not that I regard myself expert, I don't and learn more all the time, sometimes a real big penny will drop
usually I will see a recipe will be going to work by the groups clocking on the targets at different charges,
meaning the groups although different charges will print the group at the same o'clock, say 3 different charges in sequence at 9 o'clock
then I will know that's where to further test in that area of volume, you may be lucky enough to hit a load to try again
that's how I will find the volume, then if needed I may do an OAL test if the volume test looked good enough
I like to put a few fouler's down the tube before testing
I get my start loads from working out what my max will be and taking off 7% then working up to the max at .5 gr for 308-30-06 size and .3gr for 222 size
always checking for pressure
then it is just make the load the same again, just repeat what you have done
a mate got me to do some work on his rifle including load workup, I found a very good load, all he had to do was duplicate it, he changed the seating depth because I had the projectile just kissing the lands where it shot well, I shouldn't have told him, he believes you cant do that with a hunting rifle, it stopped shooting precisely, he complained to me that it would not shoot anymore, I made a few rounds up and met him at the farm and it shot as it did when the load was worked up, he still believes you cant have the projectile kissing the lands in a hunting rifle, his rifle does not shoot, I don't waste my time anymore
“If you do not read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read the newspapers you are misinformed”. Mark Twain