bullet weight for 9 minor loads

[tomv]

I've been reviewing old posts to find a good load for my STI DVC Steel gun. It seems that the most popular strategy is to use a light bullet with slow powder to get the comp to work efficiently. I'm currently using Zero 115 JHP over 6.7 HS6  @1.135 (PF 134). I've also tried up to 7.5 gr of HS6 @1.155 (PF151). The 7.5 gr load has a heavier recoil but is a little flatter than the lighter load and I think I'm a little faster with that one.

I'm using 124 gr Prec Delta JHP for my open gun and am thinking about standardizing on that bullet and HS6 for both applications. Any thoughts or recommendations on this?

 

 

 

 

 

[Hi-Power Jack]

I've done a little experimentation with this issue - but hardly an expert.

 

I've found that the faster loads (HS6 or WAC) is usually flatter, but the slower loads

with the same powder felt softer and were quieter.

 

Both were fine - really had no preference, personally.

 

Just a personal choice kind of decision.     

[10X]

I can't answer your specific question, but something I've found very helpful in load development is to test the various loads in a randomized, blind trial fashion.    OK, maybe I'm the only one who tests like I'm running a clinical trial, but it's worked well for me, particularly for precision load development.

 

Load up whatever you want for side-by-side testing.   If you can't distinguish the loads visually, have someone else note what the loads actually are, but put them in boxes labeled only A, B, C, etc.  (if you can distinguish the loads visually, the best you can do is have someone else load your mags and keep track of what you've been given, while you do your best not to cheat and look at the loads).   Shoot a lot of groups, or strings (I always do at least 5, 5 shot groups for precision loads), depending on what you are developing loads for, but shoot them in random order.   That is, don't shoot up all of your A loads before moving on the the B loads, etc.   Randomizing reduces the effects of fatigue as you progress through the groups.   Note only the letter code associated with each group or string.  For precision load development, since I'm not concerned with time, I just write the letter on each individual target, then come home to measure the group sizes.     Calculate the averages, and the standard deviations.   Don't throw out fliers, unless you called a shot as bad before you looked at the data.  Only after all of the shooting is complete do you unblind the study, and associate the actual load with the groups or string or chrono data.

 

Why bother with all of this?   Because it can lead you to better loads that you wouldn't have expected to find.   Everyone has biases, expectations of what is likely to perform better, and there is a tendency to try a little harder with the ammo you expect, or want, to be the best.   I've experienced it many times; shooting expensive factory ammo against cheaper stuff; the expensive isn't always best in a given gun.    Or shooting your old reliable bullets against reloads made with more expensive, hard to find bullets.  The unobtanium heads may just perform so much better that they're worth the extra effort to find.   You may never know, unless you test in the blind.

Edited December 8, 2017 by 10X

[CamboSoup22]

It seems like you’re on the right path to figuring out what works for you. @10X really summed it up very well. I’m not as clinical as he is in load development by I enjoy finding the right load for a specific gun. My open pistol is similarly built compared to your Dvc steel. I run major pf in mine though. Currently it’s a toss up between aa7 and silhouette for major. I’ll be working on a minor load as well to run for steel matches. I’ll try to remember to share with you if I finalize on something. I’ll probably try yours as well.