Round Count to Start Load Development

[General RE LEE]

New rifle comes next week. I already have a ladder worked up for 140 grain ELD-M.

How many rounds do you put through a new bore before you start new load development? I was planning on starting at 80 rounds.

 

[justinp61]

I started within 20 rounds on both of my Shilen barreled rifles.

 

[ShtrRdy]

The other thing to consider is having brass that has been fired in that barrel/chamber before starting load development.

 

[General RE LEE]

The other thing to consider is having brass that has been fired in that barrel/chamber before starting load development.

I've had good luck finding accurate loads with virgin brass. When I get back to the loading bench and full length size, bump shoulder and trim, usually the accurate load doesn't change.

 

[K.E.C. Darkside]

I started within 20 rounds on both of my Shilen barreled rifles.

For me 20 a minimum, a barrel seems to settle down 50 to 70. I smile at 20 ,but it always changes. Everybody experience is different. Good luck, I hope I helped???

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I start thinking on load development and groups as soon as the rifle is on paper. Most barrels are starting to settle in by the time you have the 5 to 10 shots needed to get a decent 200 yard zero. Heck, the last rifle I put together took zero load development (a Savage Impulse hog hunter 300win). It's shooting the ammo I've been loading for my Browning 300win to sub moa the first two outings. I had a load in mind for it, and it wasn't happy. I turned around and shot the stuff through the Browning and it's now got another load. Go Figure. I may play a bit this spring to see if I can tighten groups a bit on the Savage, but there's not much gain to be had.

 

[waveslayer]

This has been debated over and over. The answer is... depends! That's why you track all your shots. It may take 150 rounds to have your barrel speed up. Who knows. Chrono and document.

If it's a shooter is a shooter. Ladder is not as efficient as an OCW test, you can have shooter error ruin your ladder test by 1 bad shot

 

[Greyfox]

Depends on the load/barrel. Most of my barrels have stabilized velocity(increase) between 100-200 rounds. However, during this period I will still look to test the various load parameters which generally proves to be beneficial in optimizing my finished loads.

 

[QuietTexan]

Depends. Usually try for 1-2x on the brass, and at least 100 on the barrel before I get nit-picky on details. But like Lefty said if it's a chambering I've wrung out before that saves a lot of time.

Loading in virgin brass is fine, the rifle system should shoot very well brand new, otherwise it has problems. I'm not going to waste time shrinking "**** poor" to "merely awful" to "somewhat acceptable", so if a barrel doesn't shoot a known decent non-pressure load acceptably out of the gate, it's gone.

My 243 AI was entirely new to me and required fireforming. Shot a 5-shot/8" group at 1400 yards with the fireforming load, just one of those times the stars and wind aligned That one starts "real" load development with about 400 rounds on the barrel, to me that's the price of a new chambering plus fireforming a batch of cases. It's been a fun and useful 400 rounds to get there, and the next 243 AI I do I'll be able to run fireforming and the second load without any messing around, will save me about 100-150 shots total compared to the first time.

 

[Hydra6]

I am starting with a new 6BRA barrel for PRS (replaced 6XC). Shot 50 for initial break in. Just shot 50 more. Had chrono on all of them and barrel started speeding up at round 80. I expect to shoot 50 more (total 150) but honestly do not expect a lot of load development.

 

[Trnelson]

In my experiences, there doesn't seem to be a set number until a barrel settles in. IMO, the type of rifling and how the barrel was made contribute to how quickly a barrel seasons. I usually shoot and progressively clean the first 40 with a minimum charge and the cheapest bullet I have on hand. Then I use the magnetospeed to find where velocity settles with that combination. Once that's all done, I have usually between 60 and seventy fired cases and I can start real load development reliably.

 

[wats338]

I don't follow the break-in ceremonies some will swear by, but I do clean my barrel before ever shooting, and I put at least 50 rounds through the rifle before I ever worry about group size. Usually closer to 100, then clean and start working on loads. Of course, if you have some overbore monstrosity like a 6.5-300 then 100 rnds is a significant portion of barrel life, but I'm content with some less exaggerated cases and can expect a lot more life.

 

[Beluebow]

You can start load development right away ( I like at least 20 rounds down the pipe).....but plan on jerking powder out as it speeds up.

 

[Fiftydriver]

New rifle comes next week. I already have a ladder worked up for 140 grain ELD-M.

How many rounds do you put through a new bore before you start new load development? I was planning on starting at 80 rounds.

Dont want to be a downer but if your willing, do your ladder test and then a month later repeat it and see if your results are the same…. I have never seen two ladder tests done with a decent amount of time between the two tests produce the same results….. i have challenged guys to prove to me their ladder test results were repeatable and over the past 20 years being a professional long range precision rifle manufacturer, no one has been able to prove this test procedure produces consistent and repeatable results….