Second try at ladder test= sweet success!!!

[remingtonman_25_06]

Was a very nice day today, low 60's with only about 5mph winds today, thank god. Nice day to finally get out and do a little shooting.

My first attempt with a ladder test was about 2 years ago with a very inaccurate winchester model 70 7 STW. I tried everything to get it to shoot, all to no avail. Tried a ladder test, same thing. Finally figured out that the last 4" of the barrel was really bad. Like chop marks from Winchester when they drilling the hole. Oh well. I kinda wrote the ladder test off and I knew it was partly the rifles fault as well. I've continued to do pretty much the same basic load testing method I'm use to doing. I'll pick a bullet/powder load 3 shells each at say 50, 51, and 52. Whichever most accurate go either way .5g. Pretty simple, usually gives .75 MOA load rather easily.

Well lately I've been shooting the 100g NBT out of my 25-06 with IMR-4350 and having somewhat of satisfactory results. There averaging 3325fps and about .6-.7" MOA. Certainly not the greatest, but was told by a couple fellow texans I could cut my groups considerably by going with IMR-4831 and a Winchester primer. I figured this would be a good time to do a ladder test. I figured it would work this time because my 25-06 is usually pretty accurate. I loaded 9 shells, starting at 51.5g-55.5g in .5g increments. I recorded the velocity over the crono and marked each shot accordingly. I dont know, I might need a little help discerning this one guys!!! Would it be safe to say that 53g IMR-4831 is the magic number?? I couldn't believe the shot placement of load 53.5g. I had to walk up to the target and see for myself. 52.5-53.5g produced a 3/8" group at 200 yards. Average velocity should be about 3350fps. So Thank you guys down in Texas for the load recomendation, I'm very glad I tried it out. Next is to do some actual 3 shot groups. Hopefully there as good as what I hope they should be..Anyways, here is the 200 yard ladder with 100g NBT/IMR-4831

I also shot 3 shots at my 525 yard gong, laying prone w/bipod. This was with my IMR-4350 load pushing them 100g NBT's out at 3325fps. Theres 1 in the center, then 1 to the right of it, and then the other dropped low and left to the edge of the plate. Kept them all on the plate though!! SHould do better with this new 4831 load!

I also pulled the 7mm RM out with the 175g ULD RBBT's at 2875fps. This was the result of 3 shots at 525 yards laying prone w/bipod. 2 of the bullets went completely through, while the 3rd almost did /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif All in all, I think I had a pretty good day of shooting.

 

[.25AOD]

I hope they shoot that well for you at 3350... that would be a SWEET load!! Watch out critters if you can shoot a 100 grainer at 3350 and keep the quarter MOA accuracy!!
Ya gotta love those quarterbores... I know I do!

 

[BountyHunter]

Rem

I look for about 3-4 rds in a MV cluster also, you are showing 2, maybe more but not sure. With the .5 gr increments you might have skipped one on either end. In that size case, I use .3 gr increments in my ladder.

I would shoot 3 shot groups at 52.3, 52.5, 52.8, 53.1 and 53.3. That way you bracket both ends and tweak a little closer in the middle.

Check and record your chrono infos on those groups. I look for a final load in the middle of the node that I find as that seems to eliminate pressure spikes in hot weather. You might then reshoot with .1gr increments to fine tune the charge to see what that does if you want.

From that I simply tweak the final load with seating depth and neck tension if using bushing dies.

I took a load for my WSM that had been shooting 10 shot groups of 7" at 1000 with .003 neck tension and went to a bushing that gave .004 neck tension with a 187 BIB FB bullet. Shot last weekend in comp and shot a 10 shot 5.1" at 1k. The wind was smoking and killing everyone and the group had a vertical of right at 2" and the 5" was all wind.

BH

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

BH- Thanks for the info. Thats actually my next plan, to shoot some 3 shot groups around 53g. Since 52.5 and 53.5g shot right there though, wouldn't that pretty much put 53g as "the load"?? The way I see it, if my scale or weather is different, it should still put the group into MOA or less, since it falls within the "sweet spot"

There is actually 3 rounds there, 2 are about in the same hole!! The 3 chrages that clustered were 52.5, 53, and 53.5g I loaded 3 more loads up last night with 52.8g, 53g, and 53.2g. I'll shoot them next at 200 yards. (maybe today, weather is looking good) Hopefully they'll shoot about .5", I"ll settle for .75" though.

Overall, I"m pretty pleased at the performance considering its a factory rifle and all /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

BTW- Great shooting at 1K. I'd be going nuts if I shot a 10 shot 5" group at 1K, thats for sure. Ha ha, might throw a little party or something. Did you win with that group??