reloading to find the best accuracy?

[broken_line]

i just got started in loading .223 and i have been loading a block of 25 rounds with 25.4 grains of 748 with federal match primers starting with the C.O.L at 2.170 and working my way up to 2.20, 5 rounds at a time and marking them.. is this the proper way to find out "what shoots best"? this is with a hornady 53gr match hp bullet

[mtheis]

Yes, you have it right. Make sure you change only one thing at a time, like C.O.L. and build up your rounds just like your doing. Have fun!

[paul pachowicz]

You are on the right track. However, I would work up loads with several powder weights of different powders & bullet brands & weights before I'd start working the COAL with one powder weight. Once you find the best pattern with powder weights/bullet weights THEN start lenghting out your COAL. It is going to depend on the lenght of your chamber as to how far you can come out with the bullet as all chambers are NOT created equal. And, different powders, bullet brands/weights, brass, primers, etc, may produce tighter/wider patterns. But, every gun is going digest certain recipes differently. You could possibily get alittle more advice by posting what gun, twist rate, barrel lenght,etc, you are loading for. Welcome to the world of the never ending pursuit of the elusive one hole pattern.

[fishattacker]

I concur with Paul. I tried a few different bullets and powder combos before I started playing with the overall length. I started at max overall length of 2.26 inches. I have a Savage Model 12 in .223. After playing around my load is CCI BR4 primer, 24.5 grains of Benchmark and a 50 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. I have an OAL gauge and now have stretched my OAL to 2.41 inches.

[paul pachowicz]

Oh yea, I forgot to ask, what is this gun going to be used for? Just curious.

[HunterLee]

You are trying to blow your self up. You first find the bullet and powder that work at the proper oal. Or if you have a oal gauge and want to be say .10 off the lands then you set you oal for that. Then work up a load.

Changing the oal will give you pressure spikes that you can't control, plus a different powder charge may be more accurate with a slightly different oal. So in all reality you should be backing down and working up everytime you change it.

Changing the oal won't turn a two in group into a quarter inch.

[mtheis]

If you read his post he has already done that. He is now settled on a powder, a certain powder charge, with a particular primer. He is doing right by now changing overall length to find that magic combination that works best for him and his gun. 5 shot groups will tell him what is best I believe. How else would you have him do it?

[lichen fox]

Start with your reloading mannual...look for the "potentionally most accurate load"...its is usually listed or noted with an * or number and corrisponding footnote...Hunter Lee is right as far as pressures increasing...if you are close or at a max load...seated 10-20 thousands off the lands and then take the same load and seat the bullet right on the lands your pressures will increase, sometimes dramaticly! If you don't have a O.A.L. guage you can achieve the same with a dummy round...just resize a case...no primer...no powder...seat the bullet...candle it until the bullet is covered in soot...carefully seat the bullet and lock the action...carefully extract the dummy round and check to see if you can see the rifle land marking on the bullet...if not repeat increasing overall length until you see them...measure...write it down in your book or notes for that rifle...now you know the "maximum" length for that rifle-bullet combo...

[snapcrackpop]

Have you worked the trigger, how about bedding the action, proper torque on the bolts?