Load testing

[kmw1954]

Strange because I feel this really doesn't fit into "What have you (shot or loaded) today" because it really isn't the same thing in my mind. Some of these I have loaded weeks ago and have just got around to finally shooting them. Yet this is more a reloading topic than a shooting topic. Post this in the what have you done in the reloading room today and by the time you get around to shooting the loads have been lost in the shuffle. Then to post the results there seems to make on sense or gets convoluted.

Anyways, a number of weeks ago I started working up ladders for a new barrel in my 223 Savage and to do this I also have a good number of different bullets that I want to try for this rifle. Most will be either 62gr or 69gr bullets and will all be tested with three different powders, Benchmark, 2460 and TAC. So I suspect this will take some time to complete.

First I have been testing with TAC powder and 69gr bullets from RMR, Nosler, Hornady, Sierra, and Barnes. The Hornady has a much different profile than the rest. The RMR and Nosler have shot very similar, each with a nice mid range node. The Hornady I think I an going to have to play with the seating depth. I would post some target pictures but currently they are unavailable because of a computer crash. So far the RMR seem to like a 23.5 to 23.8 load while the Nosler likes 23.7 to 24.0.. The 24.3 was not bad either but the 24.6 really fell apart.

Also testing is at a stand still because of a stock failure. It developed a delamination and am waiting for a replacement.

 

[Walkalong]

I agree, load testing is totally different than just going out shooting.

Some test days are failures, some get us headed in the right direction, and some are simply glorious.

 

[Nature Boy]

Some test days are failures, some get us headed in the right direction, and some are simply glorious.

From my perspective, the only time a load test is a failure is when I didn’t learn anything.

It’s rare, and usually due to something wrong with the rifle…..or I forgot something at home that I needed

 

[BJung]

Sometimes my load tests fail because I didn't bring a good enough target to create the best sight picture. For example, one day I bought 10" red paper plates to shoot at 300 yards using T99 Arisaka aperture rear sights. It was very hard to center that speck. Then, another day the wind picked up. I printed a nice horizontal set of holes.

 

[Bazoo]

I have learned not to test on a day when my eyes or hands are not cooperating.

 

[kmw1954]

I cannot remember a test failing. Though I have found plenty that were no good.

 

[Walkalong]

From my perspective, the only time a load test is a failure is when I didn’t learn anything.

It’s rare, and usually due to something wrong with the rifle…..or I forgot something at home that I needed

Ok, I’ll give you that, failures oftentimes still teach us something.

 

[Walkalong]

I cannot remember a test failing. Though I have found plenty that were no good.

Well, that’s what I mean, load failed to shoot even close to well.

 

[Walkalong]

I have learned not to test on a day when my eyes or hands are not cooperating.

Yea, some days I chalk poor shooting up to me, and don’t fail the load just yet, and retest later.

 

[kalielkslayer]

Yea, some days I chalk poor shooting up to me, and don’t fail the load just yet, and retest later.

I’ve had days where I couldn’t tell if the group size was me or the load. I’ve had days when I was 1/2 way through shooting a ladder and the wind came up and I wasted component’s thinking I could shoot through it. I’ve had a couple of days I shot less than 10 rounds due to wind. In those instances I keep the targets but repeat the load for another day. I’ve had a loose scope base at least once.

So I’ve had range days where I didn’t learn a darn thing unless learning your scope base is loose is learning something.

And I’ve had a few where the gun and load shot far better than I could, even though I was the idiot pulling the trigger.

Edit: At least once a loose stock screw ruined the day.

 

[kmw1954]

I have had times were the Chrono results completely threw me off. How can I get numbers so tight yet the groups are so large.

 

[jmorris]

I agree, load testing is totally different than just going out shooting.

Sometimes, I’ll start out doing one or the other and switch. I have had some stuff that was mediocre enough to say, “well, that’s going nowhere. Might as well have some fun.” And other stuff that was “Wow, that’s impressive. How accurate is this stuff?

 

[AJC1]

So I’ve had range days where I didn’t learn a darn thing unless learning your scope base is loose is learning something.

This taught me to properly torque and to use locktight.... if it's happened again you didn't learn...

 

[jmorris]

So I’ve had range days where I didn’t learn a darn thing unless learning your scope base is loose is learning something.

“I have not failed 10,000 times—I've successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.” Thomas Edison

 

[Walkalong]

So I’ve had range days where I didn’t learn a darn thing unless learning your scope base is loose is learning something.

This taught me to properly torque and to use locktight.... if it's happened again you didn't learn...

Or leave the bolt at home

 

[AJC1]

Or leave the bolt at home

That makes the blood boil... my dad stored them separately, and it only takes once.... I never left a bolt home since then... I have forgot a mag for the mini-14 and you know how that works.

 

[ballman6711]

I can remember going to the cabin years ago just to shoot my then new S&W AR-15/22. Seventy mile drive one way only to discover I had left all three magazines at home.

Another thirty mile drive and found one place that had one. Now I have four magazines.

Seems like I learn something most days, although not always on a range trip.

chris

 

[JFrank]

Yea, some days I chalk poor shooting up to me, and don’t fail the load just yet, and retest later.

I think that I learn more from my failures than success, maybe because I have more failures. Lol but I try to pay attention to each shot down range regardless .
Added; and for what it’s worth I always take my targets home and stare at them for awhile and I’ll be darn there’s a trend or tendency I didn’t notice before.

 

[Nature Boy]

Ok, I’ll give you that, failures oftentimes still teach us so

Or leave the bolt at home

*nature boy raises his hand*

 

[Walkalong]

Have left the mag at home testing a precision rifle, what a pia that could mess with your concentration if you let it.

 

[Kaldor]

I try to do load testing in small batches of no more than 50 rounds. I find my attention to detail when shooting goes down hill when I do extended load testing sessions. If I need to do more than that, I usually will shoot 50, then go shoot some pistol, then go back and get behind the long gun to finish up.

I did change my load buildup/testing to start out with a Satterlee test which does help simplify the testing regimen for some rifles. It generally will help narrow down the correct load pretty quickly.

I also purchased a ShotMarker system because one of the issues I dislike is dealing with tons of paper targets, and doing load testing at longer ranges, it really becomes onerous. This way I can just set the frame and keep shooting. My laptop or tablet can track all the data more efficiently than I can with a stack of paper targets I have to deal with.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Have left the mag at home testing a precision rifle, what a pia that could mess with your concentration if you let it.

Dead pen. Super annoying. I keep two Bics in my range bag. Walked to the far pasture of a neighbor's property - with his permission - setup chrony, setup target, setup portable bench, got everything out... shot first round. Couldn't label target or mark on anything. Grabbed spare pen! tada! Thinking , "Dude, you are sooooo clever, to have a spare!" Also dried up. Teaches me important lesson: don't get smug or overconfident. Check my s**t BEFORE walking two miles in a 100 degrees @ 80% humidity. Good lesson.

 

[nofendertom]

You could use a pencil---they don't dry up.

 

[AJC1]

Dead pen. Super annoying. I keep two Bics in my range bag. Walked to the far pasture of a neighbor's property - with his permission - setup chrony, setup target, setup portable bench, got everything out... shot first round. Couldn't label target or mark on anything. Grabbed spare pen! tada! Thinking , "Dude, you are sooooo clever, to have a spare!" Also dried up. Teaches me important lesson: don't get smug or overconfident. Check my s**t BEFORE walking two miles in a 100 degrees @ 80% humidity. Good lesson.

Use your lighter from your edc pack to warm the pen point to get to business.

 

[kmw1954]

Last testing I had two different bullets. One consisted of 8 loads of 5ea., Nosler 69gr in .3 gr increments. The other was 5 loads of Hornady 68gr Match of which I had shot some previously.

Quit the Nosler after the 4th load ànd then moved on to the Hornady. Should have stayed with the Nosler!

Still have Sierra and Barnes 69gr to play with. But now on hold until that replacement stock arrives from Boyds.