Where do I go from here?

[EDK]

You need a supply of small baggies and 3X5 cards....baggies for each different variation of components and the 3X5 card that you have written everything down on about that particular load. Add cleaning equipment so you can eliminate any effects from the previous load and you're good to go. Go shoot; take notes; and shoot some more...lots more! Then start refining the better groups. If you want to see this carried REALLY FAR, go over to shilohrifle.com/forums and read up on what the black powder shooters do! Those birds take nit picking to a fine art! I think this is called "the scientific method" and we have some guys here with a lot of formal education who can explain it better than "a sledge hammer millwright from the power plant."

My Cowboy Action Shooting loads in 357 use 38 special brass(got lots of it cheap!) and LYMAN 358665 with a Brinnell hardness of 10 or 11. I've also got moulds for 358156, 357429 and 357446. Varying boolits or powders tends to make a 357 change point of aim/point of impact...especially in Original Size VAQUEROS/BISLEY VAQUEROS. A change of grips will also throw things "H--- west and crooked." Any variables with a 357 tend to move things--and group sizes--around in my experience. (I've had a lot better luck with low end 44s in either Special or Magnum brass in my other VAQUEROS/BISLEY VAQUEROS and SUPER BLACKHAWKS and BISLEYS. They aren't near as touchy, but I've had them quite awhile.)

Handloading is about experimenting and doing a "little tweaking" from time to time. Sometimes it seems like a lot of work. I like to "tweak," but I need to write better notes!

[black44hawk]

44man, you have proven my cynicism to be misguided ignorance. If there was such a thing as a shooting/reloading guru, I would simply divest myself of all my belongings (except my guns and equipment) and follow you, listening to your wise words! Impressive shooting, I guess I shouldn't stop trying for perfection.

[andrew375]

The bullets you are using are too hard for the loads you are using. Either up the pressure of the loads, which is the only thing you can do with store bought bullets, or cast from a softer alloy. My .45 auto REALLY liked bullets cast from pure lead.

And ditch the special cases.

One other thing is to contact Wolfe publishing and ask for copies of the articles by John Zemanek. He was doing exactly what you are trying to achieve and wrote it all up for HandLoader in the early 1990's. The articles are worth it just for the methodology alone.