With out getting into a lot of detail, well maybe a little - I pick an appropriate bullet first for the job. I do this based on what I am going to shoot and twist rate of the barrel. I start with it because it is the most expensive componet. I then pick a likely powder based mostly on what I have on hand and what the loading books say is appropriate. If I do not have a match in powder I buy some that is, usually picking one to start with high velocity output according to the loading data. I then pick a primer that is appropriate for the powder and case. After assembling the componets, I find out how far I have to seat the bullets out to touch the rifleing. Some guns this can be done rather easily and some you just will not be able to touch the lands with an appropriate bullet. If I can touch the lands with the bullet, I start at minimum loads and work my way up slowly. By this I mean start with the lowest listed powder weight. I usually load a series of loads in .5 grain incriments - usually 10 rounds each. If I can not reach the lands, I start with the recomended OAL and work up loads the same way, in .5 grain steps. After getting every thing loaded up I go to the range and make sure my rifle is sighted in with some factory loads or with some extra minimum loads. I then fire 5 rounds of each group. I do this after fouling shots sighting in the barrel. I shoot 1 group out of each 10 I had loaded up. If I see that one group did as well as expected I will fire the second 5 to confirm a good group. I look for pressure signs, but mostly I let my chronograph tell me when I am nearing max pressure levels. If I reach max pressure (velocity) and am not statisfied with any groups, I pull down any left over cartridges and start over with the bullets seated .020" off the lands. If I started with recomended OAL, I seat the bullets out .050" longer. Then I reload using the same data and the same way agian. If I see a load I like then I am in business, if not I pull them down and move away either .020" more or another .050" closer and try again. If I still do not get any thing I like, I start completly over with a differet powder or another appropriate bullet. I keep this up until I hit the magic combination. Some rifles are easy to find this with and others take a lot of shooting to find a good load with. It depends on what you are looking for too. A 1" group is much, much easier to come upon that a .5" group. If I find a load I like and shoot a second 5 shot group and it still is good, I then load up twenty exactly the same way and shoot 4 - 5 shot groups to confirm my load. If every thing still looks good, I am in business - and I have been able to repeat what I did. That is the way I do it, I am sure there are many different ways to do it, but basically you only want to change 1 thing at a time, be it powder charge or OAL or bullet what ever, do not start changing 2 or more things at a time, If you do you will trust chance to find a good load. Good Luck and Good Shooting
