HELP WITH SATERLEE VELOCITY TEST

I got back out this afternoon to shoot the 53.6 grain charge of H4831SC that 25WSM suggested.
My Saterlee velocity test had a seating depth of .025 inches off the lands. So I moved seating depth at .003" increments.
I shot seating depths of .022, .025, .028 &.031.
All shots with the exception of the high shot on target #4 were had good fundamentals with good trigger pulls.
Here are the results...
I will follow 25WSM's thought of shooting 53.5 & 53.7 grains at .025 inches off the lands along with rebooting 53.6 again.View attachment 208216
There's a typo on the powder charge used.
It was 53.6 grains H4831SC.
 
Amazing the 25 off you started with shot in the 3s with the load I recommended. That was easy. But I always do the powder charge changes first. Once I pick the one I'm going to use I load up 3 of it plus 3 on each side of it by 2 tenths. Then the one that shoots best is the one I do the seating depth test with. I'm sure it will work either way. But it seems that the 25 off is a good spot. Once you try the powder charges do a velocity test on the final load and I bet your sd and es are very good.
Shep
 
I got back out this afternoon to shoot the 53.6 grain charge of H4831SC that 25WSM suggested.
My Saterlee velocity test had a seating depth of .025 inches off the lands. So I moved seating depth at .003" increments.
I shot seating depths of .022, .025, .028 &.031.
All shots with the exception of the high shot on target #4 were had good fundamentals with good trigger pulls.
Here are the results...
I will follow 25WSM's thought of shooting 53.5 & 53.7 grains at .025 inches off the lands along with rebooting 53.6 again.View attachment 208216
You are almost there
 
There's a typo on the powder charge used.
It was 53.6 grains H4831SC.

I'm trying to understand this Satterlee test and why you chose 53.6 based on the test target you posted? The velocity ranges before and after the 53.6 range aren't stable based on the test target IMO. What am I missing?
 
I'm trying to understand this Satterlee test and why you chose 53.6 based on the test target you posted? The velocity ranges before and after the 53.6 range aren't stable based on the test target IMO. What am I missing?

Beluebow,
When you plot the data, there is a four shot node 53.1-53.7 I missed that one too, but Shep (25WSM) pointed it out. It was his suggestion to drop the first two shots of the node go in the middle of the top two. That is working in the top 75% of the node. It is his method and to me seems to work. I learned something again.
 
Lol must be voodoo...I'm not knocking it, I just don't see it.....even looking at how it prints on paper it doesn't show a stable node in my eyes. 🤷‍♂️
 
Lol must be voodoo...I'm not knocking it, I just don't see it.....even looking at how it prints on paper it doesn't show a stable node in my eyes. 🤷‍♂️
I have no experience with it my self. I have been reading a lot about the various methods, so I would have picked 52.5-52.9 or 53.9-54.3, though I think he had pressure signs at the top.
I have my method that works for me, I am just open minded to see if I find something better
 
heres a chart from your original numbers on page one -- it looka very erratic at the top half of all the charge weights -- hate to say but this data really backs up the antisaterlee crowd -- the only thing i would chase on this chart is the loads between 50.1 to the 50.9 ( too low of velocity to work with ) -- all of the other suggestions seem to be in an area where it could easily swing --

my guess would be , too close to lands or neck tension differences ( do you turn necks if so when did you do it of the 4 firing on these ?? )

and my reasons for saying this are , most of the time my data always climbs and seldom see a decline unless very minor , and this graph has declines after peaks close to 20 fsp

just to check , id load 10 at the best seating depth you found at the powder choice you went with, and shoot em all at as far as you can shoot ,measure your group , and post a picture of that ... im guessing 300 still will be ok , but past that your speeds will start showing


chart 1.GIF
 
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heres a chart from your original numbers on page one -- it looka very erratic at the top half of all the charge weights -- hate to say but this data really backs up the antisaterlee crowd -- the only thing i would chase on this chart is the loads between 50.1 to the 50.9 ( too low of velocity to work with ) -- all of the other suggestions seem to be in an area where it could easily swing --

my guess would be , too close to lands or neck tension differences

and my reasons for saying this are , most of the time my data always climbs and seldom see a decline unless very minor , and this graph has declines after peaks close to 20 fsp


View attachment 208260

I don't get it. Why are you trying so hard to prove something doesn't work, when it works for so many people. Does everyone have to do what you do? I bet even then you will find something wrong!
 
I don't get it. Why are you trying so hard to prove something doesn't work, when it works for so many people. Does everyone have to do what you do? I bet even then you will find something wrong!

i use the method and i like it , im showing what the data NW posted says to me , if do you not agree please elaborate ,

what i am saying is , this test run he did and the numbers he got do not coincide with the graphs i have done for my rifles with my load prep , i think there is neck tension differences or possibly ignition issues causing the high and lows at the top,could also be primer
 
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heres my reasoning , if you dont agree please explain im listening , i really am trying to help, its just not good news so it may see like im being negative ,

the 53.6 load on this has a 2 fps drop right before it and a 30 fps increase right after it , and im sorry but, i dont believe the seating depth in .003 increments he did later should have shown that big of a difference in group size

i would be willing to bet that if NW does settle on the 53.6 at the .025 off , as this post has lead him, he will fing that with a test with the magneto speed will show a ES close to 35ish fsp with 10 rounds
 
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I do not use this method though I am planning to test it once the weather cools down. I have my own method that works for me but so many members in this forum have attacked in the past. I have spent a lot of time reading the articles about to Satterllee, Audette, Modified Ladder and listening to members who shoot competitively. I osed OCW back in the day, for rifles and pistols, then developed mine. From my understanding I see at least two nodes I would have picked. 52.5-52.9 and 53.9-54.3, but he might have pressure issues at the higher one. I can see why he picked the one he did afterwords.
I am in the process of building my range and I will be able to do a true comparison of Satterllee, Audette and Mine
 
heres my reasoning , if you dont agree please explain im listening , i really am trying to help, its just not good news so it may see like im being negative ,

the 53.6 load on this has a 2 fps drop right before it and a 30 fps increase right after it , and im sorry but, i dont believe the seating depth in .003 increments he did later should have shown that big of a difference in group size

i would be willing to bet that if NW does settle on the 53.6 at the .025 off , as this post has lead him, he will fing that with a test with the magneto speed will show a ES close to 35ish fsp with 10 rounds , may be a tight group at 100
I was not going to question his .003 increments however I agree with you, I would not fine tune with magneto on, I use an old CED M2, does the job without affecting harmonics or POI
 
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