FLC OF BE30 CLBED THROUGH CLRNC ALT. ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING AS PNF ON A KING AIR 300 ON THE ACY 246 DEG RADIAL; CRUISE; IMC; WE WERE AT A LOWER ALT (3000 FT); DIRECT WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO CLB TO 7000 FT. THE CAPT SET THE ALT ALERTER TO 7000 FT AND ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT TO CLB. AS WE WERE APCHING 7000 FT; WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO 8000 FT. I RPTED WE WERE OUT OF 7000 FT FOR 8000 FT AND THE CAPT SET IN THE ALT ALERTER; WHAT HE THOUGHT; WAS 8000 FT (2 CLICKS). AS WE WERE CLBING PAST 8000 FT I QUICKLY NOTICED HIS ALT ALERTER WAS SET TO 9000 FT. AT THAT TIME HE ASKED ME TO CONFIRM ALT AND WHILE I WAS DOING THAT HE ADJUSTED HIS ALT FROM 8300 FT TO 8000 FT. ATC CONFIRMED OUR ALT AS 8000 FT. NO ACFT CONFLICT WAS INVOLVED. RECOMMENDATIONS: OUR OPS MANUAL REQUIRES US TO DO ALT ALERT CALLS (1000 FT ABOVE AND 1000 FT BELOW) BUT DOES NOT MENTION A METHOD FOR HOW TO DO IT. MANY OF THE AIRLINES NOW HAVE AN ALT ALERT PROGRAM (POINT AND SHOT METHOD) AND HAVE PRESCRIBED ACTIONS REQUIRED BY THE PF AND PNF. I AM RECOMMENDING THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE SUCH A PROGRAM IN OUR OPS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 321715: WE WERE CLBING TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT. AT THE SAME TIME I BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT DECREASING PWR ON THE L ENG. I FELT I WAS DISTRACTED BY THE ASYMMETRICAL PWR SIT AND MISREAD THE ALTIMETER FOR THE ALT SET. (THE ASYMMETRIC PWR WAS CAUSED BY A MISADJUSTED FRICTION LOCK.) I FEEL THAT THE ALT SET SHOULD NOT BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ALTIMETER TO PREVENT MISREADING THE ALT SET.