SmallCaliberCentral

I consider myself a novice reloader of 4-5 years that has taught myself everything I know by reading & doing. Never had anyone else around that reloads to teach or show me. I hope you don't consider my question stupid but here goes. Assuming you have a good quality rifle & barrel capable of shooting 1/2 MOA or better, how do you start developing testing loads to find "THE LOAD"? Do you start with 1 bullet and 3 or 4 different powders or 1 powder and several different bullets? Do you choose the bullet you use by your twist rate & what you want to shoot with it? What about powder, do you try from the reviews from other shooters? I know after you find something you can start experimenting with different primers and seating depths. I usually find a load that shoots sub .500 but I wind up with to many combinations that cost me a ton of money and a bunch of wasted time along with loads that I wind up shooting as foulers. I would like to narrow down my starting field but don't know whether to start with less powder or bullets. Thank you for your input & time,
Jim D

Im new to it but everything I was told was to pick a few bullets that should be ok with my barrel twist (1:12) and do a laddr test. Im actually doing it as we speak. Im loading 39gr bk and 32 gr bt varmint. Im using h4895 and ill start the bk's with h4895 5x 27 gr 5x 27.3, 5x 27.6 then ill do something simillar with varget then same for 32 gr varmints

I start with a bullet I'm interested in, typically I have multiple powders laying around to get started. There is an equation to match ideal bullet to your twist rate but I'm guessing most of the 204 bullets would shoot with some testing. I think every reloader has waisted alot of time and components working up loads but after a one holer you forget about that.
(Bullet diameter) (bullet diameter) ÷bullet length x 180=
Ideal twist

We all are trying to work up good loads and spend the least amount of money doing so, but to give some input on your question. I believe you will have to obtain a couple bullets i.e. weight/brand, that you believe you will be using and 2-3 powders, then started somewhere in the middle range of some loads, out of a good manual and make a ladder test towards the max loading ( Most 204's seem too work best near max) when you find one or two that are in the ballpark of what you want, in your rifle, then maybe work some with bullet depth, too further come up with the best load, again in your rifle. It does take some time and unless you are really fortunate, it will take several attempts in the loading process.
But that is part of the fun of our sport. Bill K.

My approach is pretty much the same as what the others are saying.

Pick a bullet based on intended purpose. I use two different bullets in my 204R, one for rodents and a different one for predators. If you have a 20 caliber with a 1:12 twist, avoid the 40 grain V-Max. It may work but, the odds are not in your favor. Use internet searches and especially sites with reloaders you have faith in to research what powders are working in a high percentage of rifles. Pick ONE powder that you believe will be available for years to come ( ). Pick ONE primer and ONE make of brass. Prep that brass! Uniformity in all things reloading. Pick ONE length @ ogive and find published load data, if at all possible. Start low on the charge weight and work up using 0.2 grain increments, changing NOTHING else. You will need multiples of each charge to measure their ability to group. Keep an eye out for any signs of pressure related issues. If you have a chronograph, look for the lowest deviation in speed. After determining the charge that groups the best with reasonable velocity, you can play with seating depth to further tighten the groups. You may end up with the wrong powder for your particular rifle. You could end up with the wrong bullet for your rifle. Hopefully, the research done earlier gets you on the right components sooner rather than later.

The single, best, piece of advice I can offer is this: Change ONLY ONE THING AT A TIME. It's the only way to know WHAT CAUSED ANY CHANGE.

Have fun, be safe and enjoy the journey.

Thank all of you. I see a lot about ladder testing Do you seasoned reloaders use that system? What about Dan Newberry's Optimal Charge Weight (OCW) compared to the ladder? Seems like the OCW system would be easier to use if you shoot a system. Normally I just go shoot 3 shot groups when searching for my 1 hole load. Thanks,
Jim D

I have found Dan's OCW system to be the most efficiently-reliable method of working up loads. I've used it for years, and it works.

Whether I buy 1, 2, or 3 bullets at a time, or one vs multiple powders at a time, has more to do with whether I have cheap and easy local access or not. All one really _needs_ is one bullet + one powder. The OCW method will shortly tell you how well you can make that combo work. If you have more bullet or powder options on-hand for testing after that, great! If not, you still know what your original combo will do.

As to seating depth, I have a couple things to share:

1) Maximum pressure in a high power center fire rifle will essentially always occurs when you seat long enough to touch or jam the lands. Pressure will come back up if you seat REALLY short, but not usually within 'normal' seating depth ranges. Because of this, some advocate to start load testing with bullets touching the lands. This way when you find max pressure, seating depth changes will only lower pressure, not raise it. I don't generally develop this way, but the underlying reasoning has merit.

2) The shape of your groups usually tells you which way to adjust seating depth. Aussie Gun Writer explains well, here:
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthread ... ost4319872

The only other caution I have for you is to be careful of 'pressure signs.' Often they're all we have, but often they're caused by things other than pressure; it's tough to know without pressure testing equipment. My Pressure Trace and I have not been able to reveal 'pressure signs' that resulted from actual excess pressure in any situation yet until chamber pressures exceeded around 70,000 psi or so.

Have fun, be safe.

Thank you Mz5. I've read the OCW system several times. Is there anything you do different? Any tips? Wow, Aussie Gun Writer makes tweaking sound like childs play. Thanks,
Jim D