So, if the OP doesn't mind, as a part B to this, what is you alls process for doing this? Do you start with the bullet/powder you like, see how it does, then tweek from there or what?
My first consideration when developing a load is, what is it to be used for, and under what conditions. So in hunting loads,the bullet is nearly always my first decision. I consider things such as 1.what type of game 2.distance I will most likely be shooting at such game. 3. most likely conditions.
Then I consider what powder(s)is most likely to work with said bullet. The one time I may consider powder first is if the conditions that I'm going to use this load in, may be extremely cold or hot. Seeing that some powders can be sensitive to temp extremes.
I will then begin to put some rounds together using loads that are suggested in loading manuals, not internet forum boards unless they agree with loading manual specifications. I will usually start somewhere around the middle of the specs.in the manual and will build 10 rounds then jump up a couple of tenths of a grain and build 10 more. I will normally build these rounds with the bullet set at the point where they are only a couple of thousands of an inch off the lands. (this depends on the type of gun) I almost never crimp loads so this allows me to play with some bullet depth at the range, using my lee hand press.
So after putting together 10 rounds with maybe two or three different bullets and a couple of powders I go to the range. There I use my chronogragph to look for consistency in velocity and staple the results to my targets along with notes about pressure signs,fouling and anything else I notice. If I find a load that looks extremely promising with the first 5 rounds I shoot a second group, maybe adjusting the bullet depth and see what that change does.
So at the end of the day I spend the night in front of the T.V looking at my targets and notes and deciding what tweeks to do from there. Usually one of these loads will be promising enough to then put together another 30-40 rounds with some variations in powder charge, bullet seating depth. From that I can normally settle on a satifactory load that I may tweek on with primer choice. Sometimes there are a couple of my initial loads that show promise. And sometimes you go clear back to the starting board. That's one of the things when you start with a new rifle and caliber and can't get it to shoot well. You don't know if it's the load or the gun.
Also, in the tweek phase, how much of a difference are we talking about? I mean, are we getting a couple tenths off the groups or a couple thousandths?
In the tweek phase you sometimes get surprised, a primer change or a tenth of a grain or a few thousandths one way or another on bullet depth, can make a group explode or shrink. On my hunting rifles that I don't anticapate using at more than 200-300 yards I don't go looking for thousandsths of an inch. However I have a couple of hunting rifles that I drag out when I run into the occasional wise dog that won't come inside of that range, those guns I will get pretty anal with, same goes with my paper shooting guns.
I have a 6mm Rem.that is one of my go to coyote guns, nothing fancy just a plain Jane 700 BDL that I've had for nearly 20 years. I will still cook up some new loads from time to time,just to see what might happen. It drives my buddy nuts, he just cares if it goes boom and hits the gong.
I know I probably went into much more detail than you wanted, sorry about that. Apologies to the OP didn't mean to hijack your thread.
