Working on load development and trying the "ladder testing" method. I found a spot that where my ES was under 10 and I shot a group at .675. I then adjusted my bullet seating depth up .015 and back .015. It shot better backed off and I am under .5" group, but my ES opened up to 30 fps. So do I start changing the powder charges slightly here to see if I can reduce my ES?
ladder testing load development
- Thread starter Hooscow
- Start date
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LongBomber
Well-Known Member
The short answer is yes, that is what I would do.
How many shots are you basing your ES number on?
How many shots are you basing your ES number on?
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
None of what you're describing is ladder testing
SilverbulletMAG
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you can continue to fine tune your OCW testing. You tweaked seating and tightened up your groups. Now retest in .1 -.2 grain increments and find the sweet spot that is both accurate and has good ES/SD. Looks like you're close. 
5
I am trying a method based on the Saterlee. Which I thought was called a ladder test?
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
No. What you're doing is more tail chasing than ladder testing.
If you want low ES you might look at OCW testing. If you want peak accuracy look up ladder testing.
Either way you should do full seating testing -to set your best coarse seating -before moving on to powder.
Then when you do a final seating tweaking (for tightest group shaping) it won't mess up whatever powder node you had developed.
It's moving forward instead of roundy-roundy
When you say "full seating test-to set your best coarse seating-....", where should one begin seating? How far should one go with seating changes? Moving in what increments? Thanks for your help...
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
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Bustaquail
Member
I've been chasing my tail for awhile with this also as far as do powder first then seating or vise versa. I've been doing seating first and have been able to get down to 1/2 minute which is good for me but then I built the 308 lightweight carbon fiber. Watching the ladder test video on 6.5 guys he said seating wasn't so important to seat middle of the road and do ladder test, then tweak seating depth. I've now invested in Labrador so me and 308 are in the fight now!! May take 10k rounds who knows.
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
I'm just trying to save you barrel life & time.
When someone suggests that seating doesn't matter, at any point, they're lost as a nine-eyed dog..
These are likely people who have never done full seating testing, but only post powder seating tweaking. If they try beyond this, they collapse their powder development to that point, making it appear that best seating results are always near of what they pulled out of their butts to begin.... WRONG
There is no reason best seating would be near a total guess
When someone suggests that seating doesn't matter, at any point, they're lost as a nine-eyed dog..
These are likely people who have never done full seating testing, but only post powder seating tweaking. If they try beyond this, they collapse their powder development to that point, making it appear that best seating results are always near of what they pulled out of their butts to begin.... WRONG
There is no reason best seating would be near a total guess
