Finding the most accurate load.

Sako308

Well-Known Member
Could anyone advise on tweaking the two variables of powder charge and distance off the lands. Should you work up on the powder charge finding what your rifle likes and then experiment with the COAL gauge to fine tune? What is the best technique to find the optimum with these two variables.

About to start loading Barnes TTSX .308 130g for Red and Roe.
 
I begin new load development by seating the bullet with the parallel sides of the bullet to the base of the neck, then I play with power charge. When I find what really shoots the best (not just one random 3 shot group) I might tweak the seating depth. Usually I don't need to. If I get no joy with any charge weight of powder... no hint of promise... I move to another powder and repeat the process. ~Muir
 
I think Barnes advise 50thou of the lands to start. I would do that and get the powder load as sweet as you can, you might find that you are more than happy with that and you will have no need to tinker with the distance off the lands.

That was my plan when I was working a load for my 300 win mag using the Barnes 180gr TTSX, I found that my grouping with a load of 69.85 gr of IMR 4831 was regularly grouping on the 1/2" at 100 and I was getting between 1" and 1 1/2" at 200, so for hunting I was more than happy.
 
Could anyone advise on tweaking the two variables of powder charge and distance off the lands. Should you work up on the powder charge finding what your rifle likes and then experiment with the COAL gauge to fine tune? What is the best technique to find the optimum with these two variables.

About to start loading Barnes TTSX .308 130g for Red and Roe.

I would start as blunderbust said 50 thou off and tinkle from there if you need to
my test loads using the 150 grain tsx recently by seating 50 thou then 30 thou
resulted from 1 1/2 inch group to 3 bullets same hole at 100 yards
best of luck
regards pete
 
130gr 30cal is a short bullet
are you limited to what you can seat to?

no point throwing out "20, 30 40, 50 thou off the lands" if you have no idea where the lands are and what OAL that will leave you at

with a short for calibre bullet you are more likely to see accuracy gains from a stable seating of at least calibre length than you are gripping the last 0.2" of the bullet to reach the lands

i found two "accuracy nodes" in a load work up just recently, one high and one low in terms of charge weight
within the higher one (i chose velocity this time) I also found that very long and very short seating showed the same accuracy potential in two distinct groups
 
Interesting point, I haven't received the bullets yet so have not had a chance to experiment. It is a solid copper bullet so shouldn't be as short as a conventional 130 grainer. Will bear your comments in mind.
 
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