load testing, how should I start?

[corey012778]

I am hoping to get to the range eather sat. or tues. (if I don't have to be in early for my second job and the weather is good) and do a little load testing with some budget packaged sabots/bullets combos ($6 - $12 packs of 20 or more). I need to know where to start.

use my best hunting load as a base line?

do i do a full cleaning between load test?

number of shots per test rounds?

do I fire the load that I have been working on to check see if my sight held?

I need to goto the range anyway to get my final rifle ready and wanting to save my the bullets/sabots for hunting seasons.

one more thing. what brand sabots are the hornady's muzzleloaders combo come with?

a lot I want to do and so little money lol

[alleyyooper]

WhatI did is see what is allowed in my state first.
Chose My bullets & powder from listening to what others in the sportsman club & rangeused. This forum worked to doing a search for all information for my rifle and cal.
Started at 75gr. of powder worked up in 3 shot groups to a tight group. Tried a few more at a higher amount of powder and saw the groups open up so went back to the 80 grain load.
Swabed between each shot withdamp patch and dry patch.
After I found the tighest grouping load combo, I shot a few to see if the group opened up with out swabing. They did open up after two shots.
Buy loose powder, loose bullets and loose sabots to save money over prepackaged stuff.

Al

[dmurphy317]

If you need to do a final sight in with the load you plan to hunt with I would do that first.

Then I would do a quick clean between bullet types and just swab between bullets for the experimenting. Don't worry to much about where the other bullets are hitting just look at how they group as you adjust the powder load. Shoot at least 3 good shots (reshoot known pulled shots) at each powder level to see how they group. Note what shot best for each bullet for future reference so you can come back and verify on another range session. Most important is to don't get into a hurry and have fun, and don't forget to document what worked.

Good luck.

[sabotloader]

corey012778

one more thing. what brand sabots are the hornady's muzzleloaders combo come with?

They will come with a MMP sabot - but therein lies a problem... The MMP sabots supplied will often be the HPH-12 variety (if you are shooting a 45 cal bullet in a 50 cal sabot) and the 12 is to large(thick) for some (most)guns. With that in mind you might find it a stuggle to get the combination down the barrel. Just for information MMP make 3 different thicknesses of sabots - you need to find the one that fits your gun best probably a HPH-24

I would always recommend that you purchase a box of reloading bullets if your choice and sabots separately. If you purchase TC sabots of a vendors rack they will be HPH-24's. Less expensive than buying bubble packs.

Since you are an SKS fan you might want to pick up a box of Hornady 10mm 200 grain XTP's and a couple of packs of MMP HPH-40/50 cal blue sabots. This bullets rocks along at near 2000 fps and is deadly on deer + it is very accurate. I shoot them from my ML's with a 110 grains of T7-2f getting 2200fps. I use them to hunt peepers like a varmint gun, Lemoynehas used them on deer and hogs with great success. I still use either Nosler's 260 grain or Gold Dots 250 grain.

[lemoyne]

One of the things I like to recommend to some one at the beginners stage is to get a number of different sabots having just the right sabot is just as important to good accuracy as the right powderload or the right bullet.
I often take the breach plug out of a new gun and try sabot and bullet combos by just pushing them throughit helps by eleiminating the ones that are to tight or to loose stay away form the too loose ones they can cause problems[even barrel obstructions] I have found if they are tight but will still slide down smooth they will usually shoot with the right bullet and powder load.
If eitherthe blue sabot and the 200gr 40 cal XTP or the 200 gr Shock Wave fit your gun right I would recommend them, also to try MMP 12 and HPH 24 for fit if the 24 is to tight try the Harvestor Crush Rib in the majority of guns one of these will fit but as Sabotloader said there are others if needed. Most TC will end up with the HPH 24 although a lot of the new Triumph are using the Crush Rib most Knights that I know of end up shooting best with the 12, the CVA might use any of them as might the Triditions.
A lot of people favor one bullet or another ,I favor the40 cal bullets and blue sabots because I have never ha a inline they did not shoot better than anything else at long range with and have done an excellant job on the game I have used the on. I would also recommend the 250 and 300 Gold Dot [Speer ][Work well at a wide range of velocity] and the Shock Waves[Good for long range and high velocity] and the XTP with the exception of the 40 cal 200gr which is a good long range bullet I would recommend for the up to 18 fps [meddium velocity and will open well at lower velocity.
What all the other guys said is good advice, you sort of have to bring it all together to give your self a more complete picture and remember even to guns which look th same will shoot different loads because of MZ have a wide range of tolorances on barrel diameters and the harmonics [barrel whip when fired] will be different.
Also remember that when you take a gun dowm you can chage a lot of things by changing the tension on the stock to barrel and action screws. I suggest a torque screw driver and 28 inch pounds. Lee

[corey012778]

ORIGINAL: sabotloader
Since you are an SKS fan

damn you got a good memory or I have said it alot. I did not say anything in this thread about the sks, it is the last gun I got to sight. when I get a little cash, and a little time, I may try that.

[gleason.chapman]

ORIGINAL: corey012778

I am hoping to get to the range eather sat. or tues. (if I don't have to be in early for my second job and the weather is good) and do a little load testing with some budget packaged sabots/bullets combos ($6 - $12 packs of 20 or more). I need to know where to start.

use my best hunting load as a base line?

do i do a full cleaning between load test?

number of shots per test rounds?

do I fire the load that I have been working on to check see if my sight held?

I need to goto the range anyway to get my final rifle ready and wanting to save my the bullets/sabots for hunting seasons.

one more thing. what brand sabots are the hornady's muzzleloaders combo come with?

a lot I want to do and so little money lol

The absolute cheapest way to go to do "bullet testing" for accuracy is to buy bulk sabots from MidSouth Shooters Supply, I buy these:

Harvester Crush Rib: http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00072H15045BR

Harvester shot black: http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00072H5045SB

MMP Sabots: http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0021150045HPH

I would buy the 300g Gold Dots: http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000213974

the 300g Hornady: http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000345235

TC SW with SuperGlide Sabot: http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000308215

Sabots are the cheapest way to improve accuracy, not bullets. Bulk bullets are the way to go, Speer Gold Dots are bonded so they stay together and do not fragment. Try different sabots with the different bullets. Chap

[corey012778]

ORIGINAL: corey012778

do a little load testing with some budget packaged sabots/bullets combos ($6 - $12 packs of 20 or more)

I see where some confusion came in to this, 3 am worked all day had make sure something was done before going to bed. it happens.

I just want to get one more time at the range hunting season to check every thing and try to go by myself, I would get more time to do all I want to do.

I was wanting to test clams mainly from two T/C packaged vs mag express with 240 xtp. one was the sure fire sabots with a 230 gr hp the other was a 240 all lead hp with the mag express.

sorry for the confusion.

I am planning to goto bulks after the season is over.

thanks for the sites chap

thanks for the load idea and the info on the sabots sabotloader, I was really going to fallow this test up with an test for a varmint load.

and I stombled into my hunting load while sighting in my scope
85 grs pryodex p, 240 xpt with mag express at 50 yrds center maybe 2" high, can't tell you my only 100 yrd, it got late, just did a quick shot and packed up to go. but looked, 2" high at 100 yrds, not right

[gleason.chapman]

ORIGINAL: corey012778

but looked, 2" high at 100 yrds, not right

2" high at 100 is about perfect. Perfect is 3" high at 100 yards then your shooting thru a 6" pipe out to nearly 175 to 200 yard with most bullets. Chap