Load testing

[Don McDowell]

I was asked the other day "how do you guys find time to always be testing these powders and stuff, why I only shoot maybe 15 lbs a year"

Well didn't really have a good answer at the time, but after some consideration I think I have it figured out.
Questioner is a hell of a good rifleman and is blessed with the natural ability. But I can see why he wouldn't have the time to mess with stuff like some of us do. He lives in town, has to gather everything up and drive 20 minutes to the range. Just that in itself is enough to discourage the time and such that it takes to "test" something new. Then you have to consider what's at the range when you get there, on the weekends there's all manner of stuff going on, and it may not be possible to get a spot to set down and take your time with "testing".
Where folks such as myself and others can basically slip out the back door and crank a few rounds off. If they don't seem up to snuff it's no big deal to go back to the bench and make a change or two in the load and back out the door and do it all over again. We can wait to get the perfect conditions to chronograph or shoot for group, we're not constrained to what's available when we get to the range.
As I told him at the time, sometimes we don't shoot much at all, other times we keep the UPS truck rolling up and down the road delivering components.
I feel very fortunate to be able to shoot the way and when I want to.

[Kurt]

Don,

I dont find time I make time.

I just brought the 14'th empty can of 2F Olde E not counting the KIk up from the loading room. The second case I started at the end of last month.

I been spending a lot of time working with the .44-100 and burned a lot of powder and primers trying to figure out why my 100 went to sleep on me. With all of this work I really got to understand what this O-E powder characteristics is. It definitely shows a clear pattern with all of the three shot ladder groups from zero compression to very heavy I have been running through using 4 different types and weight of bullets. I can shoot just outside of my front door but I dont in the warm weather when my Neighbors are home and they might have their windows open and it is a pain loading the truck and running down to the range, but I make time to get my rifles shooting the best they are capable of.

Kurt

[Gunlaker]

My trip to the range takes nearly an hour, unless I am at the cabin where it's about ten minutes. I have access to only 200m. I try to get to the range twice a week. I am considering switching to a range that has stands out to 300m but it'll increase the commute to nearly an hour and a half. I'd love to have access to long range just outside my door!

Most of the guys I shoot with wonder how I have the time to mess with so many details. I tend to take my hobbies pretty seriously and am lucky to have a wife that's understands how much this stuff means to me :-)

I've got no complaints at all, life is good!

Chris.

[Old Jim]

I'm one of the "load it in the truck and go to the range" guys. Its a 20 min. drive over hard black-top roads. But when I go is during the weekdays, no one else around, mainly because its a private range and I have 100 to 600 yard targets to test my loads on. Ol' Dave and I are the only BPCR guys for miles around and if somebody does showup when we're there, its a lesson in "My God How Do You Guys Do That", some gratification in our sport .

Jim

[Lumpy Grits]

I'm one of the "load it in the truck and got to the range" guys. Its a 20 min. drive over hard black-top roads. But when I go is during the weekdays, no one else around, mainly because its a private range and I have 100 to 600 yard targets to test my loads on. Ol' Dave and I are the only BPCR guys for miles around and if somebody does showup when we're there, its a lesson in "My God How Do You Guys Do That", some gratification in our sport .

Jim

Pretty much the same here Jim.
My range is 15 minutes from the house at 4K'(asl) and gets me away from some of the summer heat in the Mojave.
I only shoot during the week as there are many 'comps' during the weekends and I want to spend time with my wife, Barbara.
Gary

[chaneylake]

I am one of the lucky ones, shooting bench is 20 feet from my back door, I have targets at 100, 200 and 300 yards, have all the materials for a 500 yard target, just have not taken the time to weld her up