Process to find best load
I will be switching over to TC Cheap Shots and Tripple 7 loose powder this year. I'm planning a trip to the rifle range to re-sight this week. I am switching to save $, allow for more shooting, and hopefully better blood trails. My gun is a CVA Optima V1.
Having only used pellets and one bullet up till now, there was really no need for much shooting. Now that I'm changing and have more flexibility with the loose powder, what should my process be?
I've read quite a bit on here and seems like a lot of folks suggest starting w/ 80 grain (equivalent) of Tripple 7 and work up from there in 5 gr increments. I figure 3 shots with each load to see how it groups? How many shots before I clean the breech plug and barrel?
Can i shoot a group of 3, then clean, then next group of 3 at higher load of powder, then clean, etc? I don't really want to clean between each shot in a group of 3, but I have to think shot #2 and #3 in a group would be less accurate without cleaning.
I have a tendency to over think and over clean. What do you guys do when you want to really dial in a load at the range? I previously have at least swabbed my barrel with a wet patch between each shot, but I don't really know if that is necessary.