Re: How do you work up a new load?
I start with a ladder type, but I modded it to serve 2 purposes. However I do 3 shot groups (gasp!!) of each powder weight up to published max. I leave everything else identical. I'll usually do magazine length for starters until I find the powder charges that the rifle likes. When you are tweeking a load, change only one thing at a time. If you change several things, you don't know which one caused the degredation, or improvement. It's possible that one change cancelled out the improvement of another change. One thing at a time.
The last ladder test I did was on my 178amax's with 4 groups starting 2 grains under max in .5gr increments. 3 groups were .4's, and the last one was a .5. You tell me, which one was the best charge! lol.
Once I complete the ladder test and see the results i'll confirm with 3-5shot groups. Then the tweeking begins if I choose to. My 178's I wanted to be a 2.800" COL load for magazine length, so it was simple to get that load put together. It pretty much always shoots in the .5-.6's as long as I don't botch my follow through too bad, or have stupid winds.
Tomorrow (or Sunday) i'm going to take notes of my CCB placement, and set the zero, along with starting another ladder test of RL17 powder, and a 208amax. Wish I had a chrono to send them over for more data.
Branden