Ladder Test how-to

[7mmfan]

Throat erosion from 50-75 shots on a weapon that hasn't even printed better than MOA doesn't sound like much of a loss to me.

Throat erosion hasn't proven itself to be the Boogeyman that the more anal retentive make it out to be (personal opinion).

Why are you asking for advice if you know so much?

Don't think Jonathan was asking for any advice, I was.

[7mmfan]

Alight well you guys are shattering my grandiose plans of a perfect ladder test now. Shooting out past 400 is basically undoable within any kind of an acceptable drive of where I am. I don't know that I could provide any consistency at that range with this setup anyway. I'm just trying to get a load that is accurate for this rifle.

I don't have the time to shoot 5 shoot groups in .2 gr increments, and then fiddle with seating depth on half a dozen loads. It's just not in the cards. This is one of about 3 weekend days I have available to do this until like the middle of August so I'm trying to make the best use of my time.

Explain some of these other methods for refining the loads prior to heading out to me so I can evaluate and maybe implement them over the next couple days. I'll watch the Sadderlee videos tonight after kiddos bedtime, but if someone can give me a rudimentary breakdown it would be appreciated.

If you don't have enough range to ladder test, or enough time to OCW test, then you'll have to velocity string test or satterlee test as mentioned above. The satterlee test can be hard to weed through if your chrony is finicky, scale inaccurate, powder stability, ect.. Thats why its easier at .5grn or higher increments. Honestly though, I end up loading and shooting just as much with a satterlee test as a .3grn OCW test. But maybe someone else has had better luck. The easiest short range test for me has been a .3grn OCW test. You can load a box of 3 shot groups or a couple boxes of 5 shot. Cool barrel between groups and tighten a seating depth test later.

This is basically what I've done, and I'm just frustrated with lack of results. I probably spent 2 weeks and a couple hundred rounds down range last year to get to a 1.25" group. The gun gets hot fast and I literally have fart around for 20 minutes to feel like its cool enough for another group. Takes all friggin day. In reality I just need to come to terms with the fact that this gun may just not be a great shooter.

[Buckjunkie]

Throat erosion from 50-75 shots on a weapon that hasn't even printed better than MOA doesn't sound like much of a loss to me.

Throat erosion hasn't proven itself to be the Boogeyman that the more anal retentive make it out to be (personal opinion).

Why are you asking for advice if you know so much?

Don't think Jonathan was asking for any advice, I was.

Thought he was you...my bad

[Jason]

140 Accubond and Varget

I’ve had very good results with Varget and 140 Accubonds in my Ruger American 7mm-08. Good luck with the testing and finding a good load.

[7mmfan]

140 Accubond and Varget

I’ve had very good results with Varget and 140 Accubonds in my Ruger American 7mm-08. Good luck with the testing and finding a good load.

Out of curiosity, what did you settle on for a load? Distance off lands?

[7mmfan]

Throat erosion from 50-75 shots on a weapon that hasn't even printed better than MOA doesn't sound like much of a loss to me.

Throat erosion hasn't proven itself to be the Boogeyman that the more anal retentive make it out to be (personal opinion).

Why are you asking for advice if you know so much?

Don't think Jonathan was asking for any advice, I was.

Thought he was you...my bad

 

[Jason]

140 Accubond and Varget

I’ve had very good results with Varget and 140 Accubonds in my Ruger American 7mm-08. Good luck with the testing and finding a good load.

Out of curiosity, what did you settle on for a load? Distance off lands?

41.2gr Varget 2.807 coal.  I’m not sure how far off the lands it ended up, I don’t have that info here in the house.

[jasnt]

7mm
When you have done seating depth testing in the past what were your increments?
I’ve had great results with Berger’s seating depth testing.  .030” increments.  Some times that sweet spot is .120” jump and have seen even more be better in some guns. 
Can’t remember if you said or not but has it been bedded? What scope are you running?

[7mmfan]

I'll admit, I haven't backed that far off with my seating depth, mainly because I haven't found any loads that grouped well enough to intrigue me to pursue it further. I suppose that's something I should probably put more effort into.

Lands is 2.90. Magazine length is 2.85. I've loaded from there down to 2.73. Most loads between 2.80 and 2.85.

Rifle is bedded and floated. Scope leupold vx 2 3-9. Nothing fancy but more than adequate for putting a group on paper at 100 yards.

[Magnum_Willys]

How long is your barrel?

Without tuning Quickload says 43.1 gr @ 2.870 for 2870 fps for 24” barrel is your goto. 
This is MAX Load   

Or drop to 40.2 gr @ 2700. 

If I knew barrel length, and velocity and
Load specs from existing load could narrow it down.

My last 3 rifles have all shot quickload suggest loads < .5 moa   

[jasnt]

My suggestion would be to try it. Ime with out a seating depth the rifle likes with a given bullet you won’t get anything decent.   When I started loading for my first 300wm I couldn’t get anything to shoot better than moa.   Then I read about the Berger seating depth test and they suggested.030” increments out to .120” off.   Was only 4 3 shot groups what could it hurt.   So I picked a low charge and found it shot very well from 60-90k off.  So I did a velocity test just to find the flat spot and all ten shots of the test printed a 3/4” group at 100 yards.   Last 2 shots were the same speed.  So I shot the middle of that load and first group was .6.  I was happy but after a box of bullets I decided to fine tune seating depth and tested .005” increments and found right at .075 the group went .5 and sometimes less.   I know use this method every time.    Many folks squak it’s a poor method using the velocity test but it has worked very well for me.   With the right seating depth!
Jmo based on my experiences

[7mmfan]

How long is your barrel?

Without tuning Quickload says 43.1 gr @ 2.870 for 2870 fps for 24” barrel is your goto. 
This is MAX Load   

Or drop to 40.2 gr @ 2700. 

If I knew barrel length, and velocity and
Load specs from existing load could narrow it down.

My last 3 rifles have all shot quickload suggest loads < .5 moa

Barrel is 22" long 1:9.25 twist. I don't have speeds from any existing loads unfortunately.

@jasnt I agree that a systematic approach to all aspects of reloading is the best way to go. I'm just flustered from lack of time. I have jumped around a bit in my reloading efforts which hasn't helped me any. I guess I just need to buck up and load it out and try to find the time.

[jasnt]

No need to rush it since you have a back up.  Just load up a seating depth test when you load up your ladder. Test both on same day. Then next outing use what you learned to get a better test with seating depth and charge. 

[Magnum_Willys]

Well with a 22” barrel quickload says First node is down at 40.7 gr @ 2703 and you can’t reach next node of 44 gr @ 2903.

I like to bump a hair before optimum so I would guess 40.9 @ 2.800   

The speeds listed are the important part the grains are quickloads guesstimate since no proven load data to input.

[7mmfan]

Well with a 22” barrel quickload says First node is down at 40.7 gr @ 2703 and you can’t reach next node of 44 gr @ 2903.

I like to bump a hair before optimum so I would guess 40.9 @ 2.800   

The speeds listed are the important part the grains are quickloads guesstimate since no proven load data to input.

That's good info. Thanks for that. I worked up loads this morning starting at 41, maybe I'll add a few down into the 40's to see what they yield. I doubt I'd be able to make it 44 gr, the rifle usually shows pressure signs slightly above book max.