Load development and ladder testing

fast14riot

fast14riot

Joined
Oct 27, 2010
Messages
8,721
Curious how many here do serious load development and ladder testing, and if so what's your basic routine?

I have my own routine with ladder testing, but wondering if others have a similar one to mine.

I round robin on a single target with colored bullets so I can differentiate the holes. First looking for vertical grouping then seating depth.

What's yours?


-Xander
 
Color marked bullets is what I used to do as well. Marker color them ahead of the ogive.

Also shot over a chronograph to add the data to the load build - which helps predict if you make changes later.

Don't forget a handful of sighter/fouler at a lower load - just to eliminate barrel fouling and give you a chance to zero.

I usually did 4 ladders. One with wider steps to get a general range (e.g. 29-32 gr), then three identical with the finer gradations - shot back to back, but letting the barrel rest between them.

If no clear winner was determined from that, but a smaller range to test - then I'd do the three ladders again, with finer still gradations in the new range.

Obviously - all are done from a bench - since you are determining load limits and performance - not shooter.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, gross jumps of 1% to find max pressure then check for a good node within that (as well as chrony values) and then move to smaller values. I do shoot a separate target for foulers/sighters. I really like doing round robin where I shot 1st shot load #1, 2nd shot load #2, etc. It eliminates any environmental influences like all load #1 being shot in bright sun but cloud cover moved in by load #4. It also eliminates shooter influence. Single target and bullet coloring keeps everything the same.

Doing this can also help things like determining the best primer and seating depth (jump/jam) with more record keeping.

-X
 
fast14riot said:
Yeah, gross jumps of 1% to find max pressure then check for a good node within that (as well as chrony values) and then move to smaller values. I do shoot a separate target for foulers/sighters. I really like doing round robin where I shot 1st shot load #1, 2nd shot load #2, etc. It eliminates any environmental influences like all load #1 being shot in bright sun but cloud cover moved in by load #4. It also eliminates shooter influence. Single target and bullet coloring keeps everything the same.

Doing this can also help things like determining the best primer and seating depth (jump/jam) with more record keeping.

-X
Click to expand...

^^^ This, I've done it this way for years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top