Load Development Protocol

[MarkA]

Load Development Protocol

Basic Data:
1.   Rifle: NEF, 223 Rem, 22” SS Barrel
2.   Case: Winchester, FL/SB sized, Trim to 1.750, Primer pocket deburred and Flash Hole de burred
3.   Primer: WSR
4.   Bullet: Hornady, 40 gr, V Max
5.   Powder: Hodgdon, BL-C(2)
6.   COL: 2.325”, single shot, LONG throat

First Pass
1.   Loaded 10 rounds each of 27, 27 ½ and 28 grs powder.
2.   Use Winchester White Box 45 gr Varmint as base case (control)
3.   Barrel totally clean.
4.   Set 4 targets at 100 yds, started by firing 2 groups of 5 rounds of White Box to foul barrel.
5.   Fired 2 rounds of 3 rounds of each load into its own target, marking each shot with different colored dot after each round, finished with one round of 4.  That is each target had only cartridges with the same powder weight fired into it.
6.   The 28 grain target showed the best group for 10 rounds.  You could see the groups closing up with increasing charge weight.

Planned Second Pass
1.   Loaded 10 rounds each of 27.8, 28, 28.2 and 28.5 grs powder.  My RCBS scale will not measure 1/100’s of a grain, therefore the strange increments
2.   Shot four targets each with its own cartridge.

Questions:
1.   Should you shot the targets round robbin like this or all of the shots at one time?
2.   If shot round robbin, do you change targets after each set of rounds.

[safetysheriff]

If this is a brand new rifle I'd break it in with cheap fmj's from wal-mart.    Then after cleaning it appropriately for a break-in period of perhaps 80 rounds, I'd shoot a few of my lowest-pressure handloads to get them zeroed.    

Let the rifle cool, clean it, and then shoot three more three-shot groups, letting the rifle cool between groups, starting with my lowest-pressure load.    Then fire the next more-energetic load, and continue moving up in charge weight.    I would fire 3 groups of each load containing 3 shots in each group.    I'd look at the primers and the measurement of the brass' diameter at the web.    If pressure is good you should not get .001" of expansion at the web -- just ahead of the rim.    The primers should have somewhat rounded edges rather than being totally flattened out.    

As long as pressure is OK I'd load for the greatest accuracy, as opposed to velocity, for my rifle.    I would not shoot differing charge weights at the same time, due to the extra concentration required, while you're already concerned enough with all the other details involved in sighting-in a rifle.      

Remember, the shooting of an "aggregate" over time tells us more than the shooting of just one or two groups......much more.   I shot a Ruger .270 yesterday and had two bullets touching in one group....probably .1" distance from center to center.....but that was not my consistent grouping!    I had a good group right next to it, as well.     But my aggregate was not .25" !     (Because of some 'energetic-type' shooting a lot of very noisy rounds right nearby I was also thoroughly distracted at times.     Like trying to make a putt with cherry bombs going off at your feet! :eek: )

Hope this long-winded post is of some help.

[GPWEAPON]

I'd take the rifle assuming it already broke in and put 5 fowlers through it. then I'd load up 5 rounds in the middle of the recomended charge high / low and shoot the group at one target at 100 yds. then step up 1/2 grain  clique the scope to avoid shooting over the last group and repeat untill I got my best group. I'd then change powders and do the same over. I'd never clean untill I got home if i felt moved and wouldn't if I'd zeroed for a load and planed to shoot something other than paper for my next shot. I've got a range press set up so I bring the primed and preped brass and just drop charges.

[Wlscott]

Mark, have you had a chance to mic the web on those cases yet?  Just curious if there was more than .001" expansion or not.  What about the primers?  How do they look?

I'm about to start loading up some test rounds with BLC2 myself.  I'll be using a 50 grain V Max though.

[Longcruise]

BLC2 and H335 have always given me great results in 223...... until the Handi rifle

The win val pak has shot the best for me and that was not all that good.

I took a val pak cartride apart and found it to be loaded with a ball powder, however.

The win box proudly states "3600 fps" but real life chrono was just over 3100 :eek:

Now, I'm going the other way;  Using the Val pak brass, neck sized only with one of the old lee loader tools I've loaded rem 71/2 primers, 23.2 H322 and a 50 grain Speer TNT HP.  

Hope to shoot it this week and will report back! :-)

[Winter Hawk]

I shoot a five shot group of the lowest charge at one target, (after several fouling shots, of course) then change targets and let the rifle cool down.  Shoot the next higher charge, change targets, cool down, etc.  My targets are usually paper plates with a 2" circle I magic-markered in, nothing fancy.

The NEF is pretty fussy about what it's fed, in my experience.  It makes for a classic example of watching the groups shrink down and open up again.  Be advised though, that this rifle can have two different charges where groups  are tight, so it behooves you to load a fairly wide range of charges.

Then try different powder and do it all over again!

-WH-