Quickest way to compare powders with the same bullet?

[Buckhorn2]

I am fairly new to reloading. What is the quickest way to compare say 2-3 powders with a chosen bullet. Without loading from say lowest to max charge with all 3 powders. Would you say load maybe 3 charge weights (min,mid,max) with each powder 3 shot groups and pick the most accurate?

I did pick up a cheap chrono but havent used it much for actual load development, just used it to determine that my factory loads are pretty inconsistent velocity wise. Maybe the chrono is inconsistant?

[260 Rem]

IMO, Looking for shortcuts with things that go bang is a recepie for disaster.

[Ariu]

When you start a load development, you start in 10% or 0.5grain powder increments. Then eventually you find the node your gun likes and you refine it in 0.1grain increments. Similar idea is when you use ladder test.
Now, if you go ahead with only 3 loads (min, med, max) you are risking to miss the node your gun like. You also will not be able to see if and when the pressure signs show up.
So, no. You cannot do it. The ladder test, is somewhat faster but requires some shooting skills and a access to a 300+yd range.

[JD848]

After decades of reloading some things still have to be read about and there are no short cuts,period.It's just a hobby and nothing else,so learn right and enjoy.

[Mhunter51]

And just a suggestion, if you are picking only one bullet you may have missed the sweet spot already. We all have powder/primer loads that work great with one bullet but terrible with another bullet of exact same weight. Try, try and try.

[Coyotebutcher]

If your looking for a short cut, I would suggest listing your caliber and asking what people use for powder. Or read a reloading manual, they have most of the better powders for a given caliber and weight listed with specs and performance.

[32-40win]

I've always worked a new gun up from min to max in the .5gr steps, and had it reinforced by a couple of guns and one lot of powder that was actually on a recall because it was a lot faster than it should have been. If you have not shot that gun with that weight of bullet and that lot of powder, you do not know where the boundaries are, and that is what you need to know first of all. Running straight to the med and max loads can get you into trouble, maybe not this time, but, do it a few times and you may find out the hard way as to why there needs to be no shortcuts. In some guns, the min load can be the max load. Shortcuts can be expensive.

[Groundhogger]

I do allot of reading before even hitting the reloading bench. Allot of good loads for factory guns are out there if you look. For me, if I find data on a rifle in the same caliber, same manufacturer and same rate of twist..I consider that an OK place to start.

I'll be honest though~I can be a bit stubborn...I USUALLY pick the bullet type I want to use, buy at least 2 or 3 weights OF that bullet, and try to make Varget work. lol Worked well for .223 and .243. Not so much on .204R. That one was a bas***d. lol

My most recent load development has been with 17 Hornet, and thanks to some good folks on this forum, I got a head-start on the best powder(s) to try. I knew from my research what might work best, what wouldn't...so Varget was never even considered. Groundhog season started before I completed that process with 17H, so I've been shooting them with factory ammo this spring/summer. S. Ontario's blast-furnace-like heat/humidity might finally be breaking...so back to load testing!

Bottom line~as stated earlier, there are no shortcuts...nor should really any part of the reloading process actually BE rushed. Remember to stay in spec with powder charges. I've never gone over, and rarely flirt close to the upper-end of what's deemed to be safe. This is an awesome resource; http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/node

[260 Rem]

Disclaimer::: My reloading experience is limited overall (but I have a fair amount of experience with a limited number of cartridges/“calibers”).
I have a lot of partial boxes of bullets that I gave up on rather thinking I could get a dead horse into the race by feeding it diffrerent powders. If I can’t get a bullet to show promise within 25 shots, it gets shelved until I have another barrel to try.

[6.5 shooter]

Originally Posted by 260 rem

imo, looking for shortcuts with things that go bang is a recepie for disaster.

this^^^^ x 100

[Dean2]

In almost every Cartridge there is a "go to" bullet weight and powder combination. The best shortcut is to start with that acknowledged "Go To" combo. So for example 308 is well known to love Varget and 4895. The 7 Rem Mag 4831 and 7828, the 223 Benchmark, 7x57 4350, 45-70 3031 etc.

[Salavee]

Originally Posted by Dean2

In almost every Cartridge there is a "go to" bullet weight and powder combination. The best shortcut is to start with that acknowledged "Go To" combo. So for example 308 is well known to love Varget and 4895. The 7 Rem Mag 4831 and 7828, the 223 Benchmark, 7x57 4350, 45-70 3031 etc.

It's not really a shortcut but a copy of Quickload can save a lot of time and expense when it comes to powder selection for almost any cartridge... new or old. In most cases it provides a near bang-on compatibility projection for almost any cartridge/bullet/powder combination. It includes most of the recently introduced powders and projectiles as well. Accuracy, of course, still has to be determined but QL is the best aid to load development out there.. bar none.
It also includes an excellent external ballistics program. One click and it puts your new load into the trajectory tables. Also very accurate.
Well worth the few xtra $$ IMO

[Dean2]

Salavee you are spot on. Quick Load is a great program, especially the last two versions. Guy has to do a fair amount of loading and shooting of various cartridges to make it worth owning but it is really fun to work with.