Winter load

[Radar13]

Hey guys, I have only been reloading a couple of years and have a lot to learn, so here I am with a question
Do you guys bump up the charge on your loads for winter use? a winter load and a summer load, the reason I ask is this fall I worked up a load for my Tikka 22-250, a 55 gr Nosler Varmageddon with H380 at 35.5 gr
My groups are clover leafs and are 3381fps, I also found that 34.0 gr of IMR 4895 shot just as well at 3600 fps. I have a Burris Eliminator scope on this rifle, so I wanted to switch over to the IMR4895 load for higher velocity but when I went to sight in these loads the groups opened up to 0.780 for 5 shot group and the velocities dropped to 3215 fps, the outside temp was 32 degrees. Nosler has 34.0 as a max load of this powder. What are you guys doing with your loads for cold temps?

Thanks for any Help

Dennis

 

[Kurtr]

I shoot the hodgen extremes so temps don't matter. Varget,h4350,h1000 all have very little temp spreads. 400 seems way extreme I would be looking at the Chrono. If you are shooting 5 shot .75 groups consistently I would call that really good

 

[SDMF]

It’s your chrono, not the load.

 

[2400]

When I find a load that shoots well in one of my guns that's all I use summer or winter.

If you "bump" up a load for winter and get it confused with other ammo and wind up using it on a 110* day in the summer you might have some serious problems.

 

[jdinny]

as far as published max loads that's a starting point but you need to know every gun is different. I would learn to recognize pressure signs on the brass before going off what manual calls max load. . it will be a helluva lot safer in the long run. flattened primer, extractor marks, heavy bolt lift etc. every single gun I load for I start low go up in .5 grain increments until I find max pressure of my gun and that goes for every powder I shoot. I would call 3/4 group at 100 pretty good and really no need to change things. I also being in ND push everything with temp stable powder to avoid switching my loads up. you mention clover leaf pattern one thing I prefer to see in my groups I'm okay with a slight deviation Right to Left which can be wind, trigger pull etc but if your loads are varying up and down I would look at my reloading technique that tells me there getting different velocities to be spread vertically at 100 yards. that goes for any distance if my vertical grouping is bad I will go back to the drawing board as that suggest your speed is varying anf speed varying is not good for long range applications.

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if you think that chrono is on the fritz I would do a ladder test. you can find info with a quick google search but what you should see is a nice rise with each shot due to more powder. you will then find a flat spot where 3-4 charges all the same height. that is where you want to reload assuming its a safe pressure as you will be able to get away with slight deviations and not notice it. there is some excellent videos online about ladder tests and finding flats spots ​

 

[jdinny]

p.s. kurt R those 175gr EOL EH bergers are insane in that 7mm rebuild of mine. need a nice day and were gonna run it out to 800 to see if it really shines. I was able to basically shoot sub 1" groups with all powder charges 2 different powders at 200. best was right at .51"​

 

[Radar13]

Thanks For the help guys, I do agree 0.780 is a pretty good 5 hot group, this fall when I found the load a 5 shot group was 0.237 but I didn't get speeds for that round. so colder temp effect it a little but not much, I am looking for a faster load, And that is where I am at today with my questions.
I have a load with 35.5 gr of H380 I currently use that a 5 shot group is 0.195 but the load was only 3381 fps

 

[Radar13]

What do you guys think of the Cadwell Chronographs?

 

[Kurtr]

Average I would verify with shooting at distance