Ladder Test

[Gobears16]

So I need a little help with your opinions. I ran a ladder test at 300 yards the wind was blowing 6-8 at 10oclock. Shooting 28Nos 195 EOL with Retumbo .04 off the lands. I talked with Berger and got their starting load. I jumped up a little bit from their starting load and went above their max by .6 and never saw pressure signs. My starting charge was 76.3 and went up .3 until 78.8. Let me know what you guys think and where I should consintrate my load. I’m kinda puzzled as to why some of the higher charge weights were lower. Is that normal? Total height spread was 2.25 inch so I guess that’s good (maybe). First time I’ve done a ladder test. The barrel had 40rds of factory ammo before I did the test.

 

[Red343]

Guessing might try 77.2-77.6 grains 1 grain increments might be a node in there.

Were you shooting off bench with bags? Off bipod? I wouldn’t do testing with that much wind generally. If you have a chrono, see if there a few that have close velocities.

 

[Steel head]

The vertical at 78.5 to 77.8 Looks promising.

 

[Gobears16]

I’m kicking myself I should have done a 79.1 he to see if it fell in line with 78.5 and 78.8.

 

[Steel head]

I’m kicking myself I should have done a 79.1 he to see if it fell in line with 78.5 and 78.8.

Maybe but 78.5 to 78.8 is a nice wide area to work with if it pans out.

 

[_Raining]

A benchrest shooter would probably say 77.5-78.2 or 78.5-78.8 but I think you are looking for a signal in the noise. Think of how small your groups would have to be for each charge weight to guarantee that those bullet holes are close enough to the center of the group to say with confidence that that charge and its neighbors have the same POI.

 

[Sheldon N]

I'd agree that you're looking for signal in the noise. Too close IMO to be doing a traditional ladder, particularly with that cartridge. All your shots are inside roughly 3/4 MOA for vertical.

I'd say do a ladder test at much further distance (closer to 1k yards) in favorable conditions, if you can. Or probably simpler would be shoot an OCW style test with three shot groups to see what the POI is doing more clearly.