coyotezapper
Well-Known Member
If a load can be tweaked by .1 grain of powder and a difference on target can be seen then you are not in the powder node and this load can be good one day and bad the next. You want a load where the powder charge is showing a flat spot in the velocity increase. For example if you only see a velocity increase of only 10-20 fps in a half grain increment then this is a flat spot and is a good place to load in the middle of and then do seating depth testing. That way if you inadvertently load .1 grain light one day and .1 grain heavy another day the velocity will still be the same and the load will shoot the same. With a real narrow powder charge window the loads can be good one day and then poor the next. I only really pay attention to a great group if its in this flat spot. I also don't care what the group looks like initially as long as the velocity numbers indicate a powder node. Seating depth testing after powder charge testing will bring the groups in line. Some do seating depth testing first and then powder charge but when I have done it this way the powder charge window sometimes can be very narrow.
Too many guys fall in love with one random group but struggle to ever repeat it. Look at the load / charge before it and the one after it and it will tell you by the vertical if it is in the same velocity / powder node, if you have no chrono. Its hard to tell at 100 yards but is a skill that can be learned but is easily seen at 300 yards.
Too many guys fall in love with one random group but struggle to ever repeat it. Look at the load / charge before it and the one after it and it will tell you by the vertical if it is in the same velocity / powder node, if you have no chrono. Its hard to tell at 100 yards but is a skill that can be learned but is easily seen at 300 yards.
