Load development protocol, or Do you have a range at home?

[Jeff, CA]

This might be better suited for General Discussion, but since load development seems like the rifleman's domain, here goes.

When you go through the "increase charge in half grain increments; chronograph and check groups", etc. drill, how do you minimize the inconvenience? The range I go to is 40 minutes away; there's no way I could prepare loads, shoot, prepare, shoot.... I suppose I could prepare a series of cartridges, say 6 of each charge, 6 of each charge with a different primer, etc. It would still take several trips just to shoot a few groups each. Is this common?

Anyone take reloading equipment to the range?

[Nukem]

Well, I just do what you said. Take 6 of eack kind to the range and shoot them. I can usually do it in one or two trips.

[Jack Straw]

I test rifle loads at my hunting camp which is a little more than an hour away. The first trip I use to determine how much powder, the second will be for OAL, the next trip I'll test different primers, etc....

It is a bit of a pain but that's how I do it. Of course it means more trips to the woods, but that's a good thing and I'll take any excuse I can get.

Jack

[Michael]

Jeff,
I did it the same as everyone else until I watched the benchrest guys, loading on the spot for the atmospheric conditions.

So I thought...ifthey can do it, so can I.
I resize and prime all my brass for the range during the week, decide what powders to use in advance, and find the starting load setting on my measure by wieghing thrown charges.

I then find what measure setting increases a given powder by 1/4, 1/2, and 1 full grain.

Going to the range, I load 1 round and fire it over the chrono; if it's obviously below allowable pressure, I increase it until presseure signs just hint at being present.

Then I load 3 rounds and fire thru the chronograph, to see if I like the velocity and spread. Accuracy is checked at the same time.

Using this method I've been able to reduce development from weeks to an hour or so, and usually expend less than 20 rounds during the process.
Hope this helps.

[GWN]

Jeff,
I used to make many trips to the range to work up a load. I started to load at the range and it really saved time. At first I bolted my rockchucker to a board and c-clamped it to a bench. The toughest part was the scale. At first I had to weigh charges in my truck to avoid wind. Then I used a Lyman electronic scale with a small hole in the dust cover to trickle powder into. Now I use a Harrel's powder measure and don't even take a scale to the range. Also, I use a Harrel's portable press that is much handier than the Rockchucker. I usually get by with less than 6 rounds per group. If, for instance I'm working up a hunting load and I want a certain velocity I won't even worry about group until I get worked up to the desired velocity. I'll usually shoot 3, and if safe then increase powder and shoot 3 more. If everything goes OK when I get to velocity, then I'll shoot 5 for group.

[James K]

Loading at the range is good, but check range rules first. Some range officers go ballistic at even the idea of reloading at the range -- powder might explode and blow up the world, you could overload and kill yourself, etc. Sometimes range officers are so worried about lawsuits that they sound more anti-gun than the antis.

Jim

[Steve Smith]

My range is 10 minutes away. I load up about 10 different loads in groups of 10 rds. each (loading for pistol only right now) and take of to the range. If I goofed, I can run home, load some more, then go back.

[Jeff, CA]

Thanks for the replies - I figured it was either load on site, or make several trips.

Jack Straw - going to the woods is one thing; going to my hot, dusty range with no shade and stinky outhouses is another :(

[Bogie]

Okay - I'm one of those weird benchresters...

I don't care how fast it's going, as long as it is accurate. A prairie dog can't tell the difference between a 3,200 fps load and a 3,400 fps load, and Bambi ain't much different...

I start at the beginning point, and shoot groups of three. On a calm day, I'll see the groups stringing vertically. As I up the powder (usually about a tenth of a grain at a time), and it reaches a sweet spot on the barrel, the groups will close up, with significantly less/no vertical. Then they'll open up again, and if I keep adding powder, they'll again close up... Some rifles have just one sweet spot, some have several. After I get some ideas as to where to load, powder wise, I'll fire a few groups of five just to test. I can typically shoot six 3-shot groups, plus two foulers, between cleanings.

If your sweet spot on a .308 is at 2,500 fps with a 165 grain Noser, don't worry about pushing it faster - you're there, and that's enough to knock down Bambi. Sure, you can drive it faster, but if you miss, it don't count...