What's Your Go-To Hand-Load Test Methodology?

[eddiesindian]

From reading all the informative threads....I see almost everybody has the basic mind set for acquiring there loads.

Same goes here......more or less

[BillPa]

[QUOTE=fgw_in_fla;225286]If you saw my 'ol lady you wouldn't want to dance naked with her. Not for load development, not for money.

/QUOTE]

Kinda like mine Frank. One day she walked downstairs butt naked and asked "What do you think of my new outfit"?

"You should have ironed it, its all wrinkled".

Bill

[fgw_in_fla]

[QUOTE=fgw_in_fla;225286]If you saw my 'ol lady you wouldn't want to dance naked with her. Not for load development, not for money.

/QUOTE]

Kinda like mine Frank. One day she walked downstairs butt naked and asked "What do you think of my new outfit"?

"You should have ironed it, its all wrinkled".

Bill

Yeah....
I know what you mean. Mine wanted to know how come I tell her she's beautiful every time she takes her bra off.
I said when they sag, they pull the wrinkles out of your face.

[Texas Solo]

[QUOTE=BillPa;225587]

Mine wanted to know how come I tell here she's beautiful every time she takes her bra off.
I said when they sag, they pull the wrinkles out of your face.

And we wonder why they stay with us. Mine says it's because I make her laugh, but I think it's the $$$$

[fgw_in_fla]

I think the redneck I married stays with me because I can reload & keep lots & lots of shotgun ammo on hand.

Saves her the trouble of looking for roadkill critters for dinner....

[BillPa]

[QUOTE=fgw_in_fla;225588]

And we wonder why they stay with us.

Adam asked God, "God, why did you make Eve so beautiful"

God said "So you would love her".

"But God, why did you make her so darn stupid"?

God replied, "So she would love you"! :o

[fgw_in_fla]

I'm starting to think we need our own thread about our experiences with our loving wives....

So....
Anyone else got any load development techniques to share?
Or stories about their 'ol lady?

[OFFSHORE]

This thread has been GREAT. . .HILARIOUS ! ! ! Even the load developing information. I too do similar testing at various ranges along with various powders for different conditions, and the chronograph is a very helpful tool. I then take it a step further and do actual bullet testing of the load. Some bullets work better or worse given certain velocities, so I make up a test medium just to make sure I'm going to fully enjoy my "new pet load". My test targets/media are to represent deer/hog and like sized medium game, and does seem like a lot to go through to test bullets. . .but it is effective and I kinda enjoy it! I'm sure others have simpler ways.

For my smaller caliber cartridges I love the neck shot. I will go down to my local Wally-Wold (if I don't already have some) and buy a couple of those office or bathroom plastic oval waste containers (about 10"X14" opening 18"/20" tall),and slide it into a tractor or truck inner tube, I then put a PT 2x6 board to length, in the center and tightly stack rolled up pieces of news paper and rags all around the 2x6, then fill with water until fully absorbed and full. What this does is simulate a critters neck; the tube/waste can represents the hide, wet paper/rags are the mussel tissue/fluids and the PT 2x6 is the neck bone. If my newly developed bullet/load will COMPLETELY PASS THROUGH the piece of 2x6 inside at said given range (???), and hold together, then it is a keeper. This test will also help you determine your maximum effective "killing" range by moving the target closer or further pending on bullet penetration.

For my larger caliber bullets (above .243), I have a wood box made of 5/8" plywood that is 20" square. This represents an animals chest/mid-section. To the outside of this box on the back and front I staple/screw the tractor/truck inner tube or a thick berber carpet. Inside I place the same rolled up pieces of newspaper/rags and fill with water until saturated, but I have thin (1/8" or less ?) sections of paneling set every 2". This allows me to find bullets easier and see how deep they penetrate at given distances and velocities buy pulling them out one at a time. Again, pending what my findings are on penetration and how well the bullet stays together, determines if its a keeper or not. . .or, what changes I need to make or effective ranges of that particular load is. I have had only a handful of loads exit this target, and when they did, the whole target was a mess. . .bad medicine! ! !

These tests seem pretty brutal on the integrity of the bullets, even more so than on actual critters, but you would be surprised on what you can learn about what you shoot and the velocities your bullets are traveling at at various distances. To me, test gelatin's don't have bone and denser matter in them to fully see what a bullet can do.

[thermaler]

This thread has been F'n GREAT. . .HILARIOUS ! ! ! Even the load developing information. I too do similar testing at various ranges along with various powders for different conditions, and the chronograph is a very helpful tool. I then take it a step further and do actual bullet testing of the load. Some bullets work better or worse given certain velocities, so I make up a test medium just to make sure I'm going to fully enjoy my "new pet load". My test targets/media are to represent deer/hog and like sized medium game, and does seem like a lot to go through to test bullets. . .but it is effective and I kinda enjoy it! I'm sure others have simpler ways.

For my smaller caliber cartridges I love the neck shot. I will go down to my local Wally-Wold (if I don't already have some) and buy a couple of those office or bathroom plastic oval waste containers (about 10"X14" opening 18"/20" tall),and slide it into a tractor or truck inner tube, I then put a PT 2x6 board to length, in the center and tightly stack rolled up pieces of news paper and rags all around the 2x6, then fill with water until fully absorbed and full. What this does is simulate a critters neck; the tube/waste can represents the hide, wet paper/rags are the mussel tissue/fluids and the PT 2x6 is the neck bone. If my newly developed bullet/load will COMPLETELY PASS THROUGH the piece of 2x6 inside at said given range (???), and hold together, then it is a keeper. This test will also help you determine your maximum effective "killing" range by moving the target closer or further pending on bullet penetration.

For my larger caliber bullets (above .243), I have a wood box made of 5/8" plywood that is 20" square. This represents an animals chest/mid-section. To the outside of this box on the back and front I staple/screw the tractor/truck inner tube or a thick berber carpet. Inside I place the same rolled up pieces of newspaper/rags and fill with water until saturated, but I have thin (1/8" or less ?) sections of paneling set every 2". This allows me to find bullets easier and see how deep they penetrate at given distances and velocities buy pulling them out one at a time. Again, pending what my findings are on penetration and how well the bullet stays together, determines if its a keeper or not. . .or, what changes I need to make or effective ranges of that particular load is. I have had only a handful of loads exit this target, and when they did, the whole target was a mess. . .bad medicine! ! !

These tests seem pretty brutal on the integrity of the bullets, even more so than on actual critters, but you would be surprised on what you can learn about what you shoot and the velocities your bullets are traveling at at various distances. To me, test gelatin's don't have bone and denser matter in them to fully see what a bullet can do.I like; +1

Interestingly, I believe Newberry insists you will still get accurate results at 100 yds for the OCW that will work just as well out to long range. I also find interesting that he "zeroes in" on his optimum charge weight by avoiding shooting for consecutive close shot placements--instead you are looking for the "scatter node." I haven't really systematically tried this yet.

I just loaded a development batch of 300 win mag cartridges and realized half way through that the custom loads were costing me roughly twice what I pay for a box of factory ammo at Walmart. And that's just for initial node-seeking.

[thermaler]

[QUOTE=BillPa;225587]

Yeah....
I know what you mean. Mine wanted to know how come I tell her she's beautiful every time she takes her bra off.
I said when they sag, they pull the wrinkles out of your face.
LMAO. I think I found a picture of you:

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s388/triggerpull/Frank_zps761393ee.jpg (http://s1049.photobucket.com/user/triggerpull/media/Frank_zps761393ee.jpg.html)

[fgw_in_fla]

Yup....
That would be me. You pegged it.
I loved Dangerfield's jokes. He was spot on with many of them.

I've read Newberry's method several times. Tried it once. I just feel more confident using the 'ol 3 rounds per charge routine. It hasn't failed me yet.
I know these days powder usage is a consideration. And brass. And primers. And bullets.....