RR...

We could almost agree on this and if a communication barrier of some sort didn't exist we'd be in near lock step.....

The "accuracy nodes" as you put it, for whomever's benifit that needs it, are when the muzzle of the barrel is at it's calmest point of occilation during the resonation of the harmonics. It's at that instant that you want the bullet to exit the barrel and that condition occurs at several points in the work up.

What I'm looking for is the highest velocity "node" I can find before the load peaks at too much pressure. I've proven many times over in the rifles that I've tested, which btw range from bedded premium customs to as issued factory, that once this is found it becomes very variable tolerant. The load is not AS sensitive to weather changes, the load is not AS sensitive to lot number changes, and is not AS sensitive to case capacity differences.

If the OCW load work up is done properly then it is PROVEN that pressure differences within that particular "node", or 'sweetspot"will not cause the bullet to impact out of the expected "group". This in effect RECREATES the variable that weather changes, case capacity differences, ect., put on a load. If three consecutive increases of powder charge weight, sometimes four, do not cause the bullet to swing out of the test "group", then it's easy to realize that50 or60 degrees of temperature diifference will not affect it either, and I've proven in my rifles thatit DOESN'T. I've proven in my rifles that a spread of different case weights out of the same box of brass will not cause a noticable difference either, different lot #'s don't matter, yada, yada yada.....

This is NOT to say that keeping things as close to perfect isn't prudent, because the more you CAN reduce variables the better the whole system probablyis. The whole thing though can be done overboard, and knowing where theline of diminishing returns begins, is valuable. Many reloaders do go overboard and get carried away....

I'll repeat...it STARTS with knowledgeable informedchoices of bullet, brass, powder and primer....stabs in the dark don't work well for the most part. From there it's a simple matter ofmanipulating the physics of the entire system to work to your advantage.

What OCW work up has done for me is:

1.) Make me decide that weighing cases is a waste of time providing I've bought a fresh box of Lapuas to draw from, when those are dead and dying, I buy a new box.

2.) Make me decide that primer pockets are fine the way are, flash holes are fine the way they are, and the only real case prep I need to do is an initial trim to make sure that's consistent on virgin brass. I only check it after the third or fourth firing.....

3.) it's made me decide that I don't need toclean brass beyond a quick dunk in IOSSO if the cases might show contamination that would harm my chamber. The interior of the case concerns me none. I'll still clean primer pockets but that's just an old habit I still haven't convinced myself to try and quit.

4.) it's made me decide thatan ever soslight bump of the shoulder in a FL die is all the sizing a case needs and I've gotten rid of all my neck dies. Life is just much simpler knowing my cases are going to chamber every time.

5.) it's made me realize that, even though I still weigh every charge, volume measured charges can and do work very well despite the risked variable of different charge weights across the board.

6.) it's allowed me to realize that the barrel is tuned to a given bullet weight, and in most cases, as long as profiles and B.C.'s are close, a load can be used with at least two different bullets. I call them "swap" loads. An example is my 30-06 that shoots 168 TSX's and 168 Hornady Match into the same point of impact/aim through out the tragectory curve,with no need to make adjustments to thezero for either bullet.....all year long. Same charge weight all year long, no fuss, no muss. I can use the same drop chart for either bullet and twist turrets out to at least 500 yards with that rifle and still maintain at least 1/2 MOA with both bullets. The only differences are that when switching over to TSX's for hunting season I clean the barrel very good, but that's a needof the TSX's, not the load itself. The other difference is that the TSX's are seated to within .050 of the lands and theMatch are seated to within .030...I attribute that mostly to aknats azz difference in bullet profile resulting from the slightly shorter length of the Match. Their not kissing lands becasue of mag box dimensions.I offered this load to a friend of mine down South and he had the exact same results in HIS 30-06, right down to the size of the groups. He even took it a step further and tried a slightly faster burning powder for the hell of it,and was able to get the same two bullets to swap with that load.Another swap load was my 25-06 with 115 TSX's and 115 Nosler ballistic tips, another is my son's .243 with 85 gr TSX's and85 gr Sierra HP's....and on and on. Proven hands downby lots of spent primers.

I'm currently waiting for a rifle to return from my 'smith that's being rechambered Ackley Improved, I'll gladly document my load work up in that rifle and can confidently state right now what the components will be for a succesful OCW load. Lapua Brass, Federal standard primers, RL-15, 85 grain TSX's and 85 grain Sierra BTHP's in a swap. Of course we'll hafta wait out a lot of woodchuck killin', deer killin' and steel swingin' with fireforming loads before the real R&D begins.....

I simply cannot deny myself what I've already proven to work.......