What distance do you do your ladder testing?

[DP425]

I started out trying it at 200 yards; this was pointless. I found a place where I could stretch it out to 325m (355 yards). Got some data from this, but there was still not much vertical stringing. Yesterday I went out to 450m (492 yards); some of the loads gave some nice vertical stringing, some of them seemed to cluster within 10" or so.

So I guess, just how far back do you go before you see really nice solid vertical stringing? I was working with .223 and .308.

I also find it interesting that you can often times watch the powder increases bring the bullet up then all of a sudden it will drop back down; I assume this is a result of coming out of a certain node where the bullet is departing the barrel as it is rising, once it breaks the peak, the next shot is at the bottom of the harmonics (whip, vibration, whatever you wish to call it). I use this as an indicator of where a node positively ends. But I'm mostly just looking for impacts that are vertically clustered.

 

[Break Bad]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

300, my first attempt at 450 showed too many variables creeping in

http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/ocw-vs-ladder/4529811360

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

300 is my prefered distance to test precision rifles. If it's a basic hunting gun with a lower power scope, I'll test it at 200. I don't mess with the OCW or ladder method. I use the old school load work up method. It's much easier, faster, requires less rounds, and is easier to see actual groups.

 

[Shoots 700's]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

I did my test at 300 yards. I was amazed at the information it provided

 

[tigerfan_9]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body">300 is my prefered distance to test precision rifles. If it's a basic hunting gun with a lower power scope, I'll test it at 200. I don't mess with the OCW or ladder method. I use the old school load work up method. It's much easier, faster, requires less rounds, and is easier to see actual groups. </div></div>

What's the "old school" load workup method for us new to this? All i have seen on here is ladder or ocw.

 

[Bob 964]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

I've had good ladder test results at 300 yards.

 

[kingweb50]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

I do all testing and zeroing at 300. Im not going to shoot 100 so why test and zero at 100

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

I shoot my matches at 250. I'm getting ready to do some load testing (.30BR and 50gr .223 for an AR) at 150. 100 is too close, and winds at our range get squirrely by out around 200.

 

[formal598]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

I don't mess with the OCW or ladder method. I use the old school load work up method.

 

[tigerfan_9]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: formal598</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't mess with the OCW or ladder method. I use the old school load work up method.

</div></div>

old school build up method is what?

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

Old school method is very simple. Take a 308 Win shooting a 175 SMK and Varget or R15 powder. If you do a little research, you will find most load this bullet anywhere from 42 to 45 grains of Varget. (Book data is very low and conservative.) Since everyone wants their rounds shooting as fast as possible, work backwards from max. So, I would load 45.0, 44.7, 44.4, 44.1, 43.8, 43.5, 43.2 as my test loads. Start shooting at your lowest powder charge, and work your way up. Stop if you get any pressure signs. You can go lower or higher in there, depending on your rifle. Test these loads at 200 or 300 yards (or further on a calm day) for accuracy. I shoot these on a large 3 foot by 2 foot paper with small diamonds on it. You can see any point of impact shift, and see what the loads are telling you by how it is shooting. If the groups are vertical or horizotal, you are just above or below a node. I'll post a target here in a second.

 

[tigerfan_9]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

Sounds just like the OCW but at longer distance. You are looking at poi shift and scatter nodes as mentioned in OCW write up.

how many at each load are you shooting?

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: What distance do you do your ladder testing?

Here is an old school load work-up method I shot this morning at 300 yards. It's a GAP 243 Win shooting 115 DTAC coated bullets. First load was in the middle, second load was low left, 3rd high left, and last was top right. You can see the consistancy (i.e. group size) getting better each load. The last load in the top right is under an inch at 300 yards! I shot a total of 21 rounds (2 sighters at 100 yards), and I already have a load that shoots sub 1/3 moa.

First load in the center group, I shot only 4 rounds, since I knew this wasn't a load I wanted to use. It is stringing vertical, and is an open group. Not bad, but can easily be better.

2nd load low and left- 4 rounds decently tight, but is stringing left and right with a flier high.

3rd load high left- 3 bullets nivce and tight, but 2 bullets stringing vertical still, which tells me I am still not in a node.

4th load high right- I was hoping this would be the load, since each group was getting better than the next. 5 rounds nice and tight in a consistant pattern. No vertical or horizontal stringing. I haven't put a micrometer to it, but it's about .8" to .9" group (cnter to center) at 300 yards.

This is an old school load work up method. Forget the OCW and ladder BS. Do your research and know where about max is, and start low working up to max in small powder charge increments. Bingo. 21 rounds shot total! You can't beat that!