The importance of load development

[Love Life]

I wasn't sure where to put this, but this section seemed fitting. With more and more questions like "Best load ever for random caliber?" popping up, I thought I would post a short thread showing the tangible results of proper load development.

The importance of load development:

Load development…what can I say about it? I can say that I despise it almost as much as I despise case trimming. How I wish for that one magical firearm that is “Sub MOA all day with any powder…if’n I do my part.”
Since that firearm doesn’t exist in my house, I am stuck with load development.
Here you will see the importance of load development.

40.5 gr H4831SC- This group is gross. It was gross last time I shot it during the initial load ladder. At the forefront, you can say “Hey! Minus that flyer it’s sub MOA!!” While that may be true, it is still a gross group. “Why?” you ask? Well…look at the vertical. That vertical is dropped points, missed steel, missed ground squirrels, etc.

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40.7 gr H4831SC- This group is also gross. While that flyer off to the left ruins an otherwise…well…decent group, there is still way too much vertical. Now, I know what everybody is thinking. “It’s a good group!!” Maybe, but look how open it is. So, despite looking good at face value, it is still an unacceptable group.

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41.0 gr H4831SC 2.260 CH to Ogive- Aha!! Things are looking up (minus that annoying clean, cold bore shot hanging out at the bottom) with this group!! I’m not surprised as when I initially shot this ladder, things got tighter as I added more juice. While this group IS acceptable, just maybe it can be better. Maybe?

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41.0 gr H4831SC 2.250 CH to Ogive- Ding, Ding, Ding!!! We have a winner!!! All I did was seat .010 deeper. Now this group is acceptable and a keeper. Those 3 little guys out of the group are due to a lull in the 12 MPH half value wind we were playing in. Stupid lulls…

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Now this is where I stop. I have a firm rule about not chasing unicorns. This is one of those instances.

As you can see, just a little bit of time at the bench and a little experimenting can get you to group shooting happiness.

[FergusonTO35]

Good post and good pics! I find this applies just as well to handguns. A few tents of a grain can be the difference between a full mag in the same hole and a shotgun pattern, and/or an extreme spread of 20 or 180 fps. It can also be the difference between a load that is safe and performs well all the time or one that pressure spikes when it gets hot outside. I find that some powders start getting very sensitive past a certain point.

Bullseye is one of them. Shooting a 122 grain truncated cone in 9X19 out of my Ruger SR9c, 3.5 grains is an accurate and easy to shoot load that zips along at a consistent 980 fps. Bump it up to 3.7 or 3.9 on a hot day and you can feel the increased recoil and see the brass eject alot farther. The group opens up and the chronograph reads 1000-1200 fps.

[35 shooter]

Excellent thread on load developement. Especially on the effects seating depth can make once a "load" is found.
One question comes to mind. You kept mentioning ogive of the boolit. Are you also using a comparator or comparadun with cast boolits to get the seating depth more concise? I used to use one with jacketed and probably need to start using one with cast too. I suppose it would cut group size with cast just like with jacketed. Just haven't tried it yet.

[Love Life]

I was using a comparator. I sort my bullets by base to ogive so I have a consistent jump or jam. I also use the comparator for my 8mm mauser loads with cast, but I'm still working on accuracy with them.

Sadly, these groups were shot with jacketed. I just wanted to get something up detailing the importance of load development and showing that it is a worthwhile endeavor.

[**oneshot**]

Outstanding loading! I am always chasing that magic point, and when I find it. Well, you know what I mean. Months of testing, trying this combo and that combo, changing only one thing at a time, following your knowledge of past good and bad directions. It does pay off in the long haul.

[Love Life]

I'm from the "Right now!" generation. Too often I see my brethren wanting "The best load you have." instead of searching like you posted above. It took me 280 rds to get to that load. 1st I had to verify none of my old loads and other slow powders from the longer barreled rifle worked. Ten I had to ladder the 4831 SC. Then I had to take the performers from that ladder and run them to get what I have posted. Oh, and I went a shot ground squirrels for a little while too!!

[35 shooter]

I was using a comparator. I sort my bullets by base to ogive so I have a consistent jump or jam. I also use the comparator for my 8mm mauser loads with cast, but I'm still working on accuracy with them.

Sadly, these groups were shot with jacketed. I just wanted to get something up detailing the importance of load development and showing that it is a worthwhile endeavor.

Nothing sad about it. It illustrated your point perfectly. I for one am glad you posted this. It reminded me of a thing or two i need to go back and try with one boolit that's already shooting great. Might get it a bit better.

[FergusonTO35]

What sucks is, right now you can only do as much load development as available components will allow.

[Love Life]

^^True, but I have done a good bit of out of the box loading due to this shortage.

[s mac]

One thing I'm slowly learning is the importance of keeping good, detailed records.

[TXGunNut]

You may hate load development but it seems you have a pretty good handle on it. OTOH it seems to be my favorite pastime/distraction and I pretty much suck at it. I think I used to be pretty good at it but a couple of rifles awhile back humbled me, could even say humiliated. One current project came to an abrupt end when the first load on the first range trip shot better than my expectations, actually better than I thought I could shoot with that type firearm. Another project has been quite the journey with lots of setbacks and few victories but it's sure been fun! Wind has been trying my patience too lately but around here when the wind stops blowing this time of year it's too hot to shoot. I just have to factor in an acceptable amount of wind drift.

[popper]

Excellent post. Question, will comparator replace V block & dial indicator for runout measurements?

[Love Life]

Excellent post. Question, will comparator replace V block & dial indicator for runout measurements?

Not that I know of. I have those tools as well, but I have been going old school and just culling the brass that causes uncalled fliers. Were I trying my hand at benchrest, then those tools would be used more. I use those tools at the outset to ensure my press and dies are playing nice.

This also brings up a point about accuracy requirements. I could probably shrink the groups a tad more, but this will get me where I need to be. Were this a bench rest shoot, that group wouldn't even hold muster on the wailing wall!!

These groups were shot with brass that is FL sized every time. I use a Lee FL sizing die (does just as well as a Whidden FL sizing die) with the expander button sanded and polished to give me .0015 neck tension. Between .001-.0015 neck tension has shown no appreciable difference on paper. I went with the heavier neck tension because I hunt with this rifle as well, and when I jammed, I didn't want to snatch bullets out of the case.

Now that I jump I have no worries.