Help: First Ladder Test...now what

[Deleted member 107666]

First time working up a load, ever. Not sure where to go from here?

Any and all inputs welcome. #2 was on me...was a little jumpy.

300wm, 26" proof, berger 215s, H1000, .020 jump, 2.781 CBTO, 3.565 COAL

Indoors, 100 yards (should it string that much at 100?) Zero target at bottom is 2" by 2", aiming bottom left and dialed up (except fouler)

Hunting rifle, all shots were cold bore.

Thinking 76 to 77.6 is my high node.

Saw pressure at 78.5 (primer flattening, bolt lift wasnt sticky as far as I can tell).

Where to go from here. Load 76.7 and do seating depth or load some 3 round groups first?

 

[L.Sherm]

In my opinion you cant do a true ladder test at 100 yards.
I've had 1 hole 100 yards groups fall apart to 1 m.o.a at 500.

 

[Barrelnut]

I think you have a node around 77 and 77.5. Powder went up .5 gr. but velocity barely moved. Looks like a flat spot and that's good. As said above a true ladder at 100 yards will not show much.

 

[Deleted member 107666]

Why couldnt you do a ladder test at 100...if the the ladder is to visually identify a velocity flat spot and its confirmed with a chrono to be that same flat spot...sure the stringing wont be as great, but its telling you the same data, no?

 

[Deleted member 107666]

I think you have a node around 77 and 77.5. Powder went up .5 gr. but velocity barely moved. Looks like a flat spot and that's good. As said above a true ladder at 100 yards will not show much.

Was thinking maybe 76.5-77.5?

Velocity went up 13fps between 76.5-77
Then 12fps from 77-77.5

Do I just load 77 and work searing depth, or spend more ammo/time leading around that node for groups?

 

[L.Sherm]

Why couldnt you do a ladder test at 100...

If 100 all your gonna shot then test at 100. Flat spot or not let the target tell you at the max distance you plan on shooting.

 

[Deleted member 107666]

If 100 all your gonna shot then test at 100. Flat spot or not let the target tell you at the max distance you plan on shooting.

I plan to verify whatever load I end up with out to the ranges intend to shoot.

My main goal here was to find the velocity flat spot, am I not understanding the satterlee test? Velocity flat spot is going to show the same at 100 vs 300, no? And the velocity node here on the chrono showed the same results as the paper, even if only at 100?

Do I need to test over again at 300? Obviously its smart to verify your load out to range, but is it really necessary to develop that load at 800yds?

 

[L.Sherm]

In my opinion you can waste alot of ammo at 100 looking for the perfect load only to have it fall apart at distance.
.5 m.o.a vertical at 100 can easily turn into 4 or 5 " at 500

 

[Deleted member 107666]

In my opinion you can waste alot of ammo at 100 looking for the perfect load only to have it fall apart at distance.
.5 m.o.a vertical at 100 can easily turn into 4 or 5 " at 500

What next, shoot it again at 500?

 

[Timnterra]

Don't worry about the group size in the first ladder if you are running the satterly method. You are doing it right so far, I'd load in .2 grain increments below and above 77gr ie. (76.8,77,77.2) and shoot 5 rd groups of each at 300yds and see what it looks like. Make sure you are not using a magnetospeed when you do this, unless it isn't attached to the barrel. Take the best load and tune the seating depth the same way. Then once the group looks good at 300 strap the magnetospeed back on and get your average velocity and stretch it out.

 

[L.Sherm]

Shoot it at 500, test different primers, seating depth, neck tension.

 

[Deleted member 107666]

Don't worry about the group size in the first ladder if you are running the satterly method. You are doing it right so far, I'd load in .2 grain increments below and above 77gr ie. (76.8,77,77.2) and shoot 5 rd groups of each at 300yds and see what it looks like. Make sure you are not using a magnetospeed when you do this, unless it isn't attached to the barrel. Take the best load and tune the seating depth the same way. Then shoot once the group looks good at 300 strap the magnetospeed back on and get your average velocity and stretch it out.

Side note, do you see the Mag Speed shift POI high? I only dialed up 1 mil

 

[L.Sherm]

Shoot at the distance your confident at.
I like 500 yards minimum.

 

[Barrelnut]

Was thinking maybe 76.5-77.5?

Velocity went up 13fps between 76.5-77
Then 12fps from 77-77.5

Do I just load 77 and work searing depth, or spend more ammo/time leading around that node for groups?

I would revisit 76.5 to 77.5 in maybe .2 gr increments and look for grouping. Then do a seating test. Or do a seating test at 76.5 and then do the grouping at .2 increments. Kinda depends on your case fill and how much room you have left in the case to seat the bullets. Also depends on how long you magazine is. Just need to juggle those things around a bit. The 215 is probably not gonna be too sensitive to seating depth though.

There is a method called the Satterlee load test that I have used and found useful. It is why I suggest 76.5 to 77.5.