If you are wanting to learn about case fill and burn, you can learn this from our 1 on 1 course, not the beginners course. We’ve had a few people get confused about this.
I started handloading 40 years ago and developed some very accurate handloads for .270 Winchester, .284 Winchester, .303 British, 7.65X53, 6.5X55, and .308 Winchester among others. All the loads I worked up were for hunting or milsurp rifles none of which could be misconstrued as target rifles. I did all that without knowing a thing about velocity nodes, barrel harmonics, shooting ladders, or which G model to use in calculating the BC of a bullet. What we knew back then was just about any rifle will shoot 1 to 1 1/2 MOA with a quality bullet, a full case of an appropriate powder (load density although we didn't call it that back then), and good shooting habits. The loading manuals had tables of MRT's in the back and we chose one appropriate to the area we would be hunting. I usually sighted my hunting rifles for two hundred yards which was virtually point blank range for any large game animal out to 400 yards. Later on, when I got into shooting milsurps accuracy was still important, of course but even more so was reproducing the same load as the military ammunition so you could use the original iron sights. Take the .303 British for example which I shoot in competitions. The MkVII service round developed 2,440 fps with a 174 gr. flat based spitzer bullet which is what I attempt to reproduce to stay in the iron sights classes.
I am a retired deerstalker. I handloaded for many years, always chasing better accuracy. I eventually decided that constantly testing loads was wearing out my expensive custom barrels. I did not need to shoot better than a half inch at 100 yards, and was never going to headshoot a deer further than 200 yards. For me, consistency was more important than velocity. This is just an observation from an old fart, not intended to be a criticism of someone much smarter than me. I'm just saying that you don't need shoot the nadgers off a gnat accuracy for hunting. Use fieldcraft to get closer, so if there's a problem you can resolve it. Good luck and good shooting to all shooting folk out there.
I'm no expert but I was taught to find a powder that was fast enough to meet my target velocity and at the same time slow enough to have complete case to do it. My load development nothing more than a pressure test. If the biggest charge that didn't give me pressure signs wasn't fast enough I tried another powder. My favorite combo is 46 grains of N150 and 155 grain Lapua Scenar. I have been shooting this load for going on 15 years. Just imagine how many barrels I have gone through in 15 years. It works in any of my rifles(308W), in any condition. It doesn't matter if its my 20 inch AR10 or my 24 inch custom bolt gun. It doesn't matter if a rainy winter day in my deer stand or a hot summer day on the target line. THIS LOAD HAMMERS! This load has works so well for me when I recently spun on a new barrel for my bolt gun, I didn't even bother with load development. I just took old faithful to line, verified with a pressure check, and it hammered as usual. When I can't find my preferred components, 46 grains of BLC(2) and any 155 grain match bullet is my fall back.
I've been loading three different cartridges lately and agree. All of them shoot tighter groups with compressed loads. This seems to hold regardless of jump to the lands. My 338WM shoots a 100% density load with a 0.170" jump better than the same load with a 0.020 to 0.030 jump but lower charge density.
This is reloading 101, and I've been doing it for years. It's why Black Powder in big bore straightwall cases yields much more consistent results than smokeless, because of the high load density. I always choose a powder that gives me the most amount of case fill for a reason. Keeps you from constantly chasing your tail.
I've done so many different kinds of load development in 12 years of reloading and a class with Reloading All Day was literally like pushing the easy button. I'm able to pick a load and run it now. Highly recommend signing up and learn. Your wallet will thank you.
Outstanding information!! Thank you for sharing this with others!! This concept should not be new to people but they like to chase their tail and go around in circles over and over trying to reinvent the wheel. Outstanding information!
The urge to splurge is so strong. I’m not a comp shooter, but a hunter. I want to achieve the most confidence in my loads that any given time afield I will yield the same consistency. That being said, I have worked up a load and tested the charge and the depth on different occasions but not since temps have fallen below 65°. I will run 2 more 5 shot groups and if my ES/SD falls short, I do believe I’ll be signing up because I definitely don’t want to go chasing my tail again
This method has gotten me the closest to my final load, much quicker than all the other methods.. Its worked wonderfully for subsonic and supersonic loads. Its funny, whats old is new again.. ;D
It would be easy to fill a case with slow powder (too slow) and have garbage results. I agree that looking for a node in the traditional method is like a dog chasing his tail, but load density is no more a holy grail than "finding a node" is. The real key is efficient combustion. It is kind of like fine tuning a race car engine.
I'm in the middle of deciding how I want to start load development for a new combo of powder and bullet so I've been exploring TH-cam University for different takes on it which is how I found the video. Your info does make a good amount of sense. From information I've picked up on other channels such as Bolt Action Reloading, when he's looking for nodes, he seems to favor those that have 3 shots in that node landing somewhere in the middle. Seems that would help account for those temp changes that can fluctuate your velocities. Having said that, I've taken much more your approach to reloading in the past when components have been hard to find and haven't been disappointed. Glad to know there's an actual reason it worked out for me. ha
I'd like an explanation why many custom rifle builders are offering and demonstrating 1/2" MOA group to 1000 yards using "quality factory ammunition." I've been handloading since the 80s and have used numerous methods to get groups to my satisfaction using custom riflles. In my experience, handloading rendered superior results. I know it's a change of topic but falls under the umbrella of good shooting. Thanks
Just want to thank you again for sharing this knowledge.... You have saved me from chasing my tail on looking for that perfect velocity node.... Just wanted to share that on a powder we were testing for a load there was very notable muzzle flash... on review of the velocity data for that powder load the ES was over 100fps and the SD for the sample size was over 20fps I attribute that to the powder was not burning completely inside the barrel causing the high ES and SD. So moved on to a different powder...
Litz research into case fill percentage clearly showed that low SD can be achieved with low case fill percentage. Indeed the lowest SD in his testing was at 80% case fill. There are no shortcuts to load development.
Hey Craig! Out of the 5 cartridges tested, just 1, listed at 80% was the lowest SD listed at an SD of 5. 90% was a close 6. For the other 4 cartridges out of the 5, 90-100% yielded the lowest SD in every single case. The testing performed was fantastic and very insightful. If you would like to see the data I have personally collected, among other internal ballistic ballisticians, I really encourage that you reach out or try some of the methods. It’s pretty fascinating! We have plenty of data shooting 200 rounds consecutively on multiple different days maintaining 6-8 SD, while other lower case fills could not. I think the better question we need to ask is, is this universal for all cartridges and chamber types? If not, why?
Now if you could just let us know how to obtain the preferred powders it might be worth looking into. But right now I have to make what's available and close to the perfect powder work.
It’s hard right now! I wish powder and primers were back to normal already. You can make a lot of propellants work, but, there’s certain things that we unfortunately won’t be covering most likely because it’s part of the class. I can say that you’ll have to be willing to jump your bullet a good bit under certain circumstances if the propellant has a low bulk density.
I've been using the same keg of H335 for the last 10 years and it works just fine. Find something that'll give you groups you can cover with your thumbnail @ 100 and run with it. Unless you're shooting competition (or exterminating flies across a field) you just don't need anything better than that.
@@Nanker63 thanks for stopping by and watching the video, hoped you liked it. As for the variation in speed, it’s an example for the class. Depending upon the propellant type and load combination, you can most definitely have a wide variation of velocity. Pick up some cheaper factory ammo if you have some time, in .223 and chronograph it, it can be really surprising.
Ok I'm a believer in what you have presented... I also noted that the ES of all three data groups only varied from 34-40 fps. So is Chris Long's "Optimal Barrel Time" a real thing or not? Thanks for sharing your knowledge... So smart & so young --- I'm impressed
Thank you! This is something we cover in class extensively, but I will propose a question, to yours, that will hopefully help answer it and give you some things to think about. If it is simply about timing the projectile at a certain point of the whip, how is that possible if all of our rounds have different velocity? That would mean, that each round would exit at a different point in the “whip”. If one were to propose that it’s about making the harmonic dead by adjusting seating depth, the previous point still applies. the real kicker is that each time you shoot a round, the manner in which way it develops peak pressure, changes the “vibrational pattern,” because each rise to pressure is different. So, how can we tune or predict such a thing if it changes each time? As a result, we should be asking ourselves, under what conditions does it matter, or not matter? Is it a dominant driver to precision? Is common reloading theories getting the partial truth right, when theirs much larger fish to fry no one talks about? Maybe. Demand to see data, always. Hope this helps!
Trying to make gunpowder weapons shoot like lasers. Chasing the one hole group. The struggle is real. However unless you're trying to win competitions, or guarantee first shot bullseyes on targets a mile away, half MOA is perfectly fine for most people under most circumstances. Anything tighter than that you're splitting hairs and the juice may not be worth the squeeze.
THANK YOU for pointing out the faulting reasoning behind the velocity node crap (and more generally the absolute garbage reasoning that most reloading sources pander). That said, your example data is kinda extreme... it should jump out to everyone that the two groups of velocities are themselves quite spread out (es of 125fps on the left and 85 on the right). BUT that's not unrealistic and your point stands -- folks often just look at the averages to find a "flat spot" and forget that, in this case for example, you'd need ~350 shots in each group to confidently measure a 10fps difference in averages. The application of statistical reasoning in the reloading world is frightful.
Velocity nodes are a thing, but not necessarily the way some think of it. Usually in competitive discipline circles where everyone is shooting a similar profile barrel, same weight bullets, same brass, powder, etc. people find a load for them that works around "Speed X". So when you take the same components to work up something for your rifle, many people find their load shoots very close to the other guys setup at "Speed X". I used known velocity nodes for my 1st Fclass setup and had a working and now proven load within 4 different powder weights and a couple of sessions at the range. It has now proved itself in competition as well. I was literally right in the middle of what was stated to be the velocity node for my setup. i.e. A 6.5 CM will shoot 140gr. bullets well around 2700fps with H-4350 out of a 22" barrel. That is a known "velocity node" for that caliber, tell me that's not true.
I mean that makes alot of sense when talking about case capacity, generally its right before or just after the 100% CC. Good info here you'll likely get with experience anyway, as well as talking to the right people. But who doesnt like using a cheat code here and there.
I wish more fclass shooters would watch these reloading videos. What's your best guess on how much ADI 2208 ( you know it as varget) should I put behind a Berger 210vld in a 308 palma case. I've got 0.308" of freebore to play with at the front end so I don'tneed much pill in the neck. And how much in a standard LR winnie case. Love and kisses from Oz
While I do not contest the veracity of this content (personal experience tends to support it), it seems to me that what happens at the target trumps SD. I have had many 10 shot strings yield a sub 10 fps SD but they grouped terribly….and some with “unacceptable” SDs that grouped great. I will concede that a sample size of 10 is not large, but my experience is that poor groups do not get better after more shots (and, yes, good groups generally get larger). So doesn’t it make more sense to adopt your approach but to make load selection based on what the target says instead of SD? Doesn’t target consistency trump all?
Hey! Thanks for commenting. There’s a reason why groups at 100 Yrds can have very good SD but have terrible groups. A lot of times you’ll hear guys say that at longer distances that SD does not matter, science has physically proved with real life fire it does. Bullets do not magically converge at distance and that has been proven. To your point about large groups generally don’t get better, but small groups with more rounds fired at the same target generally get bigger proves my exact point in the irony of cherry picking data. Whether On target or on a chronograph. If one is comparing an N of 1, meaning: 1 group at one specific seating depth with 5 shots, the sample size is 1, being that one is comparing the extreme spread of that one single group at “x” seating depth to another single, five shot group of “y” seating depth. Or even powder charge tests, crimp tests, doesn’t matter. It’s unfortunately cherry picking small sample size statistics and leading one to believe what they see on target is CONSTANTLY repeatable. As you pointed out, you might have a group get small. But the more shots you shoot at that group, it gets big…spread those shots over multiple groups being fired….you have dispersion. This concept is applied massively on social media when it comes to load development, cherry picking an n of 1 because the group size is .3 at “x” seating depth but “y” seating depth was .5” so one generally thinks, “it must mean that “x” depth is better”….this insinuates that you would never shoot with “x” seating depth over a .5” group that you saw with “y” seating depth. This is faulty statistics. Here’s a good example of what I mean that helps explain this a lot better: instagram.com/p/CsAOCVeNs8K/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Now, I will say that if someone’s group is massive. 2-3” at 100, there’s more to worry about than what we are talking about. But if we are comparing a .3” group to a .8” group…that’s dispersion. It’s normal. Shoot more groups, you’ll see your group sizes change. That .8” group, if shot a bunch of times, can get smaller. And the .3” group can get larger. It takes a lot of groups fired on target to see this. There’s things that lead to the performance of precision of a rifle system. However, the rifle recoils before projectile exits. 0.016” of angular dispersion or less at the muzzle just to keep a 1 MOA group. The shooter is the biggest contributor to precision. Same reason why a .223 Benchrest 20 pound rifle with a brake, will yield more precise groups in the hands of a shooter than a 6 pound 300 win mag that’s a heavy recoiling platform with the same shooter. So, I think what we should be looking at is the shooter behind the rifle and Newton’s third law, which is the dominant driver. Hope this can shed some light on how I’m looking at this.
@@Reloadingallday your statement left out the most important over a shooter. Barrel harmonics. You can have a good shooter, good SDs and still have a bad group. You want Low ES as well as low SDs. But to that seating depth is the only way to truly tune a load regardless to Sd or ES.
Shooting at distance requiires low SD, that is the part that comes first, you can tighten the group moving 2 thou at a time and should find the good spot in 6 thou of movement, however dont try that unless the group is 1 moa or better, move 10 thou until at 1 moa or better then do 2 thou movements, hope this helps
You have definitely piqued my interest. I’ve been aware of case fill/load density but never looked at as the measure of consistency. Do I need the Beginners and Advanced course before taking the 1on1 to learn your take on load density and load development?
@@MrTenthlegion nope! If you have handloaded before, the 1-on-1 or advanced load dev class is perfect to discuss these topics. Both are the same price, ones in a class setting, and the other is a 1-on-1, same topics will be discussed. You can head to our website and sign up on the 1-on-1 calendar which is free, to discuss the course and what it all entails.
Yes. We currently teach classes on how to! Reloadingallday.com in our 1-on-1 or advanced load development class. Both are the same course, same price. Ones a private lesson and ones with other people, you can take your pick
Interesting you Load Density topic. I am guessing that your referring mainly to pistol loading? It's rare that a rifle case would ever be less that 90% full to the base of the projectile. What say yee?
There’s many cartridge/projectile options/ propellant types combinations that would get below 90% based on burn speed. However, it’s not just solely about case fill. There’s other things in regard to propellant and its burn speed that is vital to this.
So if you cant trust load density information on something like GRT are you saying to just buy every possible powder and see which one fills the case the best? This isn't a sarcastic question or anything like that I truly want to know how to pick a powder that will give me a good SD/ES.
Does your load density theory work with 45 Colt? Only thing I have found so far is to use a little bit of toilet paper to keep the powder at the primer. This is because of the volume of the case is so large that no smokeless powder could fill the space and still get the job done right (so they say). And being this is the only round I ever expect to hand load I would hate to spend $100 on info that will never benefit me. I already have all the tools and bullets I will be using so I see no need for the beginning coarse. I only need to know if a smokeless powder could be used to fill the case volume of a 45 Colt and work right. I'll be using the Lehigh 250 grain solid copper Xtreme Penetrator bullets in Star line brass with CCI large pistol primers, being I already have them. As far as watching for signs of pressure there is no need, being if there was any over pressure signs they would be laying all over the place along with parts of the pistol. After all the 45 Colt has a straight walled case that can handle 44 Magnum pressures as well as the primers. So the gun blowing up in my face would be the first sign of over pressure as far as I can see. I know a guy that says he knows a guy that pics the powder according to the burn rate and then works up a non-published load from there, but every body else says never ever do so unless you have pressure testing equipment. And as far as I know there is no published load data for slow burning powders for the 45 Colt, so without knowing what you know, is it really possible to find a powder that would fill the case volume of a 45 Colt and work out? or not? Cause if not I would rather spend my money on toilet paper to solve the issue than blow it on none relevant information.
@@kingropplebopplesoppy2634 yeah, I thought of that, yet the drawback with Trail Boss is that it maxis out on pressure at lower speeds. I use the gun for defense, not only against humans but black bear as well, and want good penetration over accuracy. And therefor, to me, accuracy is not as important than penetration, especially against a bear with thick hide and lots of fat. But, Trail Boss would definitely make good Cow Boy (target) loads.
What powder are you running for your GT? Due to siz of grains of powder itself, I've noticed something like staball 6.5 when filled to around 90% or so case capacity yielded the best results in my efforts.
They appear due to low sample size testing. Conduct the same ladder test 5 times throughout a given day, your flat spots appear in different places. in other words, it’s placebo.
I have a couple of hoppers that always have the same powders, mostly CFE pistol and CFE black. My reloading room is conditioned all year round. So I stopped reloading for 6 months and now back at it. What are your thoughts on using the powder in the hoppers after prolonged storage in hopper?
I was a young kid back in 1975 when my dad taught me how to reload. He was forever chasing new loads without any real plan or methodology. The information available was minimal at best. It did not help that his main reason to reload was to save money. I have heard a lot of different theories over the past 49 years and I have learned that internal and external ballistics are... well complicated. One needs to be careful in stating absolutes as there are so many variables. In general the information you have given is old time and good. Fill the case and minimize the variability. One grain variation on a 70 grain charge is 1.4 % of a load. 1 grain on a 40 grain charge is 2.5%. Powder charges depend on weight and not volume. Powder can expand and contract with different levels of moisture or humidity. So it is important to try to load in a stable / consistent environment. Very low charges can be dangerous for the very reason you showed where the powder from a low load slides to the front of the cartridge a much larger surface area of the charge is exposed to the flash of the primer. All the powder burns from the side all at once instead of a controlled burn from the back of the powder column. This ties into your recommendations of a full cartridge as the burn rate of a full cartridge is consistent from the bottom up. A low volume charge can have variable surface areas of exposed powder and burn rates and pressure can vary accordingly. Neck pressure can vary and cases with variable neck tensions can cause different bullet release pressures. The Lee load manual and other sources comment on how a crimp can standardize bullet release pressures and may lead to better accuracy. Finally, no bullet is perfect and all will cause the barrel to wobble / create harmonics. The speed and weight of the bullet will cause the harmonics or vibrations to change like a finger on a guitar string. So there are harmonics and thus there are nodes. The trick is to pick the right spot on the harmonic cycle. Think shooting a swinging bottle at the end of a string. The apparent movement of the bottle is at the slowest and actually stops at the moment of direction reversal on the far left and right of the swing. Choosing a load in the middle of this barrel swing will allow for the greatest absorption of other variables (think hot / cold, elevation and humidity) without affecting the the zero of your group. As a hunter this is what I am after. I could care less if after 3 fouler shots and a number of other shots, I can finally hit a plate out at 700 yards. I want a gun that can fire a round that can then do its job on the first shot. So, you may know all of what I have stated, just be careful that you do not oversimplify. What I have learned over the years is this. 1. Identify what you want to accomplish. Is it realistic and doable? For deer hunting, I use two guns, a Marlin 1895 45-70 that is capable of 0.75 moa with a 300 grain hollow point. I use it inside of 200 yards. It is zeroed for 75 yards has a 1x4 powered scope with a lighted dot. It handles like a shotgun with an Aimpoint. Both eyes open and on target instantly. The 300 grain hollow point will cut through grass and some twigs without excessive deflection. But it has accuracy to shoot through the gaps and inside of 100 yards and the trajectory is flat. For the fields and open areas, I have a 300 win mag with a Bartelin barrel with a Vortex Strike Eagle 5x25 second focal plane scope. It shoots 168 grain Barnes TTSX bullets at 3200 fps with a 0.375 moa grouping. That is a good round out to my 400 yard limit. My point here is that I do not believe that there is such a thing as the perfect one gun solution. As someone wiser than me once said, Better imperfectly done that left imperfectly undone. So strive for perfection but don't let perfection mess you up. Also, there are not perfect solutions, only tradeoffs. Work to get the best tradeoff you can that works for you.
This is exactly correct. And if looked at from a statistical perspective it should be around 30 samples. The Central Limit Theorem, states that for many datasets, the distribution of the sample means will approximate a normal distribution if the sample size is large enough (often considered as 30 or more).
Loads developed naturally over time, and there are pills that can increase density, velocity, and even volume. It's all about a healthy diet and...... wait.... sorry I misunderstood the topic.
Good point! Shows why cherry picking two shots out of a larger population 1-88, the other two days doing 90 shots-and comparing small sample size of two in statistics is misleading.
I was told by a older guy that was a long range shooter, to choose a powder that will fill the case almost 100% and it will give a more consistent burn
@@jamesfritz5375 rewatch the video if you can. With certain propellants and depending upon your seating depth you can’t achieve that. He doesn’t mean literally filling up your case all the way to the brim and seating a bullet. 100% LD is dictated by available volume inside case with the projectile seated.
Hi there Reloadingallday, I have a burning question that I hope you can help me with. I'm from oversees and the shooting sport over here is totally different that with you guys. Let alone reloading. We have a few ranges all set distances so there is no way we can practice working with our scope. Setting it is a one time thing. As is reloading. When a load is good it's good and never to be toughed again. I'm fairly new in the art of reloading and have a lot of questions but 'nobody' has answers because of the above. "When it's good it's good, so why bother ... why analyse, why question, why think about it any further" seems to be the mentality around here. So maybe you can help me out I hope. I chronographed my load at the barrel : 6.5 creedmoor Hornady Match 140 gr N150 34 gr Vihtavuori Barrel length 24" Twist 1:8 The outcome was after 30 shots: Hi 2568 Low 2531 ES 37 SD 8 So far so good you'd say but now comes the kicker...I really have no idea what these numbers are telling me😂 I tried to find out but there are no references I can find or people who can help me out with that. Is there a simple way you perhaps (or anybody from your subscribers) can explain these numbers and how to put them to work for a better load? I truly hope you can. All the best, John
If you are wanting to learn about case fill and burn, you can learn this from our 1 on 1 course, not the beginners course. We’ve had a few people get confused about this.
I started handloading 40 years ago and developed some very accurate handloads for .270 Winchester, .284 Winchester, .303 British, 7.65X53, 6.5X55, and .308 Winchester among others. All the loads I worked up were for hunting or milsurp rifles none of which could be misconstrued as target rifles. I did all that without knowing a thing about velocity nodes, barrel harmonics, shooting ladders, or which G model to use in calculating the BC of a bullet. What we knew back then was just about any rifle will shoot 1 to 1 1/2 MOA with a quality bullet, a full case of an appropriate powder (load density although we didn't call it that back then), and good shooting habits. The loading manuals had tables of MRT's in the back and we chose one appropriate to the area we would be hunting. I usually sighted my hunting rifles for two hundred yards which was virtually point blank range for any large game animal out to 400 yards. Later on, when I got into shooting milsurps accuracy was still important, of course but even more so was reproducing the same load as the military ammunition so you could use the original iron sights. Take the .303 British for example which I shoot in competitions. The MkVII service round developed 2,440 fps with a 174 gr. flat based spitzer bullet which is what I attempt to reproduce to stay in the iron sights classes.
I am a retired deerstalker. I handloaded for many years, always chasing better accuracy. I eventually decided that constantly testing loads was wearing out my expensive custom barrels. I did not need to shoot better than a half inch at 100 yards, and was never going to headshoot a deer further than 200 yards. For me, consistency was more important than velocity. This is just an observation from an old fart, not intended to be a criticism of someone much smarter than me. I'm just saying that you don't need shoot the nadgers off a gnat accuracy for hunting. Use fieldcraft to get closer, so if there's a problem you can resolve it. Good luck and good shooting to all shooting folk out there.
I'm no expert but I was taught to find a powder that was fast enough to meet my target velocity and at the same time slow enough to have complete case to do it. My load development nothing more than a pressure test. If the biggest charge that didn't give me pressure signs wasn't fast enough I tried another powder. My favorite combo is 46 grains of N150 and 155 grain Lapua Scenar. I have been shooting this load for going on 15 years. Just imagine how many barrels I have gone through in 15 years. It works in any of my rifles(308W), in any condition. It doesn't matter if its my 20 inch AR10 or my 24 inch custom bolt gun. It doesn't matter if a rainy winter day in my deer stand or a hot summer day on the target line. THIS LOAD HAMMERS! This load has works so well for me when I recently spun on a new barrel for my bolt gun, I didn't even bother with load development. I just took old faithful to line, verified with a pressure check, and it hammered as usual.
When I can't find my preferred components, 46 grains of BLC(2) and any 155 grain match bullet is my fall back.
I've been loading three different cartridges lately and agree.
All of them shoot tighter groups with compressed loads. This seems to hold regardless of jump to the lands. My 338WM shoots a 100% density load with a 0.170" jump better than the same load with a 0.020 to 0.030 jump but lower charge density.
This is reloading 101, and I've been doing it for years. It's why Black Powder in big bore straightwall cases yields much more consistent results than smokeless, because of the high load density. I always choose a powder that gives me the most amount of case fill for a reason. Keeps you from constantly chasing your tail.
What powders you recommend for smaller straight walled like 350 LEGEND
I've done so many different kinds of load development in 12 years of reloading and a class with Reloading All Day was literally like pushing the easy button. I'm able to pick a load and run it now. Highly recommend signing up and learn. Your wallet will thank you.
Outstanding information!! Thank you for sharing this with others!! This concept should not be new to people but they like to chase their tail and go around in circles over and over trying to reinvent the wheel. Outstanding information!
Thank you sir!
The urge to splurge is so strong. I’m not a comp shooter, but a hunter. I want to achieve the most confidence in my loads that any given time afield I will yield the same consistency. That being said, I have worked up a load and tested the charge and the depth on different occasions but not since temps have fallen below 65°. I will run 2 more 5 shot groups and if my ES/SD falls short, I do believe I’ll be signing up because I definitely don’t want to go chasing my tail again
Would be more than happy to work with you!
This method has gotten me the closest to my final load, much quicker than all the other methods.. Its worked wonderfully for subsonic and supersonic loads. Its funny, whats old is new again.. ;D
Glad to work with you on it! Can’t believe how long this has been around and forgotten.
It would be easy to fill a case with slow powder (too slow) and have garbage results. I agree that looking for a node in the traditional method is like a dog chasing his tail, but load density is no more a holy grail than "finding a node" is. The real key is efficient combustion. It is kind of like fine tuning a race car engine.
I'm in the middle of deciding how I want to start load development for a new combo of powder and bullet so I've been exploring TH-cam University for different takes on it which is how I found the video. Your info does make a good amount of sense. From information I've picked up on other channels such as Bolt Action Reloading, when he's looking for nodes, he seems to favor those that have 3 shots in that node landing somewhere in the middle. Seems that would help account for those temp changes that can fluctuate your velocities. Having said that, I've taken much more your approach to reloading in the past when components have been hard to find and haven't been disappointed. Glad to know there's an actual reason it worked out for me. ha
I'd like an explanation why many custom rifle builders are offering and demonstrating 1/2" MOA group to 1000 yards using "quality factory ammunition." I've been handloading since the 80s and have used numerous methods to get groups to my satisfaction using custom riflles. In my experience, handloading rendered superior results. I know it's a change of topic but falls under the umbrella of good shooting. Thanks
Just want to thank you again for sharing this knowledge....
You have saved me from chasing my tail on looking for that perfect velocity node....
Just wanted to share that on a powder we were testing for a load there was very notable muzzle flash... on review of the velocity data for that powder load the ES was over 100fps and the SD for the sample size was over 20fps
I attribute that to the powder was not burning completely inside the barrel causing the high ES and SD. So moved on to a different powder...
Good stuff . I agree 100 % . Burn rate and case fill works .
Litz research into case fill percentage clearly showed that low SD can be achieved with low case fill percentage. Indeed the lowest SD in his testing was at 80% case fill.
There are no shortcuts to load development.
Hey Craig! Out of the 5 cartridges tested, just 1, listed at 80% was the lowest SD listed at an SD of 5. 90% was a close 6.
For the other 4 cartridges out of the 5, 90-100% yielded the lowest SD in every single case.
The testing performed was fantastic and very insightful.
If you would like to see the data I have personally collected, among other internal ballistic ballisticians, I really encourage that you reach out or try some of the methods. It’s pretty fascinating!
We have plenty of data shooting 200 rounds consecutively on multiple different days maintaining 6-8 SD, while other lower case fills could not.
I think the better question we need to ask is, is this universal for all cartridges and chamber types? If not, why?
Now if you could just let us know how to obtain the preferred powders it might be worth looking into. But right now I have to make what's available and close to the perfect powder work.
It’s hard right now! I wish powder and primers were back to normal already.
You can make a lot of propellants work, but, there’s certain things that we unfortunately won’t be covering most likely because it’s part of the class. I can say that you’ll have to be willing to jump your bullet a good bit under certain circumstances if the propellant has a low bulk density.
I've been using the same keg of H335 for the last 10 years and it works just fine. Find something that'll give you groups you can cover with your thumbnail @ 100 and run with it.
Unless you're shooting competition (or exterminating flies across a field)
you just don't need anything better than that.
Winning in the wind just came out with a velocity node doesn't work video too. However, his take on achieving SD isn't the same. Love the video btw.
Thanks! Appreciate it. We’ve been talking about it for 2 years on social media so it was about time we finally did it.
I agree with everything you say. I also think you need a better chronograph. You should not have 100+ fps variation in a powder charge.
@@Nanker63 thanks for stopping by and watching the video, hoped you liked it.
As for the variation in speed, it’s an example for the class.
Depending upon the propellant type and load combination, you can most definitely have a wide variation of velocity. Pick up some cheaper factory ammo if you have some time, in .223 and chronograph it, it can be really surprising.
Ok I'm a believer in what you have presented... I also noted that the ES of all three data groups only varied from 34-40 fps.
So is Chris Long's "Optimal Barrel Time" a real thing or not?
Thanks for sharing your knowledge...
So smart & so young --- I'm impressed
Thank you!
This is something we cover in class extensively, but I will propose a question, to yours, that will hopefully help answer it and give you some things to think about.
If it is simply about timing the projectile at a certain point of the whip, how is that possible if all of our rounds have different velocity? That would mean, that each round would exit at a different point in the “whip”.
If one were to propose that it’s about making the harmonic dead by adjusting seating depth, the previous point still applies. the real kicker is that each time you shoot a round, the manner in which way it develops peak pressure, changes the “vibrational pattern,” because each rise to pressure is different. So, how can we tune or predict such a thing if it changes each time?
As a result, we should be asking ourselves, under what conditions does it matter, or not matter? Is it a dominant driver to precision? Is common reloading theories getting the partial truth right, when theirs much larger fish to fry no one talks about? Maybe.
Demand to see data, always.
Hope this helps!
Trying to make gunpowder weapons shoot like lasers. Chasing the one hole group. The struggle is real. However unless you're trying to win competitions, or guarantee first shot bullseyes on targets a mile away, half MOA is perfectly fine for most people under most circumstances.
Anything tighter than that you're splitting hairs and the juice may not be worth the squeeze.
Thank you.
THANK YOU for pointing out the faulting reasoning behind the velocity node crap (and more generally the absolute garbage reasoning that most reloading sources pander). That said, your example data is kinda extreme... it should jump out to everyone that the two groups of velocities are themselves quite spread out (es of 125fps on the left and 85 on the right). BUT that's not unrealistic and your point stands -- folks often just look at the averages to find a "flat spot" and forget that, in this case for example, you'd need ~350 shots in each group to confidently measure a 10fps difference in averages.
The application of statistical reasoning in the reloading world is frightful.
Velocity nodes are a thing, but not necessarily the way some think of it. Usually in competitive discipline circles where everyone is shooting a similar profile barrel, same weight bullets, same brass, powder, etc. people find a load for them that works around "Speed X". So when you take the same components to work up something for your rifle, many people find their load shoots very close to the other guys setup at "Speed X". I used known velocity nodes for my 1st Fclass setup and had a working and now proven load within 4 different powder weights and a couple of sessions at the range. It has now proved itself in competition as well. I was literally right in the middle of what was stated to be the velocity node for my setup.
i.e. A 6.5 CM will shoot 140gr. bullets well around 2700fps with H-4350 out of a 22" barrel. That is a known "velocity node" for that caliber, tell me that's not true.
That's not true.
That’s not true - anecdotal vs science
But the earth is flat and astrology is real
I mean that makes alot of sense when talking about case capacity, generally its right before or just after the 100% CC.
Good info here you'll likely get with experience anyway, as well as talking to the right people. But who doesnt like using a cheat code here and there.
Great information Blake!
Thank you!
QUESTION... You say don't use Quickload to determine load density. Is it not accurate?
How about a node with138 fps node ? Over 3 grain of. Powder
Anyone that knows anything about statistics realizes that the sample size is the most important thing there is.
I chased my tail a LOT until i learned this.
Thank you, Reese!
I wish more fclass shooters would watch these reloading videos.
What's your best guess on how much ADI 2208 ( you know it as varget) should I put behind a Berger 210vld in a 308 palma case. I've got 0.308" of freebore to play with at the front end so I don'tneed much pill in the neck.
And how much in a standard LR winnie case.
Love and kisses from Oz
Hey Oz, there’s a bunch of measurements i would need from you. Shoot me a DM on Instagram and I’ll help out.
Is a velocity node even a thing...if flat spots don't exist?
Makes it sound like, after powder issue, load Dev seems to be just seating depth?
Not hardly.
While I do not contest the veracity of this content (personal experience tends to support it), it seems to me that what happens at the target trumps SD.
I have had many 10 shot strings yield a sub 10 fps SD but they grouped terribly….and some with “unacceptable” SDs that grouped great.
I will concede that a sample size of 10 is not large, but my experience is that poor groups do not get better after more shots (and, yes, good groups generally get larger).
So doesn’t it make more sense to adopt your approach but to make load selection based on what the target says instead of SD? Doesn’t target consistency trump all?
Hey! Thanks for commenting. There’s a reason why groups at 100 Yrds can have very good SD but have terrible groups. A lot of times you’ll hear guys say that at longer distances that SD does not matter, science has physically proved with real life fire it does. Bullets do not magically converge at distance and that has been proven.
To your point about large groups generally don’t get better, but small groups with more rounds fired at the same target generally get bigger proves my exact point in the irony of cherry picking data. Whether On target or on a chronograph.
If one is comparing an N of 1, meaning: 1 group at one specific seating depth with 5 shots, the sample size is 1, being that one is comparing the extreme spread of that one single group at “x” seating depth to another single, five shot group of “y” seating depth. Or even powder charge tests, crimp tests, doesn’t matter.
It’s unfortunately cherry picking small sample size statistics and leading one to believe what they see on target is CONSTANTLY repeatable. As you pointed out, you might have a group get small. But the more shots you shoot at that group, it gets big…spread those shots over multiple groups being fired….you have dispersion.
This concept is applied massively on social media when it comes to load development, cherry picking an n of 1 because the group size is .3 at “x” seating depth but “y” seating depth was .5” so one generally thinks, “it must mean that “x” depth is better”….this insinuates that you would never shoot with “x” seating depth over a .5” group that you saw with “y” seating depth. This is faulty statistics.
Here’s a good example of what I mean that helps explain this a lot better: instagram.com/p/CsAOCVeNs8K/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Now, I will say that if someone’s group is massive. 2-3” at 100, there’s more to worry about than what we are talking about. But if we are comparing a .3” group to a .8” group…that’s dispersion. It’s normal. Shoot more groups, you’ll see your group sizes change. That .8” group, if shot a bunch of times, can get smaller. And the .3” group can get larger. It takes a lot of groups fired on target to see this.
There’s things that lead to the performance of precision of a rifle system. However, the rifle recoils before projectile exits. 0.016” of angular dispersion or less at the muzzle just to keep a 1 MOA group. The shooter is the biggest contributor to precision. Same reason why a .223 Benchrest 20 pound rifle with a brake, will yield more precise groups in the hands of a shooter than a 6 pound 300 win mag that’s a heavy recoiling platform with the same shooter.
So, I think what we should be looking at is the shooter behind the rifle and Newton’s third law, which is the dominant driver.
Hope this can shed some light on how I’m looking at this.
@@Reloadingallday your statement left out the most important over a shooter. Barrel harmonics. You can have a good shooter, good SDs and still have a bad group. You want Low ES as well as low SDs. But to that seating depth is the only way to truly tune a load regardless to Sd or ES.
Shooting at distance requiires low SD, that is the part that comes first, you can tighten the group moving 2 thou at a time and should find the good spot in 6 thou of movement, however dont try that unless the group is 1 moa or better, move 10 thou until at 1 moa or better then do 2 thou movements, hope this helps
You have definitely piqued my interest. I’ve been aware of case fill/load density but never looked at as the measure of consistency. Do I need the Beginners and Advanced course before taking the 1on1 to learn your take on load density and load development?
@@MrTenthlegion nope! If you have handloaded before, the 1-on-1 or advanced load dev class is perfect to discuss these topics. Both are the same price, ones in a class setting, and the other is a 1-on-1, same topics will be discussed. You can head to our website and sign up on the 1-on-1 calendar which is free, to discuss the course and what it all entails.
Do you have a video step by step on how to fined a load for say a 6.5prc or 300prc
Yes. We currently teach classes on how to! Reloadingallday.com in our 1-on-1 or advanced load development class. Both are the same course, same price. Ones a private lesson and ones with other people, you can take your pick
Interesting you Load Density topic. I am guessing that your referring mainly to pistol loading? It's rare that a rifle case would ever be less that 90% full to the base of the projectile. What say yee?
There’s many cartridge/projectile options/ propellant types combinations that would get below 90% based on burn speed.
However, it’s not just solely about case fill. There’s other things in regard to propellant and its burn speed that is vital to this.
So if you cant trust load density information on something like GRT are you saying to just buy every possible powder and see which one fills the case the best? This isn't a sarcastic question or anything like that I truly want to know how to pick a powder that will give me a good SD/ES.
No sir! I teach how to analytically compare propellants for your given setup so you don’t have to test a bunch of different powders.
Does your load density theory work with 45 Colt? Only thing I have found so far is to use a little bit of toilet paper to keep the powder at the primer. This is because of the volume of the case is so large that no smokeless powder could fill the space and still get the job done right (so they say). And being this is the only round I ever expect to hand load I would hate to spend $100 on info that will never benefit me.
I already have all the tools and bullets I will be using so I see no need for the beginning coarse. I only need to know if a smokeless powder could be used to fill the case volume of a 45 Colt and work right. I'll be using the Lehigh 250 grain solid copper Xtreme Penetrator bullets in Star line brass with CCI large pistol primers, being I already have them.
As far as watching for signs of pressure there is no need, being if there was any over pressure signs they would be laying all over the place along with parts of the pistol. After all the 45 Colt has a straight walled case that can handle 44 Magnum pressures as well as the primers. So the gun blowing up in my face would be the first sign of over pressure as far as I can see.
I know a guy that says he knows a guy that pics the powder according to the burn rate and then works up a non-published load from there, but every body else says never ever do so unless you have pressure testing equipment. And as far as I know there is no published load data for slow burning powders for the 45 Colt, so without knowing what you know, is it really possible to find a powder that would fill the case volume of a 45 Colt and work out? or not? Cause if not I would rather spend my money on toilet paper to solve the issue than blow it on none relevant information.
try trail boss.
@@kingropplebopplesoppy2634 yeah, I thought of that, yet the drawback with Trail Boss is that it maxis out on pressure at lower speeds. I use the gun for defense, not only against humans but black bear as well, and want good penetration over accuracy. And therefor, to me, accuracy is not as important than penetration, especially against a bear with thick hide and lots of fat. But, Trail Boss would definitely make good Cow Boy (target) loads.
Makes sense
What powder are you running for your GT? Due to siz of grains of powder itself, I've noticed something like staball 6.5 when filled to around 90% or so case capacity yielded the best results in my efforts.
H4350
Where do you teach reloading?
Links are in the description
Are velocity nodes real? Why would they occur?
They appear due to low sample size testing. Conduct the same ladder test 5 times throughout a given day, your flat spots appear in different places. in other words, it’s placebo.
Question: What is a proper sample size?
Usually a minimum of 1,000
I have a couple of hoppers that always have the same powders, mostly CFE pistol and CFE black. My reloading room is conditioned all year round. So I stopped reloading for 6 months and now back at it. What are your thoughts on using the powder in the hoppers after prolonged storage in hopper?
Hey Don! Have a video here on the topic: th-cam.com/video/A7EkjXwgkB0/w-d-xo.html
I was a young kid back in 1975 when my dad taught me how to reload. He was forever chasing new loads without any real plan or methodology. The information available was minimal at best. It did not help that his main reason to reload was to save money. I have heard a lot of different theories over the past 49 years and I have learned that internal and external ballistics are... well complicated. One needs to be careful in stating absolutes as there are so many variables. In general the information you have given is old time and good. Fill the case and minimize the variability. One grain variation on a 70 grain charge is 1.4 % of a load. 1 grain on a 40 grain charge is 2.5%. Powder charges depend on weight and not volume. Powder can expand and contract with different levels of moisture or humidity. So it is important to try to load in a stable / consistent environment. Very low charges can be dangerous for the very reason you showed where the powder from a low load slides to the front of the cartridge a much larger surface area of the charge is exposed to the flash of the primer. All the powder burns from the side all at once instead of a controlled burn from the back of the powder column. This ties into your recommendations of a full cartridge as the burn rate of a full cartridge is consistent from the bottom up. A low volume charge can have variable surface areas of exposed powder and burn rates and pressure can vary accordingly. Neck pressure can vary and cases with variable neck tensions can cause different bullet release pressures. The Lee load manual and other sources comment on how a crimp can standardize bullet release pressures and may lead to better accuracy. Finally, no bullet is perfect and all will cause the barrel to wobble / create harmonics. The speed and weight of the bullet will cause the harmonics or vibrations to change like a finger on a guitar string. So there are harmonics and thus there are nodes. The trick is to pick the right spot on the harmonic cycle. Think shooting a swinging bottle at the end of a string. The apparent movement of the bottle is at the slowest and actually stops at the moment of direction reversal on the far left and right of the swing. Choosing a load in the middle of this barrel swing will allow for the greatest absorption of other variables (think hot / cold, elevation and humidity) without affecting the the zero of your group. As a hunter this is what I am after. I could care less if after 3 fouler shots and a number of other shots, I can finally hit a plate out at 700 yards. I want a gun that can fire a round that can then do its job on the first shot. So, you may know all of what I have stated, just be careful that you do not oversimplify. What I have learned over the years is this. 1. Identify what you want to accomplish. Is it realistic and doable? For deer hunting, I use two guns, a Marlin 1895 45-70 that is capable of 0.75 moa with a 300 grain hollow point. I use it inside of 200 yards. It is zeroed for 75 yards has a 1x4 powered scope with a lighted dot. It handles like a shotgun with an Aimpoint. Both eyes open and on target instantly. The 300 grain hollow point will cut through grass and some twigs without excessive deflection. But it has accuracy to shoot through the gaps and inside of 100 yards and the trajectory is flat. For the fields and open areas, I have a 300 win mag with a Bartelin barrel with a Vortex Strike Eagle 5x25 second focal plane scope. It shoots 168 grain Barnes TTSX bullets at 3200 fps with a 0.375 moa grouping. That is a good round out to my 400 yard limit. My point here is that I do not believe that there is such a thing as the perfect one gun solution. As someone wiser than me once said, Better imperfectly done that left imperfectly undone. So strive for perfection but don't let perfection mess you up. Also, there are not perfect solutions, only tradeoffs. Work to get the best tradeoff you can that works for you.
There is no flat spot. Hornadys podcast on sample size showed this. Sample size is too small. You need 20rnds each to get reliable data.
Hey Jonathan! That’s exactly the point in the video that I am pointing out and I 100% agree with you. Misunderstanding?
I tried to explain this to a guy that I know. I talked until I was blue in the face. And he still insist that five shots is all that is needed.
@@Reloadingallday agreeing with you :)
This is exactly correct. And if looked at from a statistical perspective it should be around 30 samples. The Central Limit Theorem, states that for many datasets, the distribution of the sample means will approximate a normal distribution if the sample size is large enough (often considered as 30 or more).
Why I’m I 60 years old and hearing this for the first time?
Velocity nodes aren't real
more of a SMP guy myself.....😅😅😅
Loads developed naturally over time, and there are pills that can increase density, velocity, and even volume. It's all about a healthy diet and...... wait.... sorry I misunderstood the topic.
😂
Ok you said you were ready for the roast. Your links to your paid lessons don't work. Boom. Roasted.
haha you got me. Just fixed them. thanks for the heads up.
lol.....fuckkkkkkkkkkkk - got him - sorry blake
SD is 8.1 but shots 89-90 was 16
Good point! Shows why cherry picking two shots out of a larger population 1-88, the other two days doing 90 shots-and comparing small sample size of two in statistics is misleading.
So just fill the case all the way????
Not entirely.. there is a method to the madness.
Absolutely not.
I was told by a older guy that was a long range shooter, to choose a powder that will fill the case almost 100% and it will give a more consistent burn
@@jamesfritz5375 rewatch the video if you can. With certain propellants and depending upon your seating depth you can’t achieve that. He doesn’t mean literally filling up your case all the way to the brim and seating a bullet. 100% LD is dictated by available volume inside case with the projectile seated.
@@jamesfritz5375 you need to find a propellant that will allow you to achieve high case fill and not exceed pressure. We teach how to do this.
Hi there Reloadingallday, I have a burning question that I hope you can help me with.
I'm from oversees and the shooting sport over here is totally different that with you guys. Let alone reloading.
We have a few ranges all set distances so there is no way we can practice working with our scope. Setting it is a one time thing. As is reloading. When a load is good it's good and never to be toughed again.
I'm fairly new in the art of reloading and have a lot of questions but 'nobody' has answers because of the above.
"When it's good it's good, so why bother ... why analyse, why question, why think about it any further" seems to be the mentality around here.
So maybe you can help me out I hope.
I chronographed my load at the barrel :
6.5 creedmoor
Hornady Match 140 gr
N150 34 gr Vihtavuori
Barrel length 24"
Twist 1:8
The outcome was after 30 shots:
Hi 2568
Low 2531
ES 37
SD 8
So far so good you'd say but now comes the kicker...I really have no idea what these numbers are telling me😂
I tried to find out but there are no references I can find or people who can help me out with that.
Is there a simple way you perhaps (or anybody from your subscribers) can explain these numbers and how to put them to work for a better load?
I truly hope you can.
All the best,
John
I want to see you go dick to dick with Primal Rights. Similar styles and delivery. Love it man