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I'll be working up a .303 load with N140 (when my bullets arrive ) and the Viht listing shows a starting point of 38.4 grains. I know that I should work up from there but in what increments?

TIA

Watcher

.3 stepsfor safe increases

I usually work in .2 or .3 grain increments however some will go to .5 grains. Given that 41 grains is going to be an absolute maximum load for a .303 with N140 (For me at least!) I would say .2 grains maybe .25 and shoot a couple of fouling shots and then do a ladder test at 200 or shoot for groups at 100, both need to be done off a sandbag or similar. I prefer ladder loading but I shoot 'scoped rifle most of the time.

ovenpaa wrote:I usually work in .2 or .3 grain increments however some will go to .5 grains. Given that 41 grains is going to be an absolute maximum load for a .303 with N140 (For me at least!) I would say .2 grains maybe .25 and shoot a couple of fouling shots and then do a ladder test at 200 or shoot for groups at 100, both need to be done off a sandbag or similar. I prefer ladder loading but I shoot 'scoped rifle most of the time.

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How long a ladder do you use Dave?
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&cl ... ,r:23,s:21

I go up in half grain increments and the refine around the best group 2/10ths of a grain. Quicker and takes less components.

BTW thats if you are shooting 5 shot plus groups, 2/10th gn increments for the ladder method but I think you need at least 300 yrds for that.

Thanks chaps.

dromia wrote:BTW thats if you are shooting 5 shot plus groups, 2/10th gn increments for the ladder method but I think you need at least 300 yrds for that.

Agreed, ladder testing works best further out, ideally 600 but given that the rifle is fitted with battle sights (Assumption) I would say a shorter distance, 300 would be fine.

I'm working these loads for a No. 4 to start with; iron sights. Once I've got this sorted then I'll move on to the SMLE and then my TR. Again all iron. Thinking its probably more sensible to work for groups at a 100 yards.