How do you work up a good load??

[jeeptim]

Juat wondering how others are doing this.
I hear so much about working up good loads with so many varables how do you keep track I mean anything from a lil wind to a dirty rifle li crimp lot of crimp different lots of powder.
I have been reloading for a few years at first a good load went off with nobody getting hurt. Then it was every round going bang no jambs.
Now Its sleezing the data from hi quality factory ammo and matching bullet weight and vol. Is it that the ammo I have loaded is dead on or am I just having a good day. I mean it all shoots really well when i take my time all is within 2 inchs or better at 100 yards.
Whats your thoughts on working up loads?

 

[kingmt]

Is this for a bolt or auto? I don't do much with autos so 2" might be good but I wouldn't be happy with anything over .25" at 100yds myself. I have one rifle that isn't there yet. It did at one time but the wood is now against the barrel on one side so I need time to fix it.

 

[scythefwd]

Each and every rifle will be different. Not all rifles will do .25 moa. I divide the load range (starting to max) in to 5 equal divisions. If the load range is 5 grains for example, I load a group of 5 or 6 at 1 grain increments. I then go and shoot those and see what groups the best. I take the two best groups (usually they will be right next to each other) and then (for the example range) .2 grain differences and load up another 5 groups. I'll chose the most accurate of those groups as my load.

I don't get all fussed about differing coal, primer/brass combos,etc. I'm not in this for target scores and It would take hundreds of hours to go through 10 different bullet maufacturers, and then 2-4 weights, and then several brass/primer combos, etc. I'm not rich, and I positively test all of the loads (just because the best load is 34.2 grains of x powder under this nosler bullet doesn't mean that is the right range for say a sierra bullet). I can see doing 60-100 rounds per bullet type just to get in the ball park if you are sticking with the same brass, not changing primer types, or messing with seating depth. That doesn't come cheap. To try two different bullet types fully out (and do a complete testing of the whole load range) would run $60 a bullet type, easily. I dont have the money to blow 240 dollars on load development. Then again, I reload to save money... not to eek the absolute last .001 inches in accuracy out of my rifles.

As to the .25 inch groups.. I'd love to be able to shoot well enough to know that it was the rifle and not me that wasn't getting my groups that small. I'm personally happy with sub moa for my accurate rifle and 2 moa for my hunting loads.