I do 90% of my shooting at 100 yards. The rest at 600 to 700. Is it worth it to do a ladder test at 100? Reason I ask is I have a great 100yrd load of 44.3 grns of varget topped with a 178 Amax. Problem I have is velocity is all over the place.....I just started with 38.5grns and worked up to what grouped well at 100yrds. I have shot that load at 400 and got decent results; just wondering why I have such a wide FPS spread. I have a new 6.5 Lapua being built and want to chase the perfect load for it. Can you do a good all around ladder test at 100 yards that’s worth while at longer distances....also this was all new Winchester brass...maybe once it gets neck sized the spread will come down?..
Ladder test?
- Thread starter avidflyer
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Re: Ladder test?
The reason you need to go to a longer range (300) is to 'exaggerate' the differences between loads. At 100, you'll likely end up with one big ragged hole.
The reason you need to go to a longer range (300) is to 'exaggerate' the differences between loads. At 100, you'll likely end up with one big ragged hole.
Re: Ladder test?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: avidflyer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I do 90% of my shooting at 100 yards. The rest at 600 to 700. Is it worth it to do a ladder test at 100? Reason I ask is I have a great 100yrd load of 44.3 grns of varget topped with a 178 Amax. Problem I have is velocity is all over the place.....I just started with 38.5grns and worked up to what grouped well at 100yrds. I have shot that load at 400 and got decent results; just wondering why I have such a wide FPS spread. I have a new 6.5 Lapua being built and want to chase the perfect load for it. Can you do a good all around ladder test at 100 yards that’s worth while at longer distances....also this was all new Winchester brass...maybe once it gets neck sized the spread will come down?.. </div></div>
A ladder test at 100 yards is good for checking your scope erector and tracking precision. ES and SD will get you so far and then you just have to shoot groups at 600 to get any idea how it will perform out yonder.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: avidflyer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I do 90% of my shooting at 100 yards. The rest at 600 to 700. Is it worth it to do a ladder test at 100? Reason I ask is I have a great 100yrd load of 44.3 grns of varget topped with a 178 Amax. Problem I have is velocity is all over the place.....I just started with 38.5grns and worked up to what grouped well at 100yrds. I have shot that load at 400 and got decent results; just wondering why I have such a wide FPS spread. I have a new 6.5 Lapua being built and want to chase the perfect load for it. Can you do a good all around ladder test at 100 yards that’s worth while at longer distances....also this was all new Winchester brass...maybe once it gets neck sized the spread will come down?.. </div></div>
A ladder test at 100 yards is good for checking your scope erector and tracking precision. ES and SD will get you so far and then you just have to shoot groups at 600 to get any idea how it will perform out yonder.
Re: Ladder test?
My method is based on what I want the chosen projectile to be doing at the target end of the trajectory; namely, running at least at very roughly 1300fps at the longest reasonable target distance.
I begin by figuring out what the MV needs to be to achieve that, according to the Pejsa spreadsheet.
Then I review published loads with the desired projectile that give best accuracy with a barrel that is of the same length and twist as my own.
My test loads begin with that load and then bracket it, up and down by 1% increments. Best 100yd results become the new load centerpoint, and bracketing is repeated at 200yd.
This seems to be a sufficiently direct and simplified method of finding my most effective load quickest.
Greg
My method is based on what I want the chosen projectile to be doing at the target end of the trajectory; namely, running at least at very roughly 1300fps at the longest reasonable target distance.
I begin by figuring out what the MV needs to be to achieve that, according to the Pejsa spreadsheet.
Then I review published loads with the desired projectile that give best accuracy with a barrel that is of the same length and twist as my own.
My test loads begin with that load and then bracket it, up and down by 1% increments. Best 100yd results become the new load centerpoint, and bracketing is repeated at 200yd.
This seems to be a sufficiently direct and simplified method of finding my most effective load quickest.
Greg
