Load Test @ 300 yds, Seating Depth Test @ XXX?

[foxguy]

Ok, I have a question on Load Testing, followed by Seating Depth Testing.

The furthest yardage I can test @ is 300 yards.
If I have load tested @ 300 yds and found a pretty good load - say .335 MOA and I want to see if I can improve it with a seating depth test, would a seating depth test @ 200 yards be a valid test to see if I could shrink my group size @ 300 yds. What I am trying to ask is if I change the seating to .xxx and the group @ 200 yards shrinks to .200 MOA, would this seating depth .xxx also probably produce an .200 moa @ 300 yards or slightly larger in Ideal conditions. ???

I ask because it's hard to test under Ideal conditions, and testing @ 200 yds would have less environmental effects on a group than testing @ 300 yards.

I know from reading, load testing should be done at the farthest yardages you expect to shoot at, but I haven't seen this in regards to seating testing.


Thanks, I appreciate all responses and your experience in regard to this

 

[Dusty Stevens]

You have figured out the exact reason a lot of good shooters develop loads at 100yd then verify on out there. Welcome into the club. Eliminate as many variables as possible

 

[Enosiophobia]

I would think you'd want to be consistant. I also thought about testing at longer distances but decided wind could add another variable skewing results.

 

[D-4297]

From the FWIW Dept....I do all of my load creation at 100 , and then shoot that load at 200 , then 300 . Five rounds touching at 100 should be a good start to move out farther . Lots of ways to skin a cat ..

 

[mikecr]

When you talk about seating testing, are you talking about full or just tweaking(group shaping)?
You can do full/coarse seating testing at 100yds as it's huge to results and very easy to see bad/good/bad (at any range). Then move out as far as you can for ladder testing with powder.

 

[foxguy]

Hi Mike,

I was talking full, I am currently load testing a 105 gr berger VLD at +0.005 into the lands. I have ran a pressure test up to 31.2 grs of H4895. (6MM BRA).
I am shooting the load test @ 300 yds in good conditions-less than 5 mph winds. Once I find a Load the rifle seems to like I was going to try a seating test to determine if the rifle likes/prefers different seating- then I can re-tweak the load a little if it looks like it may help the grouping.

 

[JFrank]

Ok, I have a question on Load Testing, followed by Seating Depth Testing.

The furthest yardage I can test @ is 300 yards.
If I have load tested @ 300 yds and found a pretty good load - say .335 MOA and I want to see if I can improve it with a seating depth test, would a seating depth test @ 200 yards be a valid test to see if I could shrink my group size @ 300 yds. What I am trying to ask is if I change the seating to .xxx and the group @ 200 yards shrinks to .200 MOA, would this seating depth .xxx also probably produce an .200 moa @ 300 yards or slightly larger in Ideal conditions. ???

I ask because it's hard to test under Ideal conditions, and testing @ 200 yds would have less environmental effects on a group than testing @ 300 yards.

I know from reading, load testing should be done at the farthest yardages you expect to shoot at, but I haven't seen this in regards to seating testing.


Thanks, I appreciate all responses and your experience in regard to this

I’ve performed charge ladders at 200 yards then seating at

Ok, I have a question on Load Testing, followed by Seating Depth Testing.

The furthest yardage I can test @ is 300 yards.
If I have load tested @ 300 yds and found a pretty good load - say .335 MOA and I want to see if I can improve it with a seating depth test, would a seating depth test @ 200 yards be a valid test to see if I could shrink my group size @ 300 yds. What I am trying to ask is if I change the seating to .xxx and the group @ 200 yards shrinks to .200 MOA, would this seating depth .xxx also probably produce an .200 moa @ 300 yards or slightly larger in Ideal conditions. ???

I ask because it's hard to test under Ideal conditions, and testing @ 200 yds would have less environmental effects on a group than testing @ 300 yards.

I know from reading, load testing should be done at the farthest yardages you expect to shoot at, but I haven't seen this in regards to seating testing.


Thanks, I appreciate all responses and your experience in regard to this

After reading further I see you are testing with VLD Bullets although I’ve no experience with those my understanding is that they could have a very wide range of seating depth, you may be best served to try Berger’s suggestion of .030 increments at perhaps 300 yards with wind flags, once your course seating is established then move toward fine tuning.

 

[Riesel]

Use your current load as a baseline at 200 yards. Shoot several groups to eliminate variables.
Use that baseline and start your seating depth test. I usually take a box full of ammo seated max length, an arbor press for my inline seater die and a set of calipers for measuring.
Take a note pad and use just for that.

 

[mikecr]

Once I find a Load the rifle seems to like I was going to try a seating test to determine if the rifle likes/prefers different seating- then I can re-tweak the load a little if it looks like it may help the grouping.

Just backwards of logical & tail chasing. Reason being,, it's 2 big changes at once. Think about it. Won't take much to collapse your .335moa effort so far (soon as you come OTL) & then what will you be lookin at? Load, or seating?
Unless lucky enough to hit on a seating that immediately closes grouping better than .335moa, even with current load altered (from that seating), you'll just be left to assume that what you pulled out of your butt to begin with(.005 ITL) happened to be best.. But why would that be?

Berger's recommended testing begins with backing away from any higher pressure load. It's easy to assume this is a safety measure, but it's more useful than that.
Your best load is often going to be near max, and you should not test for seating at your best load.
You should test for seating at your worst powder load, or at least a load that is far from what you'll accept as best. And with this, fire forming of brass is a good time to do this testing.

Given that you engaged in powder, you should know for sure a bad lower load. Use that for full coarse seating testing. Grouping should open way out & close considerably in & open way out again.
Take your best seating with this(even if best is ~3/4moa) and move to powder testing (start over).
After powder go back to seating, fine tweaking in it's window, for best group shaping.
Done with that combination.
Log the CBTO, and never change it for that load combination and barrel. Future restorations should be with powder (your finest of all adjustments).

With a good barrel & gun and that cartridge you should at or below 1/2moa with anything but horrible chosen seating. So with best seating & reconsidering powder results, you'll likely close grouping easily. You'll go right to it. Then you can close even more with neck tension and chosen primer -strike testing.