What the hell was I thinking last year?

[jamz]

I don't shoot much 30-06. Last year I made up some loads for deer season, using 150 gr Nosler Partitions. I didn't make notes on the amount of IMR 4350, but I do know that I experimented in .2gr increments till I found the "best" grouping and went with that. Somehow "52.0 grains" sticks in my head.

Sooo, I find the loads, and measure them. They are really long... .1" longer than the Speer manual says they should be. Also the starting load starts at 54 grains... so 52 isn't right.

I can't find a single recipe that seems to match the cartridges I made, but I know I played around a lot last year, and was very careful, having just gotten into it.

Wierd!

I'll have to pull a bullet and measure how much powder is in there. Sadly, I started taking reloading notes after deer season, so guess I'll start my record keeping this year!

 

[The Bushmaster]

Ooops...Break out the bullet eraser...

 

[Lennyjoe]

Pull them and measure your powder. Only safe way to know for sure.

Also, buy yourself a notebook and take notes.

 

[RustyFN]

Lee also has a nice shooters program for your computer. You can record your loading data and gun inventory. It was $12 at MidwayUSA.

 

[270Win]

Not only are notebooks helpful, but in case they get destroyed by flood or fire (have had both happen), I simply write the load and the date on the package where the loads are stored.

 

[Ol` Joe]

Don`t only make notes, put LABELS on the boxes to ID the load that is in them. Labels should include;

bullet type & wgt
Powder type & wgt
Case brand
primer
OAL
Sizeing (neck, Full lgt, ect)
How many times the cases have been used

Your notes should expand on these...

 

[jamz]

I think I finally figured out what I was thinking.... the cartridges overall length are not sized to a specific meaurement in the book, but rather to the particualr gun (Ruger No.1). I'd sized them so they were a tiny bit away from the lands when chambered- this is considerably longer than the bullet COL listed in the book.

Whew!

 

[jmorris]

And that might explain your reduced charge. Though seating the bullet out to the lands can increase accuracy it can also increase pressure. If you take the time to work up a load you should take the time to document your findings. While I’m trying different combinations I write the powder charge (only part I can’t see) on the outside of every case, with a Sharpie.

 

[Uncle Don]

Lee also has a nice shooters program for your computer. You can record your loading data and gun inventory. It was $12 at MidwayUSA.

Just for fun, take a look at who authored that program. It's on the back of the catalog or on the website.

 

[redneck2]

suggestion...

don't keep your "working up" loads in boxes. Usually you only have a few of each. Mine tended to get confused because I tried to carry multiple examples in each box. I had 4 different loads segregated and dropped the box.

I now use sandwich size zip locks. Get load labels and paste 'em on. One load per bag. No chance of getting the rounds mixed up or spilling them. You'll never lose the load info. Staple the bag to the target for reference