Reloading Methodology

To fast track yourself to precision reloading

• Pick an economical lead core target bullet from an established manufacturer, that is suitable for the rifle twist. Lead core bullets are much easier to achieve accuracy with, as all lead core bullets will fit any barrel that is manufactured to specification. BC is only a constraint if the bullet can't reach the target with the amount of dial in the scope, or you want it to remain supersonic to the target, then look for a higher BC bullet. Otherwise, if the bullet can comfortably reach the target range, don't fuss about BC.

• Find a powder / bullet / brass / primer / charge / neck tension combination that gives a safe velocity with minimum dispersion on target. The OCW method can help you to arrive at a suitable charge with minimum component wastage.

• Prepare a batch of test ammo with varying AOL in two thou increments, between the AOL ranges you decide is good for your rifle, four rounds each.

• Shoot for groups at 200 meters on a day with no wind. The smallest four shot group is the load you call the going forward load.

• Practice with the going forward load and concentrate on shooting ability

• Every few hundred rounds, verify the change in jam length, and re-test the seating depths four thou each way in increments of two thou to see where the optimum depth moved to.

• Should you have to change components due to unavailability, repeat the entire process with the changed component/s.

• Understand that the ammo you make for precision in your rifle, may not be very precise at all in someone else's rifle, and vice versa.

Powder Charge with Dan Newberry's Optimum Charge Weight

This appears very useful. The concept is proven by many, and the results seem to be repeatable, which ladder tests are not.

Although around a long time, it's not disproven or superceded yet. Click through to Dan Newberry's OCW website.

It seems to be a quick, reliable way to determine the optimum powder charge for the cartridge, using your components, and from there it's just seating depth and / or neck tension work.

Seating Depth

Once the optimum charge weight range is found, and you settle on a charge, map the change in seating depth to the change in group size to find what is optimum for your load.

Neck Tension or Powder Burn

If your OCW is good and repeatable, but your ES and resulting groups refuse to shrink with seating depth changes, you can try a powder that gives a 100% burn in your barrel length, for your bullet weight. Gordon's Reloading Tool or Quickload are required for this.

In the past I stated that you could increase neck tension 1 thou at a time, and the ES should stabilise or improve, which it may, but it will not achieve the low variation as possible from a complete powder burn.

With a 100% powder burn rate, the neck tension does not need special treatment.

It may happen that the powder that gives a 100% burn also leaves too much air in the case, as it may have say a 90% case fill. For example, using 155 grain NCC in 308 Norma with N150 gives 100% burn rate and 90% fill. N160 gives 90-ish % burn rate and 100% fill. Case fill or burn ? Use dacron to take up the air space. One half of a grain of dacron takes up a suprising amount of space, test it for yourself. I prefer to work with a complete burn, at the expense of some velocity.

As time goes by, I'm leaning more to the opinion that a consistently accurate load needs 100% powder burn.

Testing at Range

Verify your load at the range you intend to shoot. A one-hole group at 100 is not related to the group size at longer distance.

Table of Contents   Before Reloading   Reloading Methodology   References   Recommendations   Useless Information   Not so Useless Information  

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