Haugenna,

I've tested a lot of loads in the past 50+ years. I've learned a few things and because I'm hard headed, I've had to learn some of them twice. I have seen cases over and over where a half grain difference in powder has made a tremendous difference in the results I get on paper both in group size and sometimes in group location. I have also seen that rare rifle that shoots them all into the same place, the groups all run about the same size until you hit the magic load and then a three shot group from a .30-06 can be covered with a dime. But that rifle is even rarer than the do do bird. Or have been for me. When I first started, I'd tried the severals. Several different powders, primers, bullets and cases. Due to the results of my test, it didn't take long until I was down to one make of cases, Winchester. Primers were, and still are, CCI. For a long time the bullet was Sierra, but that is no longer so. I think the Sierra quality has slipped while the other bullet makers have improved their product. Since I'm down to just a few rifles, I shoot Nosler Ballistic Tips in my .22-250 and Nosler Accubond in everything else. Working up new loads has gotten easier since I now use the Hodgdon extruded powder that come closest too filling the case and the other components named. But it is still by the ladder method and in half grain increments. I hope that this is of some help.