distance for load testing

[tobycoda]

what distance do most of you do your load
tesing at? Am I better off shooting 100 or
go farther,say 300 if that is the distance
the next match is shot..I know I need more
trigger time..To work on my hold etc..
another question for bench shooting..

Is it better to have a low bag and front rest
or to have it high so your setting up higher..?? :

 

[ShootDots]

I do virtually all of my load development at 300 yards. Then once I THINK I have a load, I take it out to 1000 yards. Hopefully, it WILL shoot well. Once I find one that shoots well at 1000 it becomes "my load".. I have seen some (not many) loads that work well at 300 but fail at 1000... However, I have NEVER seen a really good load at 1000 shoot "less than desirable" at closer ranges..

 

[dmoran]

I do my preliminary development at 450yds and final tuning at 1000yds
And suggest to do it at your intended target distance..... IMO&E

I prefer to keep my rests/bags low to the bench/ground, but still be comfortable.

My 2-cents
Donovan

 

[Steve Blair]

You can do it all at 100 but must have an accurate, reliable chronograph and bench technique. This very long-running thread describes a method for doing it. [br]
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3814361.0

 

[CPorter]

I do mine at 100 yds and occasionally trophy. Practice and test at the distance you are going to compete at would be better. Learning to read wind and mirage at that distance is critical to your success. If you have a variable power scope it also helps to see what power will help you better judge your shots. I have a 12-42x and recently did my first 1000 yards shoot. If I had practiced at range I would have seen I was short on adjustment and figured which hash marks to use on the reticle. During the shoot I started at 42x but started dialing it down to see the misses on the berm. I wound up at 12x. Never could understand the military using that power for snipers until then.

 

[johara1]

I do my testing at 100 yds. where it is easy to see the condition changes, it is impossible to see the small changes at 1000. A 1mph. pick up or let off can't be seen so how do you tune for a 2" group with a 5" let you can't see? jim

 

[Judd]

I tune at 200y. For two reasons, I'm not good enough to see the differences in a 100y group that extra 100y adds dispersion for me and two it is the furthest I have that is less than an hour from the house.

With TX wind I'm not good enough to go further and it's too far away. I've yet to have a group that shot good (being 1/2-5/8" before any bullet diameter adjustment) at 200y not shoot further.

 

[tobycoda]

interesting reading..Now,are you doing 3 or 5 shot testing? My thought is take some fouling loads to dirty and warm the barrel and then do a 3 shot group test or is a 5 shot group test better? I have so much to learn I guess,lol

 

[Judd]

That answer will be about 50/50. What I'll tell you is you have to be comfortable with your shooting mechanics to shoot 3 shot groups to get your information. I typically shoot 3 shot groups until I have something I like then attempt to prove what I think with a 5 shot group. Once I have one that shoots a 5 shot group well then I'll further prove it with 4-5 individual 5 shot groups. If they work then I've hit something I will stick with.

One thing I do is don't shoot a 3rd shell just to shoot it...specifically while doing my seating depth testing...if I get 2 shots and they look like crap I move on and don't just shoot the 3rd for the sake of it. I've also shot a 4th because I wasn't comfortable with a prior shot mechanic wise.

I also really watch my ES/SD's...if you hit one in the low single digits you can normally find something that will shoot, you might have to look hard but you can normally find a good spot to be.

I'm working with a 6brx right now (first one I've had chambered, previous ones were dashers and I had one shooting really well and didn't want to have to keep track of the brass so I did a brx to help keep the brass separate easier) and just last weekend I found a load that had a 2 ES and 1 SD...looks like I hit on something and will continue to prove this load out. I've never had one shoot that low before so I'm a little excited but apprehensive too.

Sorry for the rambling...one thing I've learned in the last 4 years playing with this stuff is there is no absolute and very few things work the same in two different barrels, each barrel is different and each lot of anything is different so start over with a clean slate. Also, try and get everything as precise and as repetitive as possible and only change one thing at a time.

 

[skiutah02]

I've been at this almost one year myself, but have learned alot both practically at the range and by voraciously reading forums such as this. I can honestly say that there are many ways to skin a cat. I've loaded, tested and fired just short of 9000 rounds in the past year including about 900 at matches since April. (I only have a single stage press-FYI.) I've used the OCW method, similar to the method described in detail on this forum by Erik Cortina, as well as ladder testing - both with good results.

There is an enormous number of seasoned accuracy nuts on this forum who are generous with their time and knowledge. There are also some a$$holes. Lurk long enough and you will figure out the difference.

There is some great advise above and I agree with most all of it. I will add some personal findings and hope it also helps you.

I personally settled on this strategy for myself. Most often we are limited by range access and time. I believe and have experienced the ability to quickly gather preliminary information at 100 yds, but if you are going to shoot (as I do) at longer ranges, it is wise to test the load (at matches even) at the distances you shoot.

Here goes:

I read about what others have used in similar equipment as myself and discussed on forums such as this. I NEVER copy someone else's load, I work up a load myself in MY rifle, BUT it is prudent to see what others have found to have worked just to get an idea of the possibilities. No need to totally reinvent the wheel. Look at what is safe using several handloading guides (paper and online) and see how it jives.

I shoot a preliminary round (usually 3-4 per charge staring mid-safe charge up to published max) at 100 yds, jumping 10 thousandths, unless they are vlds then I do a jump test as described on Berger's website first. I chronograph everything during this time with a magnetospeed. It is great, I highly recommend one. When I find something promising, I prepare 4 rounds at the promising load charge, and 4 rounds each at 0.2 grain above and 0.2 grain below (0.1 gr if 223) and reshoot at 100 or 200 yds to confirm POI at same elevation on paper (see Erik Cortina's extensive thread) for a second time. Before I get crazy and load up 1000 round of my new pet load. I usually shoot at least one 10 shot group at 300 then 600 yds with the load. If it looks good, I play with seating depth, shooting first at 100 then 300 (rarely 600). I do shoot at 1000 but only matches. I have eliminated pet loads if they underperformed at 1000 during matches.
I won my State's Long Range Championship with this technique, so I am content that it is working for me.

I do have more to learn, but I'm getting there.

Drew

 

[artbosco]

100 yards is sufficient.

 

[falconpilot]

Initial load testing at 100 yrds..ie..56.2, 56.4, 56.8, 57, etc...bullet seating depth at 300 yards..jam or jump..then on DEAD still morning, 600 yrds for final verification.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Tune in close and verify at a 1k..


Ray

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I do all my tuning a 1000. It is tough, you need to be up early to get the best conditions, and then you only have a short window to shoot in. But I feel you get the best results.