There is really no right or wrong way to do things its all really preference if you do things different than what the book says. This is what I do right wrong or otherwise and it has worked great for me over the years. First I pick the bullet that I want to use and then find the over all length of where the ogive of that bullet makes contact with the rifling. I then subtract .025" and make sure that it fits the magazine if used for hunting rifles. If it does not fit the magazine a seat the bullet further down until it does and record that number as my over all length. As far as powder charge goes I usually start about two grains down from max and load five bullets in half grain increments and shoot groups until I start to see pressure signs or find the 'sweet spot'. Loading manuals are like everything else these days and dumbed down enough that Darwin award candidates can't kill themselves or someone else without a great deal of effort. More often than not I find a load towards the top end of what the manual says but a lot of times I find a load quite a bit higher than what the book says. This is why we always see people online say start low and work up, because whats safe in their rifle may not be in someone elses.
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