6.5 ladder test

[TxBowHunter409]

Went and finished up a ladder test today on my 6.5 PRC. Leaning towards the 61.3 grains, not just because of the overall group size, but the group shape as well. I'm shooting VihtaVuori N568 using Berger 140 grain Elite Hunters. All are seated at 20k off the lands. Any thoughts from the pros? Next will be to do seating depth testing.

 

[Straightshooter1]

View attachment 1673366

Went and finished up a ladder test today on my 6.5 PRC. Leaning towards the 61.3 grains, not just because of the overall group size, but the group shape as well. I'm shooting VihtaVuori N568 using Berger 140 grain Elite Hunters. All are seated at 20k off the lands. Any thoughts from the pros? Next will be to do seating depth testing.

I'm not a "Pro" so I hope you don't mind.

That 61.3 does look good to me, except I like to see similar vertical dispersion on either side. I'm not sure I see that there. I any case, I'd run a test with that load again to include some on both sides of it to get some confirmation. I'd also test that 59.8 60.1 as vertical dispersion looks pretty close to me. IMHO

 

[Kracken McGraw]

59.5 looks like a better place to start your seating test to me.

 

[TxBowHunter409]

I'm not a "Pro" so I hope you don't mind.

That 61.3 does look good to me, except I like to see similar vertical dispersion on either side. I'm not sure I see that there. I any case, I'd run a test with that load again to include some on both sides of it to get some confirmation. I'd also test that 59.8 60.1 as vertical dispersion looks pretty close to me. IMHO

Can you explain why you like the vertical dispersion?

 

[TxBowHunter409]

59.5 looks like a better place to start your seating test to me.

What is it you're seeing there that you liked?

 

[Kracken McGraw]

What is it you're seeing there that you liked?

I thought it was a pretty medium speed to go back and do your seating test with. It was naturally wanting to cluster there with good numbers.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Can you explain why you like the vertical dispersion?

What I like to do with this kind of test is to have my dots placed on a line drawn horizontally so I can best see how each 3 shot groups relates vertically to the ones on each side. I look for those with low vertical dispersion (where the groups are on the same plane), though a shot on the same plane that's not tight can easily be due to shooter's mechanics. A somewhat tight cloverleaf group like you have with 61.3 can simply be an aberration when there's no supporting vertical dispersion on either side. That's why I'd retest to get some confirmation before doing any other things like seating depth testing.