.243 load development questions.

[rdl65]

Below is a target I shot at 100yds. Each group was 4 shots using two different loads seated at .005, .010, and .015" off the lands. The top 2 were seated .005" off the lands and were my best. The two middle targets were .010 off the lands and were my worse. The bottom two targets were .015 off and started to get better.

Does this seem odd that they open up and then start getting better? I would have figured they would consistently got worse.Do you think they will continue to improve by moving farther off the lands?

 

[ggmanning]

Re: .243 load development questions.

I load my Bergers for test groups at the upper mid range for the powder I am using. 4 rounds each at .010, .050, .090 and .130 off the lands. I pick the seat depth that shoots the best of those 4 groups. I then ladder test the best seat depth at intervals of .3 grains and pick my node. Then I will tweak that best load by .005 more and less seat depth.....shoot those groups and pick the final. To answer your question about will it get better...maybe, only way to know is to test it. Berger recommends interval of .040" to find how your rifle likes the VLD's. I have one rifle that shoots best at .130" (a .243 shooting 105's) and 2 that shoot best at .010". Yours obviously likes .010 jump. There are as many ways to do it as posters in this forum but that method always gets me nice bughole groups with Bergers and I use it for any bullet.