Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Powder Charge?

When working up a load for a new rifle, where do most you start? Mid book load or 5-10% from max load and work up?

Thanks,
jr1968.

In a totally new gun/cartridge I start three grains below maximum. In a rifle that I know, I will start two or sometimes one grain below max.

I always took an average of three different manuals and then started mid way. I never chase velocity and most of my accurate loads fall 1.5-2 grains under max.Except magnum rounds seem to want to run at max for best accuracy

jr

With an unknown rifle or cartridge I start MID way.

With just a different rifle in a familiar cartridge I start closer to what works in other guns.

Good Luck

Jerry

Well rarely have the exact component recipe in the manuals. I might have a 150 gr bullet that's called for but WW brass vs Remington or CCI primers vs Federal and so on. So I usually look at several manuals to get a feel for max. powder charge and then back off 8-10%. I then load a series of increasing charges to get to a max for the rifle.

Guys,
It's a 6.5 creed.
Load will be 120 Sierra PH's, Hornady brass cci 200 and Imr-4350 . Book max is 45 grains , just wondering what charge to
start at?

jr1968.

mid-level for me. I always try to get a feel with 3-4 manuals to get a feel for appropriate powders among what I have on hand. I too don't load for high velocity, unless thats where accuracy appears.

^^^This^^^

jr

Hey ! Hey ! I ERASED what i posted earlier because ...

I MISREAD the cartridge !!!! I THOT you said 6.5 Swede -** My Mistake **
Very sorry.

I would NOT start with 45 grs in a Creed ! ! !

BSA, I'm very glad you posted after mine. Didn't realize I substituted the wrong cartridge.

Jerry

If it were mine, I'd start out at 43 grains, then increase charge wt. 1/2 a grain at a time and look for the most accurate load, while also paying close attention to bolt lift and how flat or cratered the primers look. If this (45 grains that you posted) is a book max for this particular bullet, I'd probably not go past the published max charge wt. either. You can use a chronograph as well, to see where your velocities are. Make sure your brass is prepped right, minimum TIR/RUNOUT, bullet seated off the lands by about .020", your rifle is bedded properly, good trigger, good barrel, good shooter and you should be sub moa in no time...

Hay Guys !!!!! Hey Guys !!!!!

RE read my previous post. I erased what I originally said. I thot jr said
6 5 Swede --- he didn't !!

So sorry for FOULUP !!

Jerry

I was thinking about starting a 42-42.5.

jr1968

Anymore I begin with the starting load, the last load I worked up I got max book velocity with the starting load.

I have always started somewhere around low to mid book values and moved up in 1/2 to 1 grain increments until I see pressure signs or velocity significantly exceeds max with 3 shots per charge. That usually shows me a couple of groups worth further investigation and I refine from there. If it's a known rifle and just a new load I'll use lessons learned previously and start a little lower or higher depending on how the rifle has reacted before.

The 6.5 Creedmoor will probably shoot well with most loads.Mine did, it was a Savage 16 Weather Warrior w/22 inch barrel. We found it shot best with 120 grain Barnes or 123 Scenar and 39 to 40 of Varget. Mine shot plenty good enough with heavier bullets, but it really put the lights out with the 120 class bullets. A pretty girl at church talked me out of it. Her husband is my diesel mechanic. Could not turn them down, and a few months later it burned up in a house fire.

Depending on cartridge I generally start 2-3 grains under what I want and work up in 1/2 grain increments, when I find pressure or reach the velocity I am looking for I stop...then I go back and work for accuracy.

I tend to load three at each weight, occasionally I wander off home and load some more because these loads don't come with-in cooey of pressure or desired velocity...rarely one scares the crap out of me with the first low test, most times this has been due to lousy brass letting go.

Nowadays (depending on cartridge) I tend to go with Lapua, RWS, Sako, (or WW super) brass when I can get it.

Take a look here: http://www.65creedmoor.com/index.php?board=6.0
There is a whole forum dedicated to your question

In the more than 40yrs. that I have been handloading I have always started in the middle of the charts with my handloads. I have never been concerned about velocity nor or achieving the top charge, A charge that is accurate has and always be developing an accurate load, most times I've found this charge between the starting load and the maximum charge.

I have learned to start at the bottom and work up. If you do that, you stand a fair chance of finding an accurate (maybe very accurate) load which gives you one node and an idea of whether pushing a little on the top is something to consider.

I too have gotten the max velocity from a starting load which taught me to start at the beginning.