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Posted: 10/5/2008 3:02:59 PM EDT
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When working up a new load, how much of an increment do you work up in? .2 grain? Do you all typically load up to max or just under? Thanks. Blake |
| It depends on the size of cartridge and many other factors. Frankly if you have to ask this question you need to read a lot more loading manuals and take their advise to heart. I have at least 12 loading manuals and various other references at this time. Read read read then load. A Lyman manual is a must have, Hornady, Nosler, Sierra, Speer are all good ones too. Don't just read one of them, read them all over and over again. When you're on the crapper take a loading manual with you. You can't know too much about whats going on when there is an explosion taking place mear inches in front of your face. Safety equipment is another must have. Be safe! |
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depending on the load and the charge range. Usually load up 5 each at the minimum, then move up so i get about 5 groups to the max take the bench rest and sand bags and chrono to the range and start with the lowest charge and see how each pattern. For me, the chrono does nothing more than push me one way or the other on two loads that have similar patterning characteristics. |
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Generally speaking, if the load has too little pressure, the group usually strings vertically. Then as you approach the optimum load the group begins to get circular, then the circles get a little smaller. Smallest circle is best load for that powder...then again GENERALLY after optimum load is found, the circle gets larger, but in a circular pattern. For small cartridges like 223, I usually go in .2 increments. For 308, I go .4, for large ones like the 300 win mag, I go in .5 increments until I find something close. Then I play around with .2 or .1 to get the perfect one...usually though just .2 grains. |
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Working up loads from www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=469 Working up loads must be done for each powder and bullet weight combination you plan to load. Just remember to work up loads and not pull one from a reloading manual and start making hundreds or even thousands of rounds of that load then to find out it won't cycle your gun or the load is too hot. Example of working up loads: - take the min load, it should be given or should be 10% under max if not given, and the max load - divide the difference by 4, round down to nearest 1/10th of a grain. This is your increment amount - make 5 batches of test loads, either 5 or 10 each - batch 1 = min load - batch 2 = min load + 1 increment - batch 3 = min load + 2 increments - batch 4 = min load + 3 increments - batch 5 = min load + 4 increments For AA2460 powder and 55 gr projectiles the starting load is listed as 22.9 grains and the max load is given at 25.4 grains. So: increment is (25.4 - 22.9)/4 = (2.5 gr / 4) = .625 gr, round off to .6 grains So I would make loads with this amount of powder: 22.9 grains 23.5 grains 24.1 grains 24.7 grains 25.3 grains You could go back later and make loads to fill in the gaps, e.g. say 24.1 and 24.7 gr loads were good, then next time make 23.8, 24.1, 24.4, 24.7, 25.0 gr loads If all the loads were good feel free to pick one in between. My test loads of 24.4 gr and 24.7 grains were good, so I settled on 24.5 because it's an half grain increment. |
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