So just wondering what distance you guys test at if your range always has wind and your wind reading skills suck ! Lol
Thx
Mark
Thx
Mark
Test at 100 or 300
- Thread starter Okumacaptain
- Start date
CharlieNC
Gold $$ Contributor
I like testing loads at 200yd because it provides better differentiation than 100yd. Our range has bad mirage and is reasonably protected from the wind at 200 vs 300 (max) so 200 works out best. To me longer is better, based on these types of deterents, at your local range.
But how do you know if it was wind or load or you ?
hogpatrol
Gold $$ Contributor
I don't do matches, just hunt. I want to know what that load/bullet does in any condition, especially the wind.
Wallet group loads at 100 and 200 can be useless at longer ranges.
If there's some wind, test at 100, then final confirmation testing at distance on a day when there's no wind (or very little).
rwj
Gold $$ Contributor
Agreed, but hunters have to read the wind based on the “tells” provided by their surroundings…
I test the wind by licking my finger and holding it up in the air, learned that from watching a move years ago. sorry couldn’t help my self just woke up from a nap, nap‘s do that to me
I always use a flag when testing but I do not correct for the conditions rather noting direction and approximate speed to help me interpret the results.
Last edited:
rwj
Gold $$ Contributor
Nothing, the subject of the comment is wind and flags…
RegionRat
Gold $$ Contributor
All of the above... .
I will assume your rig isn't a dedicated short range BR gun, but one that you plan to shoot much farther most of the time.
Suppose this is an unfamiliar rig with an unfamiliar pattern. This makes it a much broader question.
Sometimes, we are talking about a new barrel, sometimes we are just talking about a different recipe for a rig that is mid life and already has a zero and dope for some other baseline recipe.
Let's face it, a brand new barrel will take some rounds just to speed up and it is best to start the work at 100 for a couple of general reasons. There is no law of physics or gunnery that says you can't start out farther, but there is some utility to starting at 100 with a new or unfamiliar set up.
You get the scope adjusted and get some preliminary load testing and case forming measurements out of the way while the barrel speeds up.
No reason not to take a pass at a test at 100 yards, even if the gun is supposed to work much farther, especially if you are not yet proficient at calling wind.
At 100 with a good match gun, you often find that groups below 0.3 are difficult to interpret. A good problem to have, but it also shows the need to go farther out to leverage the trajectory.
If the gun has to eventually shoot out at distances, then you really should work out at the max distance you need as much as possible. In really bad winds, you postpone load development testing, or you just practice with some baseline load.
Your 100 yard work is still subject to wind, so you often find it good to revisit the no-wind zero before you are confident.
Before long, you are testing at longer ranges in order to open up the distance in groups and to get off the flat part of the trajectory. (This assumes the rig is destined to shoot beyond 100 yards, some never do.)
The 100 yard line doesn't show you the problems with vertical that you find at distance. A chronograph is nice, but that also doesn't substitute for actual testing at distance.
Can you skip testing at 100, yes I have had that happen when 100 wasn't available but 200, 300 was available. But, you certainly still find plenty of uses for 100 yard testing and scope zeros for rigs where that is what you want.
That said, once you have filled out your 100 yard background, wind or no wind, it is time to get out to the distance you plan to shoot. Every shot outside in the wind is an opportunity to learn something, but admittedly it can make load development testing more difficult to interpret on some of those switchy or gusty days.
I will assume your rig isn't a dedicated short range BR gun, but one that you plan to shoot much farther most of the time.
Suppose this is an unfamiliar rig with an unfamiliar pattern. This makes it a much broader question.
Sometimes, we are talking about a new barrel, sometimes we are just talking about a different recipe for a rig that is mid life and already has a zero and dope for some other baseline recipe.
Let's face it, a brand new barrel will take some rounds just to speed up and it is best to start the work at 100 for a couple of general reasons. There is no law of physics or gunnery that says you can't start out farther, but there is some utility to starting at 100 with a new or unfamiliar set up.
You get the scope adjusted and get some preliminary load testing and case forming measurements out of the way while the barrel speeds up.
No reason not to take a pass at a test at 100 yards, even if the gun is supposed to work much farther, especially if you are not yet proficient at calling wind.
At 100 with a good match gun, you often find that groups below 0.3 are difficult to interpret. A good problem to have, but it also shows the need to go farther out to leverage the trajectory.
If the gun has to eventually shoot out at distances, then you really should work out at the max distance you need as much as possible. In really bad winds, you postpone load development testing, or you just practice with some baseline load.
Your 100 yard work is still subject to wind, so you often find it good to revisit the no-wind zero before you are confident.
Before long, you are testing at longer ranges in order to open up the distance in groups and to get off the flat part of the trajectory. (This assumes the rig is destined to shoot beyond 100 yards, some never do.)
The 100 yard line doesn't show you the problems with vertical that you find at distance. A chronograph is nice, but that also doesn't substitute for actual testing at distance.
Can you skip testing at 100, yes I have had that happen when 100 wasn't available but 200, 300 was available. But, you certainly still find plenty of uses for 100 yard testing and scope zeros for rigs where that is what you want.
That said, once you have filled out your 100 yard background, wind or no wind, it is time to get out to the distance you plan to shoot. Every shot outside in the wind is an opportunity to learn something, but admittedly it can make load development testing more difficult to interpret on some of those switchy or gusty days.
Liven The Dream
Gold $$ Contributor
Theses days only F/Class testing.
200 and 300 Load testing.
If things look good 600 on my E-Target Prone on my Seb.
200 and 300 Load testing.
If things look good 600 on my E-Target Prone on my Seb.
That's why it's best to test at 100. If you can shoot consistently small groups at 100, it's not you or the load anymore.
Agree 100%. I would not attempt to go out to longer distances without checking the accuracy at 100 yds. Some would say 100 yd. testing don't tell us much but If a rifle - load won't shoot at 100 yd. forget longer distances. Nothing will happen after 100 yds. to correct an issue while the bullet is in flight. The idea that a bullet will be more accurate at longer distances than at 100 yd. is just simply an idea and I have never seen anything to convince me otherwise within the almost 25 years of handloading and shooting.
Load testing? Both. Have had loads that shot great at 100 but opened at 300. Had a short range for many years and I found that if I had a load that was good at 100 and 300 that it worked to 1000+ when I traveled to matches. Still test them that way even though I have longer ranges but after I find the load I test at longer also. Above still holds true though.
Well since we are on the 6 br page I’ll assume we are talking about target rifles that are capable out to 1000 yards, for myself the groups at short range are too cluttered. I need separation and don’t mind testing as I shoot and that’s with a bit of wind.
Whatever I do at 100 just gets repeated and confirmed at longer distances so why should waste extra bullets ?
Whatever I do at 100 just gets repeated and confirmed at longer distances so why should waste extra bullets ?
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