# Importance of load development



## spitfire_er (Jan 23, 2010)

Well, I have been building rifles and reloading for a few years now and just wanted to show you guys a few examples of what load development can do in a rifle.

I have slowly sold off all of my factory rifles and replaced them with custom rifles that I personallly built. 8)

I have had both good and frustrating experiences trying to find the magic load for a rifle. To be fair with a few of mine, I have had the experience of others to get loads from and starting points for certain chamberings. I have not done much development with factory rifles, but it doesn't matter if you have a custom or a factory rifle, each rifle can benefit from load development.

Now, there are a few ways to find that perfect load for your rifle. First, you can look in the reloading manual, close your eyes, drop your finger and start there, and maybe you will get lucky. Second, you can do ladder tests, which I have not done much of, but is an extremely useful tool. Finally, Third, which Is what I do most, is to use published data, research, and most importantly a Chronograph. Using the chrony will tell you what not only how fast your bullets are going, but will tell you: How consistent your loads are, How your barrel reacts to a load, if you are exceeding safe loading ranges, Standard Deviation, and Extreme Spread, among a few other things. I won't go into the details, but the lower the ES, the better the load and usually but not always more or most accurate load. When you get your ES down in the 10-15 range, you are getting close or are at a node in your barrel with that load......

Ok, What I really wanted to show you guys was a few photos, we'll see if I can get this right but the first photo is a good load and the second photo will be a bad or OK load. I'll post multiple targets from different rifles. All these groups were shot from custom built rifles that i put together. Two of my rifles have shot great straight off the bat, but usuallly require a little development.

These are just a copule visual examples of what a little work can get you in a rifle. You may not be shooting 1/2" groups with your rifle, but you may be able to take that old rifle and turn it from a 1.5" rifle to a 1" or 3/4" rifle. One thing to make sure before you go testing is make sure you have a clean bore, and everythhing else is what you want it to be.

Hers's some photos. They area all 5 shot groups except for the 7mm mag OK group where the bottom hole was a sighter.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

I'll agree doing load development over a chrony is a great tool. You can really see what your bullets are doing.

I've been doing the Ladder Test for a few years now and I find that it's a great way of doing load development. Once a decent accuracy node is found it's all about loading up those chosen rounds and doing a few "round robbin's" to take some of the inconsistencies out of the equation.

I tend to do my load development at 300+ yards so that I can really see the shot strings and vertical dispersion. Let the barrel cool after each shot and write down all your data, as well as marking the target of each shot in the string helps with telling what went right and what went wrong.

There is always several ways to skin the cat. But one thing to remember is, consistency = accuracy.

xdeano


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

I hate load development. Unfortunately, the last couple years it seems that's all I've been doing, load testing. I need to quit changing crap up and just shoot.

I haven't been at the reloading gig very long, but every once in a while I think how nice it would be to just sell everything off and start buying some good match ammo for targets and some good factory hunting ammo. The prices for most of that stuff are pretty ridiculous though. And it's nice to have the versatility reloading gives you.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Adam,

Didn't Bearbackjack do all the load development on that 308 already? Just load via his data and go shoot.

xdeano


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

4" shorter barrel not affect things much, as far as the load goes? MV will be lower. Guess the only way to know is to shoot the thing. Been busy working up a 165 SGK load recently. Pretty much got that licked, good enough anyways.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

should have just stayed with the Scenars, they do a good job on deer. Yeah you're going to drop a few fps with the barrel cut off to 22", i'd forgot that you did that.

xdeano


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

Deano,
I'll be loading for them this winter when I get more time. With getting my rifle so much later than expected, and not having prepped any of my new brass, I figured it'd be much easier and quicker to just work up a load that I don't have to be sooooo anal about, and using already prepped Rem brass. That's the main reason for me going with the Gameking, more so than my fear of using a match bullet on deer.

Since the topic is load development here is all I did for this quick load. I just used the book OAl and loaded up 5 different charges and shot 3 shot groups at 200. I loaded up 6 rounds of each, and shot my groups on 2 different nights. The clear winner was 44gr Varget. Now I could spend a lot more time on it and tweak the charge more, tweak seating depth, etc, but I got ducks to kill before rifle season starts.

First night, 1.1" @ 200










Second night of testing, 1.2"....After it was confirmed that 44 was the best, and "good enough" as is for this deer season, I loaded up more rounds and shot a string through the chrono. Avg MV was 2655, 22" brl.










And tonight, .6" @ 200......Doesn't happen to me very often I shoot a group without a damn flyer. Nice to see what that looks like for once. I also shot this group prone, whereas the other two were off the bench. I always did like prone better.










After I shot that group I moved to steel. Pretty tough since it was raining and the ground was wet I couldn't see my impacts, so I was basically guessing for my corrections. I did make first round hit at 858 with it though (all luck I'm sure, as I fired 3 more rounds at it and didn't hit it again). The 650 kicked my arse, always does for some reason.


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## spitfire_er (Jan 23, 2010)

Adam,

Those are some good results.

One thing I forgot to mention, looking at my last two targets of the .243-06 is interesting. The rifle is a FN Mauser commercial action with a Sako trigger, Rock creek 1-8" twist #5 26" barrel, Richards Microfit laminated dual grip stock, Fully bedded in Devcon, and fully floated barrel. I was lucky and found a good load withing the first 25 rounds down the rifle thanks to another guy testing powders.

Both of these targets were shot using the same piece of brass, Win 25-06 formed and neck sized, 105 A-max bullets, but the big difference came with the powder and the primer change, which is usually the case. I was using Fed 210's before, with the retumbo, and it started showing promise, then I tried the suggested powder with 215M primers and whala! I just think it's always cool in even a custom built rifle you can go from 1" groups down to 1/2" or less just be changing a few components. I'm usually not happy with my rifles until they will shoot 1/2" or less at 100 yards, but I'm always trying for one ragged hole!


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

adam,
that last group was very decent. I'd settle with that load for deer. 

Spitfire_er,
The FN action is a very decent action. I had my GAP made around one. Very reliable. So what powder and velocity are you getting with the 6-06 and the 105g amax.

xdeano


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## spitfire_er (Jan 23, 2010)

xdeano said:


> Spitfire_er,
> The FN action is a very decent action. I had my GAP made around one. Very reliable. So what powder and velocity are you getting with the 6-06 and the 105g amax.
> 
> xdeano


I do like the FN action, I usually don't use them due to a few minor flaws IMO, but have always wanted one and ran across a deal so I put one together. I am currently using 57.0gr of Ramshot Magnum powder and the speeds are running right around 3,300 fps.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

yeah there are a couple of flaws but for the most part a sound action. I picked mine up off CDNN for 400 bucks which wasn't that bad for a new action.

That's cooking right along there at 3300fps, i knew it was up there. I believe that Savage260 on here is either in the process of putting one together or waiting on some parts. What kind of barrel life do you think you'll end up with in a barrel, 1000-1200 rounds, that's a pile of powder to push down a 6 barrel.

xdeano


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## spitfire_er (Jan 23, 2010)

Hey,

Sorry for the late reply, Also I had a typo. The 100's run around 3,300 fps and the 105's are running around 3,250fps which is where a node is at. Being this is a new catridge for me I had to ask the other guys with 10-20 years exprience with this round. They told me typical barrel life with a good barrel is in the 2000-2500 round range running these speeds before accuracy starts to fall off. One guy took his old .243-06 barrel after 2,500 rounds set it back and rechambered it in 6mm BRX, and it shot well for several hundred more rounds.

I've only got about 70 rounds down mine so far including some further testing I was doing today. Tried a few different powders but the Ramshot Mag has been the best so far. The bullet is sitting 10 thou into the lands which is usually not the case, but my rifle doesn't like them anywhere but there.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

my guess is a lot fewer rounds that what you're saying, just because of the amount of powder, bore dia and the velocity at which the bullet is going. I'd imagine you're pushing somewhere in the mid 50's for a powder charge. I'll be pushing a 105 at between 3050 and 3200fps with my charges in the low 40's in the 6mm SLR when i get it chambered next weekend i'm hoping, if my parts get here. They are talking about the barrel life being in the 3000 range, but it's 10g or so less powder, velocity is less by couple hundred fps, down the same sized tube dia. So i'm kind of a skeptic, not saying that you're not right though. I'm actually hoping you are right, that would give me a few more rounds down a tube. 

xdeano


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## spitfire_er (Jan 23, 2010)

Yeah, I'll find out on mine. Those numbers came from a couple guys that have shot out several barrels in this caliber and don't BS me when it comes to stuff like this. Keep in mind, we all shoot high end hand lapped stainless barrels.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Yeah that's all i shoot too, I tend to buy Bartlein stainless cut 5R barrels. Just picked up a med palma for the 6SLR build. I hope you're right, because it'll give me even better numbers.  the 6 SLR is still pretty new and I don't get many people that have given up their bullet count, But i've talked to several that have had a 6br and reamed them out to 6slr. So time will tell.

xdeano


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## spitfire_er (Jan 23, 2010)

xdeano,
You'll have to keep us posted on that.

On a side note one interesting thing I forgot to mention was the speeds of a bullet with a clean barrel vs a fouled barrel.

With my barrel clean I shot three shots running at 3149, 3159, and 3173. That was with 57.0 gr Ram. Mag, and the 105 amax and 215M primers. Following a few other powder test charges, we came back to the 57.0gr Ram Mag with no changes other than a fouled barrel with about 12 more rounds down the tube. It was then running in the 3250 fps range. Tighter barrel.... more pressure. One more thing you can learn from this is for example in my barrel, I now know I need at least 3 foulers to get up to a consistent speed for this charge combo.

Another thing I think is really cool to see, and it's hard to see without a chrony is bullet movement with a hot barrel. Hot barrels usually tend to send bullets up the target the hotter it gets. I fired a three shot group farily quick running in the 3250 fps range again, then followed them up by two more fairly quick shots. Now running as much powder as I am down the tube heats the barrel up a little quicker than most, so shooting 5 shots within a minute or two will leave my barrel fairly hot, but still able to touch it comfortably. The last two shots are the ones that walked. Now if I didn't have a chrony, I could have mistaken it for bad shooting, but the numbers don't lie. Following the three at 3,250, shot 4 went up to around 3280 and shot 5 went 3299. So why is that happening you may be asking, well, to the best of my knowledge hot steel expands which decreases bore size, which increases pressure resulting in higher speeds. This of course leads to the bullet walkin up on the target.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

it'll take a few years to burn up 3000+ rounds, i go through about a 1000 rounds in my 308 a year so i'd guess i'll go through about the same with the SLR if I put the 308 down.

I've seen similar results with barrel heat and walking. I've also seen the difference in fouled barrels vs clean barrels. Not to mention deflection of shooting through a hot suppressor vs a cool one. Bullets do funny things.

xdeano


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