Painless load development (mine)

[kad11]

@Formidilosus

I've put off learning reloading for 8 or 9 years because I always thought it was way more work than I wanted to deal with - your method makes sense and doesn't sound like the headache I always assumed reloading would be.

I think I need to start scrounging for equipment and components. Thanks for sharing this.

 

[Crambo]

@Formidilosus

Ok, one more question regarding your approach to load development. Do you look at the powder manufacturer's data or the bullet maker's, regarding min - max loads?

Often these two will vary. How do YOU choose which one to go with?

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus

Ok, one more question regarding your approach to load development. Do you look at the powder manufacturer's data or the bullet maker's, regarding min - max loads?

Often these two will vary. How do YOU choose which one to go with?

Either the lower one, or in between the two is what I would do.

 

[Formidilosus]

Last load of BLC-2 and 6.5 CM in the Sauer.


36.5gr, 10 rounds- and I didn’t even let it cool between shots. .8’ish MOA.





Gotta watch those thin barrels, they don’t shoot when hot…

 

[ToolMann]

That depends on the rifle. However I would load at mag length and would drop one grain under book max, load five, five at .5 grain under max, and 5 at max. Shoot them low to high. If no pressure signs at max, and the five are decent, load ten or fifteen and shoot a legit group. Don’t waste time with the internet .5 moa all day long when I do my part. Ten rounds under two inches at 100 yards is equivalent multiple “sub moa three round groups”.

Range session #2 with the new rifle this morning. 10 shot groups at .3 grains under book max and 10 at book max. 1.09" and 1.3" respectively. The first 5 at the lighter charge were at .74". I'm thinking it's time to stretch out the range a bit. Not going to mess with anything else. Tikka T3X Lite, Nosler Ballistic Tips, Big Game powder.

 

[Formidilosus]

Range session #2 with the new rifle this morning. 10 shot groups at .3 grains under book max and 10 at book max. 1.09" and 1.3" respectively. The first 5 at the lighter charge were at .74". I'm thinking it's time to stretch out the range a bit. Not going to mess with anything else. Tikka T3X Lite, Nosler Ballistic Tips, Big Game powder.

I would be done with loading at this point.

 

[ToolMann]

I would be done with loading at this point.

That's my plan too.

 

[david2duck]

Just finished up my version of @Formidilosus method on my Seekins Element in 6.5prc.

I loaded 1@57 grains, [email protected] grains, 1@58 grains, all just under mag length. Went to the range and checked for pressure/velocity. Didn’t hit pressure so I tried 58.5 grains, slight ejector marks. Loaded 10 at 58 grains and back to the range. 10 shot group right at 1 1/4”. Loaded 15 at 58 grains. Shot 5@100 (group was 3/4”), 5@600 (group was just under 1 moa), and 5@700 (4 shots right at moa with the 5th a called pull). 29 total rounds and this rifle is ready to go. Thanks again form for putting out solid information that works. Appreciate it greatly.

Edit: 39 rounds. Forgot the 10 rounds I shot over the chrono to get data.

 

[Formidilosus]

Just finished up my version of @Formidilosus method on my Seekins Element in 6.5prc.

I loaded 1@57 grains, [email protected] grains, 1@58 grains, all just under mag length. Went to the range and checked for pressure/velocity. Didn’t hit pressure so I tried 58.5 grains, slight ejector marks. Loaded 10 at 58 grains and back to the range. 10 shot group right at 1 1/4”. Loaded 15 at 58 grains. Shot 5@100 (group was 3/4”), 5@600 (group was just under 1 moa), and 5@700 (4 shots right at moa with the 5th a called pull). 29 total rounds and this rifle is ready to go. Thanks again form for putting out solid information that works. Appreciate it greatly.

 

[Formidilosus]

These are listed elsewhere, but seeing that I started this thread with this rifle, I guess I should update how it went.

So no chrono, no load work up, no tinkering, no “ladders”, no playing with seating depths, nothing but found pressure, ten round groups to zero, and trued at distance. The rifle had first round hits and kills on animals at 267, 402, 644, 287, 80’ish, 427, 488, 558, and 970 yards.


Ryan Avery’s uncle used it at 970 yards to kill his elk-



Some more-

 

[TX_Diver]

I tried this and hit pressure at the minimum load...

43.5gr of H4350 in LC brass in a Savage 30-06.

Will drop to 41 and then try 41.5, 42, 42.5, & 43 and see what happens. I was getting ~2700 with 175-180gr projectiles but each one had slightly stiff bolt lift and minor ejector swipes that I couldn't replicate with chambering and ejecting the live round...

 

[wind gypsy]

Just finished up my version of @Formidilosus method on my Seekins Element in 6.5prc.

I loaded 1@57 grains, [email protected] grains, 1@58 grains, all just under mag length. Went to the range and checked for pressure/velocity. Didn’t hit pressure so I tried 58.5 grains, slight ejector marks. Loaded 10 at 58 grains and back to the range. 10 shot group right at 1 1/4”. Loaded 15 at 58 grains. Shot 5@100 (group was 3/4”), 5@600 (group was just under 1 moa), and 5@700 (4 shots right at moa with the 5th a called pull). 29 total rounds and this rifle is ready to go. Thanks again form for putting out solid information that works. Appreciate it greatly.

Only possible issue is if that's a brand new barrel and new brass. If so, and the 58.5 round was actually getting warm, I'd expect to start seeing pressure signs on the second firing of brass after the barrel is broken in.

 

[david2duck]

Only possible issue is if that's a brand new barrel and new brass. If so, and the 58.5 round was actually getting warm, I'd expect to start seeing pressure signs on the second firing of brass after the barrel is broken in.

Not a new barrel but it is new brass. Going off all the info I can find the 58 grains is in a pretty safe spot, but time will tell.

 

[Formidilosus]

I tried this and hit pressure at the minimum load...

43.5gr of H4350 in LC brass in a Savage 30-06.

Will drop to 41 and then try 41.5, 42, 42.5, & 43 and see what happens. I was getting ~2700 with 175-180gr projectiles but each one had slightly stiff bolt lift and minor ejector swipes that I couldn't replicate with chambering and ejecting the live round...

Lake City brass has less capacity than most commercial.

 

[SouthPaw]

The rifle had first round hits and kills on animals at 267, 402, 644, 287, 80’ish, 427, 488, 558, and 970 yards.


Ryan Avery’s uncle used it at 970 yards to kill his elk-

All with that 115 DTAC w/ nosering from your original post? How was terminal performance...comparable to ELDM/TMK?


Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Formidilosus]

All with that 115 DTAC w/ nosering from your original post? How was terminal performance...comparable to ELDM/TMK?


Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Very different than most bullets.

 

[TX_Diver]

Lake City brass has less capacity than most commercial.

Ya. I started at 53.5gr based on that thinking but apparently that's not low enough. I'm getting ~2700fps at that pressure so hopefully I still have room to back off a bit and get a decent velocity. Book estimated velocities for 53.5 are a bit lower than what I was seeing on the chrono.

In the .223 I made it to VV book max w/ no issues then backed off a bit anyways (and well over Sierras book max).

 

[Carl Ross]

Good stuff. I have slowly removed "traditional" load development steps starting 4 years ago when I was being lazy and it seemed like EVERY Dasher load I tried shot good enough. Haven't been tempted to go back, it's one of my least favorite rifle chores.

A few questions about your setup:

Looks like the barrel contour might be flared at the muzzle, presumably to allow for 5/8-24 threads + a shoulder? If so, did you order that as a custom contour or did Shaen turn it to that from a thicker barrel?

Did you have it in enough cold to find out if there were any issues with that case and the small primer? I never saw any in the 6.5x47 down to -20F or so, but there are folks I trust who HAVE had issues, and I like data points.

 

[Formidilosus]

Good stuff. I have slowly removed "traditional" load development steps starting 4 years ago when I was being lazy and it seemed like EVERY Dasher load I tried shot good enough. Haven't been tempted to go back, it's one of my least favorite rifle chores.

A few questions about your setup:

Looks like the barrel contour might be flared at the muzzle, presumably to allow for 5/8-24 threads + a shoulder? If so, did you order that as a custom contour or did Shaen turn it to that from a thicker barrel?

Yes sir. Shaen turned down a thicker barrel.

Did you have it in enough cold to find out if there were any issues with that case and the small primer? I never saw any in the 6.5x47 down to -20F or so, but there are folks I trust who HAVE had issues, and I like data points.

So far down to -18° true cold soaked- ammo stays outside in an unheated building. No problems. I too was worried about it due to hearing of issues.

 

[willfrye027]

Would love to hear a little more about this 6mm bullet…