Go read Berger's proposed method to test jump on VLD. They say to run the jump in .050 increments if I remember correctly, but it isn't .003 for sure. That is my experience, once you get brave enough to get away from the jam. Even with VLD, I have started at about .020 off the lands and rarely have needed to do extensive testing of jump before it shoots at about .5 moa. Of course, I am running easy to tune cartridges that just shoot. And, I have never messed around with the jam or tiny jump. Once you stop fiddling at the lands where small differences might matter, and really start jumping--then you will need larger increments to find differences.
When it comes to jump, be bold, commit. You've got nothing to lose. Load up 20, five each starting at .050 off the lands and then sets of five with a jump by .050. The old high priests of the jam might curse you and call you a heretic, but don't worry about it. You can ward them off with a full length sizing die set to bump shoulders .002. That stuff is like garlic to vampires. They cringe if it isn't neck sized.
I am only responding to this because I started out as I described. I learned it from Dan Newberry's site 15 years ago. He suggested .005" increments. It worked. When I started trying to go down the rabbit hole I found all these other methods that were supposed to be superior. The berger method, chasing the lands to maintain a particular jump, etc. I spent 3 or 4 years trying them all. I struggled big time. I kept seeing Padoms posts and seeing his seating depth tests. I decided to give it a try again, but I used .003" instead of .005" increments.
I have fucked around with Berger's method on several barrels. It is .030" increments. I honestly believe it is the result of randomly getting lucky and finding a node.
I have also chased the lands to maintain a consistent jump. It only works in cartridges that are super easy to load for. In finicky stuff it is a disaster.
Normally a node is .006 to .009 wide. The groups will get gradually tighter and then open and then tighter again. It is a pattern.
I DON'T CARE HOW FAR OFF THE LANDS YOU ARE. I HAVE WATCHED THIS PATTERN FROM IN THE LANDS TO .125" OFF THE LANDS. THERE WILL BE SEVERAL GOOD SPOTS WITHIN THAT WINDOW.
Sometimes, with a good bullet, powder, and primer for that cartridge and a heavy contour barrel, everything will shoot pretty good.
I can take a 6 Dasher with .150 freebore, a hydroformed Lapua case, 32 grains of Varget, a cci 450 and a lowly hornady 105 hpbt, seat it at .020 off and it will shoot sub half moa as long as the gunsmith cut the chamber straight. I can also move the charge weight to anything sane and the jump to anything sane and guess what, sub half moa. That is why the 6 br cartridges are the darling of prs. They are the easy button. 6 Dasher is the only one I have played with extensively. As long as I only need half moa, it is almost impossible to have it go out of tune with quality components.
Today's stuff is getting so good, it is actually difficult to find a load that shoots poorly. You only really see it in finicky cartridges or when there is a problem with the components, dies, or rifle system. There have been threads on this site discussing whether or nor it is even necessary to be in a node to shoot prs. When running factory barrels or barrel burner cartridges, load development seems to make a lot bigger difference. In custom rifles with truck axle barrels and forgiving cartridges you literally have to try to make a gun shoot worse than 3/4". A lot of times doing load development the worst load will still shoot 3/4" or even tighter. Most people are somewhat satisfied with that. They don't monkey with a half moa load to get it to quarter minute. When things are that forgiving the hunt and peck method of finding charge weight and the hunt and peck berger method of finding seating depth are likely to find a suitable load. It doesn't make it the wrong way, necessarily, but it can lead guys astray when they are working with a finicky cartridge and they can't figure out why it takes them 200 rounds to find a load. I have been there and it is very frustrating.
If the Berger method works for you, great! I have had it work for me as well. In the grand scheme of things, across several barrels and cartridges, it is not as consistent as tuning in small increments. Again, I don't care if you start at the lands, .040" off or .100" off. If you tune in small increments you will find a node that shoots tight. Just about any load that isn't completely FUBAR can be made to shoot well by tuning seating depth, and there is not just ONE good seating depth, there are several.