Best range for load development?

[keithcandler]

+1

 

[Gater]

I prefer 200 most of the time wind isn't a problem get the load right then worry about operator error later

 

[JD284win]

100 yards. You'll have less variables. Shoot my velocity ladder to find the velocity node I then shoot seating depth to get the group nice and tight. Then I final zero at 200 and verify out to 1k.

 

[65WSM]

Read Walt Berger's book. 300 yards is where you can start to learn something. My experience is that 100 yards is worthless, ammo expended and barrel life sacrificed to learn nothing.

 

[JimmyCP]

100 building load, 200 seating 400-600 ladder. Back to 200 for grouping back to 600 to verify, 1000 verify and then as far as I can till bullets loose stability or I run out of scope.

 

[Morse Industries]

Deff something you'll get a million opinions on, lot of caliber and projectile length based I/we dont shoot under 300yrds for because of this on the 338lms often will actually shoot tighter groups at 400yards than 200yards. goes completely against conventional wisdom but have proven it countless times in lots and lots of testing. other calibers vary on this obviously but you also need some distance to really see into the specific variables and be able to scientifically break them down in to why its doing this and that.

 

[misterc01]

Talking with a former USAF Long Range Competition shooter, his recommendation was for load development, shoot at 200 with the Chrono, then when you have the load you like, then reshoot with that load to get best seating depth.

 

[Mc Fraser]

What do you guys use for spotting when doing ladder test?

 

[Edsguns]

If you live in the northeast "environmental factors" limit you to 100 yards for everything..

 

[fmuguira]

300 makes powder charge and seating depth adjustments really stand out. Wind can have some effect if too strong with you still get the group size comparisons.

100 is great for getting on paper and such but your true load variations jump out much more at 300.

That said sightin distance is more personal preference, your reticle and/or dial takes it those variations according to 'what you like' !

 

[bearcat2]

Deff something you'll get a million opinions on, lot of caliber and projectile length based I/we dont shoot under 300yrds for because of this on the 338lms often will actually shoot tighter groups at 400yards than 200yards. goes completely against conventional wisdom but have proven it countless times in lots and lots of testing. other calibers vary on this obviously but you also need some distance to really see into the specific variables and be able to scientifically break them down in to why its doing this and that.

I've found much the same with my 7 STW when using the long 180 berger vlds, not actually tighter at 400 but virtually the same size groups. It is shooting virtually 1 MOA at 200 and 1/2 MOA at 400+.

That being said, I generally use 200 yards for load work up on most rifles, and 300 on the STW. I have a range out my bedroom window that extends to 300 so that is as far as I can shoot there, and since my reloading bench is in the next room it makes it really convenient to load some loads, walk over to the bench at the windo and test them. I've never personally experienced that phenomenom with any other rifle I have shot, but have heard of others experiencing it, always with very long for caliber bullets.

I will state it depends on the rifle as to the range I use, above is for the long range rifles, 223, my 218 Bee Imp, etc. I do at 100, my 45/70 generally at 50 since I never plan on shooting it that far and in fifteen years other than a couple of times at a target haven't. But in general for any deer/elk rifle I work at 200 and then test at longer after I have built a load I like.

 

[tony d willIiams]

Here is what I do.
Ladder testing: 400-600
Charge weight testing: 100 (course) & 200 (fine)
Seating depth testing: 200-300
Load verification: 500-1200+

Very similar to above, then I practice @ 800+yards to get better at judging and compensating for wind, temperature, thermals and the rest of the variables, which include getting older and less limber.

 

[waveslayer]

Have you studied the proven method of the OCW test? Dan Newberry came up with it, it has worked for me for years now. I started out doing Ladder tests buy eliminated a lot of time and the amount of reloading I had to do to find my PET load.

Let me know if you want a link.

Then after the OCW confirm and true Quikload to fine tune from there. For example I run some hot loads, so when the weather gets over 80° I know I nee to switch to my reduced loads because of pressure issues... QL can help with this, as well as different lots of powder, brass, etc

 

[thwatson2]

Start at 100 then walk it out as far as you wish. Don't confuse load development with sight in range