Best range for load development?

memtb said:

Rich, I think we're part of a "very" small crowd that uses a 300 yard zero! memtb

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I'm in there too. All load development at 100yds and after acceptable (.5" or <) numbers there, I adjust scope for 300yds (based off info from ballistic app) and check POI & group @ 300yds. I verify come ups within a few days, weather/time permitting.

DocB, That would be the Southern Big Horn Basin. Perhaps living down in the river bottom also helps. However, this ain't Utopia! Average precipitation is under 8", usually about 2 weeks in the summer with highs at or above 100 F (our warmest day here at the house was 111 in early 2000's), with winter lows occasionally bumping -20 to -30. I think that our average (daily average) January temp is around 8. But, darn few neighbors! memtb

Wish there was a public range near me to shoot to 400-500 just for fun. Or any public range for that matter. Don't plan to shoot beyond 300 so my development is done at 100 for convenience.

If it is a new rifle / bullet combo I normally would start with a seating depth test at 200. Then a ladder at 500-600, refine the nodes with 5 shot groups at 800 plus. For a non-LR hunting rifle I would do the refining groups at 300, they will show enough to be good for 0-500 yard shooting.

To be truly in tune at long range I think you need to develop the load at the distance you are planning to shoot. If you are going to shoot 1000br it really only matters what the load does at 1000. For f-open you may have different loads at 300 or even use a seperate rifle under 600, then swap for the longer distances. It seems to be pretty rare that a load is completely in tune at all distances.

Grizz1148 said:

i know I'm going to get diff opinions on this but still like the feedback. This is a discussion I've had with my local gs and my shooting buddies. What is the best distance to test loads? 100? 300? 500? 1000?
Most of my testing has been done at 100. Gs says 300, but seems to me environmental factors would become too much of an issue at that distance to get true results for load development. What's everyone else do?

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For load development 100-yards in the answer and once your on to a nice tight group then I fine tune at 200-yards. To try to do load testing past 200 to me just seems silly because there are to many variables to control that would give you improper test results.

Plinker147 said:

First I do ladder loads at 200-300. You can see the nodes way better than 100.

Once that is done I will shoot groups at 100 if a have chrono and can do ES and SD at same time. I never had a load with low SD and ES fall apart at distance.

When I don't have chrono I shot at 200-300, then reverified at 600 once load was found. If it groups at 600 yards you can safely assume ES and SD are good.

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Please tell me how a FPS node is going to show any better at 300 yards when your chrony is on or near your barrel??

I shot PDs for 3 days near Laramie Wyo a few yrs back. Whole time l was there the wind NEVER stopped blowing... Great time and people. First and ONLY WalMart l have ever seen that sold reloading supplies was in Laramie!!

Grizz1148 said:

i know I'm going to get diff opinions on this but still like the feedback. This is a discussion I've had with my local gs and my shooting buddies. What is the best distance to test loads? 100? 300? 500? 1000?
Most of my testing has been done at 100. Gs says 300, but seems to me environmental factors would become too much of an issue at that distance to get true results for load development. What's everyone else do?

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I start at 100 and adjust using my scope mildots

65WSM said:

Read Walt Berger's book. 300 yards is where you can start to learn something. My experience is that 100 yards is worthless, ammo expended and barrel life sacrificed to learn nothing.

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Depends on your average shooting ranges

"Please tell me how a FPS node is going to show any better at 300 yards when your chrony is on or near your barrel??"

When shooting ladders i look for point of impact clusters within the increasing charge weights, rather than just FPS. Those are easier/more readable at further distances. Flat spot FPS and impact clusters are one in the same on a ladder. I just did that way when i didn't have access to chrono and haven't changed.

memtb said:

Much the same for me, except if my 300 yard groups are not satisfactory....I start over with load development. This system works well for me, as I have a 100 yard and 300 yard range in the backyard.

Having a range out of the back door, means that I can easily pick those "windless" days. I live in one of those rare areas of Wyoming, where the wind doesn't blow often....usually, only when a weather front is moving through!

Rich, I think we're part of a "very" small crowd that uses a 300 yard zero! memtb

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I have it similar in Hyattville, WY
I use Sierra Infinity software and enter data for bullet specific mfg. (Sierra has all of their rifle bullets and most other mfgs. too! - When you select a bullet - it automatically enters its B.C. - etc.), then you can enter known muzzle-velocity, elevation (4500-ft.) - temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, scope height above bore, etc.
I usually go for the bullet to be no higher than 2-inches (trajectory) for 200 or 220-yard zero. - I do 5-yard increments downrange (software) to see what yardage the bullet peaks the highest, and adjust desired zero imput. -- And you can set a target at that range to confirm peak trajectory (example: +/-130-yards), or just go by the same print-out of what it does at 100-yards.
http://www.snipercentral.com/sierra-infinity-exterior-ballistics-software-v7/

Grizz1148 said:

i know I'm going to get diff opinions on this but still like the feedback. This is a discussion I've had with my local gs and my shooting buddies. What is the best distance to test loads? 100? 300? 500? 1000?
Most of my testing has been done at 100. Gs says 300, but seems to me environmental factors would become too much of an issue at that distance to get true results for load development. What's everyone else do?

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I've started doing my load development at 500. I like it because any vertical dispersion easily shows up, almost negating the need for a chronograph. In fact, the last load I developed, I swagged the velocity and put that into Ballistic AE and took it right to 820 yards. I then used the velocity truing function to get my expected come-ups at 820. After that, dope lined up from the muzzle to 820. Never even put it over a chronograph.

In the end, all that really matters is what happens at the target. If I have a load that consistently groups well at 500, I'm pretty happy.

John

Sam Summey said:

Little input here. I shoot service rifle. My friends and I have tested many loads in the 69 gr and 77 gr range for 5.56 service loads. We have noticed 69 gr shoot well at 200 and 300 yards but accuracy falls off at 600 yards. The 77 gr loads do not shoot as well at 200 yards as they do at 300 yards. We are using 1:7 twist barrels that are recommended for bullets 69-80 gr. We suspect that the 77s are not quite stabilized at 200 yards. Velocity for these bullets is around 2500-2700 fps. Just saying...

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This has been discussed at length regarding bullets stabilizing after some diatance... it was proven to be a myth. What the findings were... at 300 yards you have a narrower point of aim so you tend to aim better at the smaller target, thus producing better results.

If your loads are falling apart at distance you are having consistency issues with your loads.

If you want to look up the info Nryan Litz and Frank Galil has tested it at length. It's like my rifle at 300 groups sub MOA, but at 100 yards it's over 1 MOA... not true.

Look up possitive compensation, it's no myth. It's been known for close to 100 years.