.300 win mag ladder test

[Canhunter35]

I would love to but money doesn't allow it now. You know how this hobby is on our pocket book! I've got 3 hunts starting this weekend and through the next 2 months. By next year I should be set up with one.

I hear you, it's a lot of money getting set up. Sorry, I presumed you had a chrony. Good luck hunting, I have a moose hunt in a month and am on crutches at the moment, fingers crossed I can get mobile by then. Not practicing with my 300 bee near as much as I had planned.

 

[Joefrazell]

I hear you, it's a lot of money getting set up. Sorry, I presumed you had a chrony. Good luck hunting, I have a moose hunt in a month and am on crutches at the moment, fingers crossed I can get mobile by then. Not practicing with my 300 bee near as much as I had planned.

Aw man I'm sorry to hear that and hope you get well soon do you can bag a moose! I'm chasing cow elk with a muzzleloader this sat-Tues. I'm hoping to fill the freezer so I have less stress on my wife's elk hunt with rifle in October

 

[Canhunter35]

Aw man I'm sorry to hear that and hope you get well soon do you can bag a moose! I'm chasing cow elk with a muzzleloader this sat-Tues. I'm hoping to fill the freezer so I have less stress on my wife's elk hunt with rifle in October

Good luck with that cow elk. Last year I had a cow elk tag, me and a buddy put on between 12-16 miles a day for 3 days in a foot of frickin snow until we got one. Sneakest **** elk in that area. Lol at the end of each day if my gun salesman had been there with a light weight pencil barrelled gun i would've traded I was so tired. Got myself a backpack sling this year!

 

[elkaholic]

What bullet?
What Powder?
What case?

In MY opinion, a ladder test is not shooting 3-6 rounds of each charge weight at a single target. It is exacy how you are doing it. 1 round at each charge weight, from minimum to 3 grains ABOVE published max load as long as you know how to look for any sign of pressure and stop when you see the first one. I do my ladder tests at 300-600 depending on conditions.
How are you going to go mark 40+ impacts after each shot at 400-600 yards?
Also, I shoot over a chronograph to help identify flat spots in velocity across consecutive shots.

Higher charge weight at 400 yards will not necessarily equate to higher bullet impacts. It Has more to do with barrel harmonics and when a bullet is leaving the barrel.

Here is a prime example of what Lance is talking about as far as barrel harmonics vs powder charge. You will note that the first 3loads hit lower as the charge went up and then a big jump up!

What bullet?
What Powder?
What case?

In MY opinion, a ladder test is not shooting 3-6 rounds of each charge weight at a single target. It is exacy how you are doing it. 1 round at each charge weight, from minimum to 3 grains ABOVE published max load as long as you know how to look for any sign of pressure and stop when you see the first one. I do my ladder tests at 300-600 depending on conditions.
How are you going to go mark 40+ impacts after each shot at 400-600 yards?
Also, I shoot over a chronograph to help identify flat spots in velocity across consecutive shots.

Higher charge weight at 400 yards will not necessarily equate to higher bullet impacts. It Has more to do with barrel harmonics and when a bullet is leaving the barrel.

Here is a prime example of what Lance is talking about. Velocity does not always cause a bullet to strike higher in a ladder test, and barrel harmonics play a BIG role which is one of the reasons to do a ladder. Note that the first loads of

63, 63.5 and 64 printed progressively LOWER and then a BIG jump up where 64.5 was fired. Without a ladder, if you happened to pick a load around 64 to 64.5, you might have VERY erratic results at distance. This test was done at only 400 yards..........Rich

 

[lancetkenyon]

Here is a ladder test I did @ 400 with a .260 Rem shooting 140 Berger HVLDs. Please note the higher charge weights are actually LOWER than the low charge weights. All barrel harmonics at play here.

Charge weights were 39.5 to 44.0 H4350.



Then a ladder test for my 7RM pushing 180 Berger Hybrids shows the opposite effect. This was at 508 yards.

Charge weights were 65.0 to 72.0 of H1000.