Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

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Tedfs
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by Tedfs »

BoomerVF14 wrote:Incidentally, I figured I'd display my other geeky Excel tool. I wasn't just taking potentially unsafe "shots in the dark" with my COALs. I built this to calculate what my limits are for my chosen projectiles. You enter your projectile/case measurements (I use the Hornady comparator, a very handy item), magazine limit, as well as a "safety factor" and it will tell you how much longer and shorter you can go based on the target COAL you enter.

Image
Are the Ammo Tracker and OAL Calculator spread sheets you created or are they available to download somewhere ?
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BoomerVF14
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by BoomerVF14 »

No, I made them myself but if you'd like to PM me your email I could send it.
Rich Coyle
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by Rich Coyle »

Overall length can vary because the brass needs to be annealed. The necks having different tensions. Also the headspace can and does change if the brass is not annealed regularly.
elbonsaikid
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by elbonsaikid »

BoomerVF14 wrote:Hello all, I've been tinkering around with handloading for about six months now and wanted to share some lessons learned and bounce some theories off this distinguished forum.

Lesson 1

Early on in my learning, I was (overly) enticed by the idea of minimizing jump to the lands as a key variable in pursuit of precision. Now, I'm running a stock piston-driven 16" PWS Mk116, and while I knew CBTO/jump is more of a consideration for precision loads in bolt guns, I figured I'd see if it made a difference in my AR. So after working some loads for the Nosler 125gr BT using Nosler's published data (2.06" COAL) I decided I would start lengthening COAL to see if my precision improved. I felt safe in deviating from published because a longer COAL over the same charge will result in lower pressures. So I lengthened to 2.15", and then eventually to 2.20", and ran some ladders...

Anyway, it's my hope if any newbies read this, it might save them some cash, materials, and trips to the range chasing the wrong variable!

Welcome any corrections, tips, or wisdom.
I'm new to reloading and want to see if I understand the point you are making here since I just created a post asking for tips on how to approach creating a load for accuracy.

Basically, you are creating a load based on the suggested bullet mfr OAL to find a combo that groups well with low SD and ES. THEN you are identifying the corresponding MV as a marker to shoot for as you vary the CTBO seating depth in pursuit of better accuracy?
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BoomerVF14
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by BoomerVF14 »

Yeah, but I've learned more since then and changed my methods so don't use this post as a guide.

What I didn't know then is that a jump from 2.06" to 2.15" is a very large change given the relatively small case we have work with. So it wasn't a very useful test. And both 2.15" and 2.20" have the bullet out so far the ogive rubs on the magazine rib.

I've lately decided to adopt AAC's advice and load to 2.085", which they recommend for smooth feeding in 5.56 mags. I've been doing some calculations on case+powder volume (prime a fired case, throw a test charge, rest a bullet on top and carefully measure the COAL) and may in the future vary my target COAL to get 100% fill. This approach is based on forum posts about W296 being more constant at 100% or slightly compressed. I think dellet had some sage advice on that technique but I don't have time right now to look up the link for you.

Looking forward hopefully to cracking this nut but still in the weeds with it. It's a fun intellectual challenge though, just gotta stay within well-established safety bounds. 8)
elbonsaikid
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by elbonsaikid »

Sounds like you have a fun and interesting project going forward while you search for answers. I'm new to reloading but found your post intriguing because even though I'm a novice I'm an analyst by trade and found your data/assumptions interesting. It was the first time that I read or even considered that accuracy might not be strictly based on how consistent a bullet is introduced into a barrel. Never thought that a barrel might respond to a bullet differently strictly based on velocity. But now to think of it, the barrel harmonics are affected by projectile mass/speed. Perhaps a barrel responds just a tad better to certain bullet speeds due to harmonics. If that is the case then how far from the lands you start and pressure/powder burn consistency are not the only factors that need to be taken into consideration. Wouldn't it be awesome if there was a lab that took a barrel and was able to measure out the harmonic response curves correlated to accuracy at various speeds for a given bullet weight?

I think your data points only reflected on one bullet type for the various charges and COALs. If you found a correlation between various bullets at the same weight but using different charges/COALs producing favorable results at similar speeds then you'd have another great variable to pursue as you switch bullet types or load parameters in search of better accuracy. Just interesting. Definitely post your data if you test this out. Thanks!
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BoomerVF14
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by BoomerVF14 »

Did some more testing on the Nosler 125gr BT today and it looks like another confirmation of the W296 100% fill theory. Based on some measurements I took using a spent-case, I figure 17.9-18.0 grains of W296 gets me right to 100% fill. 18.2 is slightly compressed.

Nosler 125gr BT
COAL: 2.085"
Powder: W296
Charge: 17.9gr
Brass: GCG converted, twice-fired
Equipment: PWS 16" (piston)

Six-shot MV data w/ MagnetoSpeed:
MV: 2222 fps
SD: 3.4
ES: 10

Image

Bumping up the charge to 18.0gr, I got a little more variation but shot one of my best groups:
MV: 2235
SD: 10.7
ES: 29

Image

Now the trick is going to be duplicating this...
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BoomerVF14
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by BoomerVF14 »

Finally got a chance to get back to the range today and I'm happy to report I did indeed duplicate my previous results, even improved them a bit. This was the Nosler 125BT / 18.0gr W296 (100% fill) / 2.085" OAL shot from my 16" piston AR:

MV: 2245
SD: 7.1
ES: 18

Image

This culminates over two years of research, practice, and load development starting from total-n00b level with a lot of sidebars, rabbit-holes, and lessons learned along the way (obviously). Regardless of the long winding road, needless to say, I'm pretty stoked!
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dellet
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by dellet »

BoomerVF14 wrote:Finally got a chance to get back to the range today and I'm happy to report I did indeed duplicate my previous results, even improved them a bit. This was the Nosler 125BT / 18.0gr W296 (100% fill) / 2.085" OAL shot from my 16" piston AR:

MV: 2245
SD: 7.1
ES: 18

Image

This culminates almost two years of research, practice, and load development starting from total-n00b level with a lot of sidebars, rabbit-holes, and lessons learned along the way (obviously). Regardless of the long winding road, needless to say, I'm pretty stoked!
Try the 18.2 and 18.4 just so you know how it shoots. 105% density is no problem. Groups will open up and velocity will go down when you go to far.

Nice target by the way, for what it's worth, every one of those would have hit a dime. So that should be your next post :P
300 Blackout, not just for sub-sonics.
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rebel
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by rebel »

dellet wrote:
BoomerVF14 wrote:Finally got a chance to get back to the range today and I'm happy to report I did indeed duplicate my previous results, even improved them a bit. This was the Nosler 125BT / 18.0gr W296 (100% fill) / 2.085" OAL shot from my 16" piston AR:

MV: 2245
SD: 7.1
ES: 18

Image

This culminates almost two years of research, practice, and load development starting from total-n00b level with a lot of sidebars, rabbit-holes, and lessons learned along the way (obviously). Regardless of the long winding road, needless to say, I'm pretty stoked!
Try the 18.2 and 18.4 just so you know how it shoots. 105% density is no problem. Groups will open up and velocity will go down when you go to far.

Nice target by the way, for what it's worth, every one of those would have hit a dime. So that should be your next post :P
No damn excuse now boomer. Put a hole in one.
You can't beat the mountain, pilgrim. Mountains got its own way.
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