Flawed or not, will this work?

[BigBlack]

Okay I want accuracy plus speed. I know faster does not always equate to better accuracy but I want a blend of both. Here is my game plan on developing some future hand loads. My goal is to achieve the best accuracy/speed combo without wasting a lot of components and since I have started reloading various calibers I am working up a collection of partial powder containers.

Step 1: Load up one cartridge of each weight stepping up in .5 grain increments from min to max. Shoot each cartridge over the chronograph going from lightest charged to heaviest. Watching for pressure signs and monitoring speed. This step is basically to test the upper end of the charge scale and see if it is safe in my rifle and also to see the approximate fps gain for each half grain increment and see if the speed increase flattens at a given point.

Step 2: Once complete with step one load up 3 cartridges each of the top 5 loads from above. Now shoot these for groups at 100 still using my chronograph. If one load shows promise then work around it in smaller increments and more shots per group (maybe 5). If not try a different powder that I have on hand known to work in the cartridge I am loading and repeat from step 1.

Again my goal is to find a good accurate load with upper end velocity. I know sometimes slower is more accurate in certain combinations, but I feel with the right combination I should be able to get both or at least a good balance.

Thinking out loud but thought this would be good food for the brain!

 

[EC1]

Look for a bullet shape with a good or the best ballistic coefficient for the caliber you want and use it for your tests.

 

[bpm990d]

What exactly is the application? Rifle, pistol, hunting, competition?

What you are describing is called a ladder test. Somewhere along the group that developes you will find there is a range of charge weights that group together. Some call it an accuracy node.

Rifle shooters use it to develop an accurate idea of what charge weight should be used, but there is nothing to say that it will be at the high end.

B

 

[EddieCoyle]

Changing the primer brand/type can totally change your results as well.

 

[MinesBroken]

Be warry of using groups for load development with only 5 shots. I find 10 shot groups help to save you from chasing after the red herring 5 shot sub moa groups.

That is the one thing I was not aware of starting out that would have saved me time and $$$

 

[Dick]

In my experience, unless you're working with a very small rifle cartridge where .5 gr represents a significant increase in the load (and maybe even then), there's enough shot-to-shot variability in muzzle velocity that a single test shot at each load increment isn't going to give you the nice curve of increasing velocity that you're looking for.

 

[jpattersonnh]

OK, Your flaws.
Different lots of powder are slightly different. It requires some tweeking. I usually load 5 cartridges in 5 different loads in 1gr increments. 25 cartridges. I then that the best overall and load -.5gr, =, and +.5gr. so load development takes 40 cartridges total. Primers are very important as stated above. I have switched to CCI and find them consistant from lot to lot. Now you may have to try different powders also.
In .223 H335 is very good, but it is more temperature sensitive than a stick powder such as IMR 4064 or 4320. I use a slower powder in the winter and 335 in the spring through fall. I would suggest getting at least 3 or 4 reloading manuals and start by comparing data. jp

 

[BigBlack]

No paticular load in mind when I posted, my mind was idle and processing ideas. I put the ideas up to get input is all.