TAC powder and CCI No. 41, RP 7 1/2 or Federal AR Match primers. It has proven accurate in 6 different AR’s consistently shooting under 1.5 MOA in all of them and much tighter in the better barrels. It is good for coyotes, but I don’t generally shoot the AR’s at gophers and prairie dogs since I don’t like losing good reloadable brass. I buy the 8 lb kegs of TAC, since it works so well in the AR’s. My deer hunting loads can get by for several years with 2 or 3 pounds.

 

[Airborne Falcon]

I wonder how many re-loaders actually spend the time to really develop loads vs just making ammo to shoot or plink.
In the past I have done some load development but seem to never find the time to go out and set up my chrony and bench test for accuracy. Most of my reloading is done in the winter months were here its cold and snowy or at least not prime shooting weather. I am sort of retired but work a lot in the Spring and Summer months on my sister and brother in laws farm. I also work as a fire support vendor as a transport driver or running a portable laundry unit. So my summer shooting sessions are sometimes restricted.
I just setup my new Lee Pro 6000 and want put it to work making bullets but don't have a lot of time to go out and develop my loads. I mostly need to make 38/357 and 9mm pistol rounds and with my new progressive press can really up my production over my previous Turret press. So I am eager to go but hesitant to just pump them out without better development data.

I guess its nice to know when I want to go I have the tools to get it done although I could use some more primers and don't want use the ones I see available, I prefer the name brands.

Dave

Just depends for me.

I do reload a lot for plinking ... 5.56 and 9mm, 44 Mag, 357/38 and some 45 ACP.

But I reload a lot for hunting rifles and precision rifles and I do have my pet loads for my EDC carry pieces and truck guns. And I'm fairly picky about how I reload for my M1As.

I've got a 200 meter rifle range on my property and my gun club has 100-500 meter lines. Occasionally I'll drive to any one of three 1000 meter ranges not far from me. I've been known to work-up loads on the spot when I take the time and make the effort to utilize the 1000 meter ranges ... usually done early on weekdays. Takes a lot of time to set-up spotting scopes and mobile presses and chronies and lately I've even taken-to trailering my golf cart to the 1000 meter ranges - when I go. Haven't been in a few months.

Pistols ... my EDC PD loads are important to me so I train with them, making sure they meet my expectations. I've got a really nice staged pistol range on my property.

For years I ran a couple of Master Shooting Chronies. Then I graduated to a MagnetoSpeed which I got on sale at Sportsman's Warehouse ... it's sort of rifle centric but I like it. I finally stepped-up to the plate and ordered a LabRadar in early December right before I went-in for open heart surgery. They're a little behind on delivering due to high demand but I'm looking forward to receiving it and putting it through its paces soon.

So I guess I do the full spectrum when it comes to handloading. I'm constantly fine-tuning and double-checking and testing at various times of year and under various circumstances.

It's when I invest in a new rifle or pistol that the entire process starts all over again.

 

[lordpaxman]

In the past I have done some load development but seem to never find the time to go out and set up my chrony and bench test for accuracy.

We all have to decide our priorities. Personally, if I take the time to set up a load test, I take the time to at least chrono and see what the load does on paper. Before I had a shoot through chrono at a minimum when I fired the test loads at least I hung a paper target to see what the loads would do, in addition to function. If you don’t shoot your test loads at a target, what do you do? No offense, but at least I make sure they hit the broad side of a barn. You don’t have to be a competition shooter to be confident in your reloads and know when it’s the gun vs when it’s the shooter if you’re just plinking.
At a minimum, I hope you keep records of your reloading history. It is another workup if you can’t find the powder you used, but, there are a finite number of powders. At some point you either don’t have any powder or have one you used before.