Do You Ladder Test?

mtngroan

mtngroan

New member
Just wondering if you guy's ladder test or just find a charge that groups well with specific powder and bullet? I have been prepping brass and am on a big winter push for reloading! I have loads that group well in my rifles, but wondering if it's worth the time to ladder test?
 
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Originally Posted By: orion94usI do the same as the previous two said with the exception I start near the top of load, find what works then adjust COL.

Same here. I spent years and lots of $$ starting at starting loads. I don't do that anymore. I've never seen any pressure signs till I get 'em up near (or over) the Max. Loads always seem to shoot best groups at 1g,.5g, or at max for me(YMMV). Then if it's a bolt I'll play with COL. In the AR I just load to book listed COL.
 
I do the ladder test and I promise you it will save you alot of time and money.

Can find the perfect powder charge in about 10-15 rounds depending on capacity. I've also noticed that just about all the guns I've test have a high velocity and a low velocity node. Example my 260 with H4350 would shoot lights out a somewhere around 2690fps and jsut as good again at around 2925fps. Since 2925 was really pushing the 140grs. to hard I swapped to another powder to get the velocity where I wanted it.

I promise you if you try it you love it. No more guessing if another charge would work just alittle better.

I load all the rounds for the ladder and shoot them. Pick the 3 closest and reload 3 each of them. Which ever one shoots the best group I go with that. Then IF not completely satisfied I start playing with seating depth. Mostly start jammed and then start backing off and see if the groups tighten up any.

In most of my experiences I can find the perfect load for my rifle in 20-30rds.
 
summitsitter said:
I do the ladder test and I promise you it will save you alot of time and money.

Can find the perfect powder charge in about 10-15 rounds depending on capacity. I've also noticed that just about all the guns I've test have a high velocity and a low velocity node. Example my 260 with H4350 would shoot lights out a somewhere around 2690fps and jsut as good again at around 2925fps. Since 2925 was really pushing the 140grs. to hard I swapped to another powder to get the velocity where I wanted it.

I promise you if you try it you love it. No more guessing if another charge would work just alittle better.

I load all the rounds for the ladder and shoot them. Pick the 3 closest and reload 3 each of them. Which ever one shoots the best group I go with that. Then IF not completely satisfied I start playing with seating depth. Mostly start jammed and then start backing off and see if the groups tighten up any.

In most of my experiences I can find the perfect load for my rifle in 20-30rds.

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where is the post or a site for the procedure for this ladder test system
Click to expand...
 
I start with a ladder test when I have time. I start about halfway between the starting load and max, then go up in .1 grain increments to a bit over max suggested. Shoot from at least 400 yards and you'll see a cluster or two in the vertical stringing. Focus on the tightest cluster in the velocity area you're looking for, then I load up to shoot 4 shot groups of each powder weight in the cluster. So if 25.4, 25.5 and 25.6 shot to pretty much the same point of impact I'd load up 4 rounds of each and shoot 100 yard groups to see what was tightest. Then taking that charge I'll load up 2 to 4 different COAL's and shoot groups again. Then I'll have my load for that particular bullet.


This new AR I've got is the first gun in a long time I didn't ladder test because I just didn't have time. For it I just loaded 4 shot groups starting at mid charge in .4 or .5 grain intervals up to max and loaded for mag length of 2.26". It wasn't hard to see what it liked. I'll likely ladder test it in the spring when I have more time and the weather is a bit better.
 
I have to agree with ladder testing, it gets your accuracy where you want it with out guessing. What looks like waste, really isnt. Not all guns shoot the same load with the same accuracy. Ladder testing zero's in on what works the best in the rifle. I wish i would have known about ladder testing when I first started reloading, I would have saved a lot of time.
 
I've heard of the ladder test...but never really understood it until I just read that link listed above by jacent.. thanks Man...

After reading that article... I got a full understanding on how to go from A-Z in finding the best load... that was great.... and it made my coffee taste so much better this morning...
 
Its not confusing. Load a bullet, bump up the charge. Do this all the way up. Shoot them from 200-400 yds. All aiming at same spot. Keep track of wich load hit where. Once you find a cluster look at what the charge range it was. This is the accuracy node. Its a varying charge range that shoots the best.
 


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