three or five???

[K_Hini]

when working up a load do you shoot 3 or five shot groups. I am loading for my 204. I am starting at 26.2gr of benchmark and going up in .2gr increments. should I load 3 or 5 of each powder charge when trying to find the right load???

thanks
kyle

[NHS]

I like to shoot 5. If I get a good group with 5, I am more confident that it truly is a good combo and that I just didn't get lucky.

[WrzWaldo]

Both.

I generally shoot 5 shot groups when working up powder charges then switch to 3 shot groups when tweaking seating depth. Unless I feel I need the trigger time then I'll shoot 5's for both.


I've often heard it said "3 tests the gun, 5 tests the shooter"

[Rick in Oregon]

Hini: My method is to fire five shot groups for target/varmint rifles, and three shot groups for big game hunting rifles.

The theory here (or lack of it.....) is that varmint/target rifles will be fired in succession more often than not, and when big game hunting, it is rare (at least for me) to fire more than three shots at a game animal.

When I think I've really found the 'magic load', wheather that be for a varmint or game rifle, I'll then fire a TEN shot groups to really tell the accuracy story.

Below is a ten shot groups shot with my Ruger No.3 single shot in 17 Ackley Hornet.....definitly "minute of rat"......

[Guy M]

I'm with Rick. Five shots for varmint rifles. Three shots for sporter-weight big game rifles. The big powder charges heat up the skinny barrels pretty fast.

For my match rifle, I have to shoot 20 round strings in competition, so I often shoot 10-round groups at longish ranges to test. The real test of course comes in competition.

Regards, Guy