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« Last post by Tomahawk on April 20, 2025, 09:19:07 AM »
I have very limited experience working up a cartridge hand load, but I knew what bullet I wanted to use and that I wanted to use a specific powder if possible because my brother-in-law had 3 pounds of it extra that he didn’t have use for, so as long as we could get decent results I would use it. So the only variables we were testing was grains and bullet depth. I understand the most basic rudimentary concept of load development, but I’m looking for some guidance as to where to begin.
Obviously 2 of the most important variables I should test are bullet diameter and powder volume. I normally shoot either 50 grains of shuitzen 3f or goex 2f behind red/white pillow ticking (I gotta get a new caliper, mine bit the dust a while back) and round balls I make myself with the .390 Lee mold that came with my gun, which is a custom .40 with a Douglas barrel and hamm lock.
If you’re wondering why my powders vary, 15 years ago I was in a college fraternity that had a “cannon” that we shot off at football games and I bought 10 pounds so I could shoot it at my family’s 4th of July party that got rained out and it’s been in my dads gun safe ever since. Since I have all that powder anyway my stingy self has been using it when plinking/practicing. I shoot the shuitzen at the monthly club shoots because it seems a bit more reliable. I always prime with the 3f because I have not been able to get my hands on any 4f.
I had planned on ordering some hornady .395 balls, figuring they’ll outshoot my molded .390 and, like with the powder (assuming it will outshoot the homemades) shoot the .395s at club shoots and the homemades be a cost effective plinking practice option.
Up to this point ive had the best luck spit-patching…. Would have hoped to continue that, at least for this load, which I intend to be 25 yards and around 50g… a range load. Later I’ll consider something greased when I make a hunting load with 100+ grains.
So I guess my questions are, how should I approach this? I understand that I should make multiple targets and label each with whatever that specific load is,x brand of powder, ff/fff/ffff, x amount of grains, x diameter ball, x patch and shoot each from the bench. I like the idea of sticking to spit patching because it seems like, after a first fouling shot, that my bore condition would be roughly the same, right? Is there a good reason not to spit patch if it reliably ignights in my gun? Is there any reason to try anything different as far as my patch goes? Seems like everyone shoots pillow ticking…
What variable should I test first? is there anything I’m overlooking? What question should I have asked and didn’t.
Thanks in advance, Jay
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