need help doing my first ladder test

[oneshotkyle]

finally getting ready to develop a load for my brand new 300rum sendero. i will be using 200 new nosler brass, federal mag primers, 230g berger hybrid's not otm's and h1000. the rifle is a 1 in 10 twist 26" factory barrel with a de brake installed. badger 20moa base and badger rings wearing a mark 4 4.5-14 for starter's. i emailed walt berger and he sent me load info for the 230's with a start load of 76.5g and a max load of 84.8g. i will start with the bullets touching or a few thou into the lands. any and all help appreciated


kyle

 

[Gene Poole]

Re: need help doing my first ladder test

Start your tests with the bullets seated to factory specs and just concentrate on the load charge weight. Once you settle on a load, you can fine-tune it with seating depths.

 

[WindDoper]

Re: need help doing my first ladder test

Shoot em all over a chronograph, just adding this because you are asking advise for a ladder test. Just my two cents in the RUM I've had better luck with Retumbo for consistency with the heavier bullets.

 

[oneshotkyle]

Re: need help doing my first ladder test

do i build charges in .5g increments or .3g starting with walts 76.5g minimun? they will all be shot over a chrony

 

[justinbaker]

Re: need help doing my first ladder test

with that amount of powder i would do .5gr increments

 

[oneshotkyle]

Re: need help doing my first ladder test

all this knowledge on this forum and not many replies. lol

 

[oneshotkyle]

Re: need help doing my first ladder test

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gene Poole</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Start your tests with the bullets seated to factory specs and just concentrate on the load charge weight. Once you settle on a load, you can fine-tune it with seating depths. </div></div>

i thought i remember reading that you seat bullets to the land's or .010 into the lands. then seating depth was to be your fine tuning after powder charges have been figured out.

 

[sharpshooterbr]

Re: need help doing my first ladder test

You could start closer to the lands if you'd like, but really depends on what you're magazine length can handle and if you are going to magazine feed or single feed each shell. If you are going to single feed your shells in this rifle, then you can start, say 10 thou off the lands. Just be sure to seat all of your loads to the same length for your ladder test. At this point you are looking for a velocity node. After you find that, then you can fine tune for the seating depth that your rifle likes.

 

[fx77]

Re: need help doing my first ladder test


4.Best one or two loads should be apparent


5.Load 5 Rounds for the two BEST LOADS Fire for Group


Tuning Method

Found notes I made on the Tony Boyer (Benchrest Hall of Famer #1) on load development

1.Boyer Jam= Jam-.003" prevents disengagement of loaded bullet
Jam is where your dummy round is seated in the lands and the land marks on the bullet are equally long as wide.


2.Load Groups of Three 3 @ _#grains or_Clicks
Upward


3. Pick best shooting conditions and Shoot each set


6.Pick the Best of the above group and Adjust Seating -.003”

7. Load 5 or 10 of each set of best shooting rounds, and shoot groups

8. If Improvement is seen Adjust depth -.002”

9. Load 5 or 10 rounds and shoot groups again

9 If groups do not improve or if they open up stick with Jam Length

 

[fx77]

Re: need help doing my first ladder test



Sorry for above..two lines were out of order reposted..

Tuning Method

Found notes I made on the Tony Boyer (Benchrest Hall of Famer #1) on load development

1.Boyer Jam= Jam-.003" prevents disengagement of loaded bullet
Jam is where your dummy round is seated in the lands and the land marks on the bullet are equally long as wide.


2.Load Groups of Three 3 @ _#grains or_Clicks
Upward


3. Pick best shooting conditions and Shoot each set


4.Best one or two loads should be apparent


5.Load 5 Rounds for the two BEST LOADS Fire for Group


6.Pick the Best of the above group and Adjust Seating -.003”

7. Load 5 or 10 of each set of best shooting rounds, and shoot groups

8. If Improvement is seen Adjust depth -.002”

9. Load 5 or 10 rounds and shoot groups again

9 If groups do not improve or if they open up stick with Jam Length

 

[quartermaster]

Re: need help doing my first ladder test

I have always found that it works best, at least for me to find the COAL that is touching the lands. I start my loading process .025 shorter than that. I try various powders and bullets. Upon finding a combination that is accurate, I then start seating the bullets out farther by .003 and shooting groups. Most of the time .025 and shorter will give you good accuracy. Very seldom have I had to increase my cartidge length. Jamming bullets is a last resort to me due to pressure reasons. After finding the ideal length and head combo, it is pretty effortless to try different primers. Many times, I have had different primers losen up or tighten groups.

I wish I had a 200 yard range to do the ladder test. Unfortunately my range is limited to 100 which they say is not enough. I do believe this is a very effective way to work up a load as well as economical.

Good luck, It sounds like a nice rifle