Loading and logbooks

[bgary]

I want to improve my skills at distance this year, and am thinking through a couple of things. Would welcome insights from the far-more-experienced...

1) My normal mode for working up a load is to load 10 each of a variety of permutations (charge and seat-depth) and take them to the range. The problem is I live some 45 minutes from the range, and so I can really only test one thing at a time, then go home with what I think I've learned, load up more, and make another trip. Every once in a while I see old-timers with a single-stage press clamped to an empty shooting bench, hand-crafting rounds on the spot. Anyone here done that while working up a load? I was thinking I could do my case-prep/trim/size/prime at home, and with two single-stage presses bolted to a 2x6, I could work on seating depth and crimp at the range. With a decent wind-guard around the scale, I could experiment with different powder-weights as well. Anyone do that? Is it worth the effort? Or are there different things I can do at home (sinclair catalog is wide open!) to make it so I have fewer things I have to test at the range to get to that magic load?

2) what do y'all use for a log book? And what info do you log in it? Do you (for example) log every round, or just the key things you learned/observed during a shooting session? I'm thinking there's relatively low value in recording (for example) that I pulled shot #15 out of the group at 600 yards; but probably a great deal of value in recording that at such-and-such temperature, my 60-degree zero was 1/2-MOA low at 600. Etc. I guess my main question is, which bits of information are the most useful to you, and how do you organize them?

Thx...

Edited November 25, 2010 by jakers

[soaringf22]

I do things very unorthdox but I have about the same kind of travel to the range as you. a good response would be bring a chrono and find the load with low SD and low ES as they wil give you good long range consistency. Well I've never chrono'd my loads. I picked a length (shooting .308) and loaded every bullet to that same length. Then picked 3 powders and then started middle of the road load from a manual then worked up .2 at a time till i got a little over what the manual says. sometimes faster is flatter but sometimes flatter isnt better so thats why i go over. then I shoot 5 rounds of each bullet i loaded at 100 yards starting from the lowest charge. then i mark down which was the best feel shooting(calling shot+recoil) then I measure the groups and mark them down. then clean the gun and go to the next powder bullet combo. my load ended up being less then hodgdon max but it was a great median for recoil and group size and just plain consistant. so thats how i got my load.

as far as a log book heres where load testing can be a problem. if you have a benchrest rifle that barrel life is 800 rounds you cant waste 100 of them in load development. I only keep mental note of round counts and other deviations because in certain matches you really cant stop and log info plus if you are shooting somewhat rapid it would be too hard to blame the bullet/gun. But I have shot .308s before and barrel life is phenomenal so it doesnt bother me to much. When I build a 6mm BR I will keep better track because it wont be a mildot scope at unknown distances. So i would record every factor from click adjustments from every distance plus keep it written where you are sighted in for to not forget next time out. To record how the barrel shoots after cleaning/cold bore shooting. Also on paper your scope should take say 4 clicks to go from 100yrds to 600yrds. but you wont know if that may be true till you prove it yourself. Also in a major match brian farts kick in and you might forget your dope from 600 yards to 1000 yards, now you have a reference manual. So yes a log book is a great tool and worth anything you put in it

[Rob01]

Check out this little data book write up by Tony at Impact Data Books. Might help you a little. Impact Data Books makes an excellent book that is modular so you can get the target pages you want and not what someone thinks you need.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2111544#Post2111544

They also do reloading pages

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2156593#Post2156593

And reticle hold pages

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2036477#Post2036477

And stick on dope charts for your rifle.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1791430#Post1791430

[ShooterSteve]

If you load with a little arbor press, wilson dies, and a harrells powder measure, load developement at the range is very easy.

[Heshin]

1. I usually load up 5 - 10 different varieties of loads (5 rounds each) generally about .2 grain difference in powder with a common COAL and choose from those which work best. Then I start working on COAL and really dialing in the round.

2. I use Shot Data Systems for all my log book needs, its easy as I can print what I need when I need it.

[Graham Smith]

The problem is I live some 45 minutes from the range, and so I can really only test one thing at a time, then go home with what I think I've learned, load up more, and make another trip.

I face a similar problem so I'll tell you what has been suggested to me by someone who is an old hand at this. When he goes to the range, he takes prepped and primed brass, bullets, powder(s), electronic scale, calipers, and a Lee Hand Loader (the one the looks like a nut cracker) and he makes his ammo on the spot. He records everything in a plain notebook (like a school composition book).

[ClutchUSMC]

I am a big fan of the snipercentral log books. http://www.snipercentral.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=28

15 bucks and plenty of pages, with everything you need.

[Avezorak]

I built my own logbook using MS Excel spreadsheet. Super easy to add data and easy to find data without having to shuffle a bunch of papers...

[Boats]

I always work up new loads at the range Carry primed cases and a Lee Nutcracker hand tool to seat the bullets. My logbook loads only is a Sinclair bet it's 20 years old and worth it's weight in gold. Individual rifle I look sight settings in a small book carried in it's dedacated case. Sight settings on every one is pasted to the side of the stock too.

Boats