What's a good number for vertical?

[Boogie]

Being new to the "F"Class game and to precision reloading sometimes I find myself trying to run before I can walk. Case in point, I've been working up a load for my 308 and with y'alls help I found a node I liked from a OCW test I did a few weeks ago. I wanted to test the load at 300 yds (longest I have access to). I finally got to do that today and while looking over the target I realized I really didn't know what is considered good "vertical". So, here's a 10 rnd and a 7 rnd group I fired today. It was supposed to be 2 10 rnd groups but I messed up and forgot to return the windage to zero on my scope from my last outing. So the first 3 rnds were 6" to the right Anyway here's the target. What do y'all think?



As you can see the ES is 31 but that is because of one rnd that was 20 fps faster than any other. It's the flyer in the upper right of the top target. I felt the difference when I fired it and knew before I looked it was going to be a flyer. I trickled the last few .10ths of a grain into every rnd so I don't know what happened. Without that rnd the ES drops to 12.

 

[waveslayer]

what you are looking for is vertical groupings... don't worry about windage, just which bullets group the best vertically, check out this link, it describes it the best way possible...Road to Precision Part VIII - YouTube

 

[Boogie]

I wasn't doing a ladder test. I was shooting for group size. All rnds were loaded exactly the same. Let me ask the question a different way. If I'm understanding the concept, in a perfect world with a perfect shooter every rnd would hit along the waterline of the target. So, if that's perfection what is considered acceptable when your developing a load.

 

[Rprecision]

Being new to the "F"Class game and to precision reloading sometimes I find myself trying to run before I can walk. Case in point, I've been working up a load for my 308 and with y'alls help I found a node I liked from a OCW test I did a few weeks ago. I wanted to test the load at 300 yds (longest I have access to). I finally got to do that today and while looking over the target I realized I really didn't know what is considered good "vertical". So, here's a 10 rnd and a 7 rnd group I fired today. It was supposed to be 2 10 rnd groups but I messed up and forgot to return the windage to zero on my scope from my last outing. So the first 3 rnds were 6" to the right Anyway here's the target. What do y'all think?



As you can see the ES is 31 but that is because of one rnd that was 20 fps faster than any other. It's the flyer in the upper right of the top target. I felt the difference when I fired it and knew before I looked it was going to be a flyer. I trickled the last few .10ths of a grain into every rnd so I don't know what happened. Without that rnd the ES drops to 12.

Dude, your shooting 1/4 (.250) MOA groups.

In my world I consider that a good load

Also, your ES/SD number are probably within the error range of the Chrony

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Dude, your shooting 1/4 (.250) MOA groups.

In my world I consider that a good load

Also, your ES/SD number are probably within the error range of the Chrony

Are you smokin crack? At best his groups are 5/8 MOA .
.713 MOA average. It isn't bad, pretty good actually but it sure as hell isn't "quarter"MOA

 

[Boogie]

In defense of my poor shooting especially on the bottom target I was using a different rear bag and I wasn't comfortable with it. I switched back and did a little better on the top one. LOL I think Rprecision was looking at the "ATC" moa it's .247"

 

[Rprecision]

Are you smokin crack? At best his groups are 5/8 MOA .
.713 MOA average. It isn't bad, pretty good actually but it sure as hell isn't "quarter"MOA

No it was more the meth that effected my judgement. Crack has a hell of a after taste

Anyway's you are correct, and thats what I get for skimming a post. I thought he was shotting at 600 for some reason

Either way OP, thats not bad shooting, and thats not the meth talking either

 

[haroldwilson]

You are new, right? Load that round and go shoot a match if you can. Being new, you aren't likely to win it. You have nothing to lose. Then you will know how 20 loads perform at match distance, or 40, or 60, etc.

Pay close attention to your form. You will know if you start failing because of mental defect. Trust me. I know how it feels. If you a shoot a relay that is better or much better than the others, this is likely, you will have an idea that your load is feeling ok. No biggie. Next match, shoot a different load if you want. It is supposed to be fun. Remember that.

Once you get your load where you feel like you can quit dicking with it, if you ever get there, cool. If not, dick with it. Get your bipod squared away. Get your bag squared away. Get your shooting position squared away. This may take several matches. So what?

Get all this squared away. Then you will dick with your load again, likely. Or not. Once all that plus your load feels right, you can focus more on learning to read wind. Remember that is supposed to be fun.

Until I am shooting above 190 regularly, I have no qualms about testing loads at matches. It might even be the best way. I tested two different seating lengths over 3 relays last match. Shot my highest score ever. Found there wasn't a measurable difference in the seating lengths at my shooting skill level. The lengths were .024" apart. Shot almost identical scores and almost identical x counts with both lengths. Would I have seen a difference in the seating lengths if I were a better shooter? I don't know. I'm not a better shooter yet.

 

[jkonzal]

I think people get too wrapped around the axle about load development. I load develop by 5 shot groups, a 10th grain apart, at 100 yards. Once I narrow the load down to 2 charges, then I shoot 10 shot groups with those 2 charges at 200 yards. When I settle on a load, I chrono it to get a MV number to put in my ballistics calculator. Then I shoot the load at 900 yards and see if the POI elevation is correct. If not, I change the MV in my calculator until it matches the setting on my elevation turret. This method has worked for me on many rifles.

 

[savageshooter86]

was this the original seating depth from your OCW? Jut curious. If I had 300 yards I would load a few different seating depths with the 41.7 load and see which shoots the best(least amount of vertical)

I just bought the same rifle and am trying to find a load with the 175 SMK and Varget/Lapua cases

I was told by a very good(national champion level shooter) if you can develop a 1/2 MOA load you are doing damn good. So that is what I would look for and seems you are there

 

[Boogie]

Yes, this was shot using the original seating depth. I wanted to see how the load would preform exactly as I had loaded it for the OCW. My next test will be seating depth changes and different primers just to see if I can get the ES down a bit.

jkozal, your probably right. I know that without the ability to read the wind I'm not going to win any matches no matter how accurate my rifle is. But I enjoy the reloading process and I get a sense of accomplishment when I go to the range and my net results are better than the week before and while my local range is limited to 300 yds I still get to practice the basics. Hold, breathing, trigger control, and for me the hardest of all shooting in the prone position. I'm a big guy and I have trouble getting comfortable. I tend to fidget between shots. So, the more I practice hopefully the more comfortable I'll become laying on a stomach the size of a beer barrel. I shoot mid range matches (600 yds) so I need all the practice I can get.

 

[Asperly Aimless]

As you can see the ES is 31 but that is because of one rnd that was 20 fps faster than any other. It's the flyer in the upper right of the top target. I felt the difference when I fired it and knew before I looked it was going to be a flyer. I trickled the last few .10ths of a grain into every rnd so I don't know what happened. Without that rnd the ES drops to 12.

Hard to tell on that little guy. If you caused the flyer, then carry on. If you (or a change in conditions) did not cause the flyer then cull that piece of brass and relegate it to sighter duty.

 

[jim_k]

You are ready to go; ignore everything else, and make each shot your best. Choot 'em.