New Load Testing

[Hooter]

When you are testing new handloads for your rifle, how many rounds of each load do you load for testing? Are a couple of 3 or 5 shot groups enough testing to prove or disprove a load?

Hooter

[1st cav sgt ret]

Hooter I generally will load 10rounds of each load I wanna test(most of my rifles are finnicky enough that they'l eather like the load or not)Not near as much ammo to pulldown if they dont work,If one of the 10 does make a good showing then I'll load 20 or so of them and tweek them a little(1/2gr up and down and different oal)

[AlleninAlaska]

I load 3 rounds starting at the minnimum load given in a manual and then work up in 1/2 grain increments until I have 3 rounds that are 1/2 grain over max manual load. I shoot for accuracy first and then accuracy combined with velocity. I do all my load development using a chronograph so that I can cheack accuracy and velocity at the same time as well as checking for signs of pressure using the chronograph.

[Dale]

I will load 5 rounds in .5 grain increments up to max. When measuring groups I always measure the last 4 rounds. During load development I shoot from a cold clean barrel. After 5 rounds I will clean the barrel and let it cool while I check the target, take measurements from the cases and take notes. Then here goes the next 5 rounds. I don't count the first round since it is from the cold clean barrel. On one rifle that first round will be about 1.5 inch low and the rest group together. On another rifle it doesn't seem to make that much differance. I take the smallest or two smallest groups and work on those a little to see if I can get it any better. When I think I have the best group for that powder,primer,bullet combo I will load another 20 or so and test it at regular range sessions to make sure it stays the same. You never know, I might have flinched excatly the same on all 5 shots before and that is why I had such a good group. ;D

[Hooter]

Thanks for the information........that gives me something to work with.

Hooter

[POP]

Always 4. Three shot group... If one gets kicked out I use the 4th as a verifier to see if it is me, the load, the wind etc. If they all cloverleaf I use the 4th to set it 3 " high at 100. I then shoot the load at 200-300 yds to re verify!