Ladder test. Tikka 300 Win Mag 210 gr Berger, H-1000

Factory barrel, action, and stock.

+/- 77.0 gr is looking promising. This wa shot at 500 yards today, and yes there was some mirage!

Original thread during barrel fouling.

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/5849867/1/Another_good_shooting_Tikka._A

What is the min distance for ladder test?

300 yards.

Even there they can be tough to read. They do spread at 300, but you have to knw what you're looking at when shooting a custom barrel chambered by a good smith. Meaning those shoot most loads very well.

500 yards gives more clear data in my opinion. Today the range had a 5-10 mph wind from 1-2 o'clock, but with the great BC of this bullet I didn't worry about it.

Hmmm....from what I've read the ladder test is invalid with crinkled paper...

What is the purpose of the ladder test?

To cut down on the amount of ammo produced and therefore the amount of shooting to find the right powder charge.

Barrels move in a sine wave. The ladder test will show where the bullet is leaving when the barrel is most stable, i.e. when the barrel pauses from upward deflection before lower deflection.

Notice every one of those charges are of a different powder charge, yet some group togther. 76.8 gr and 77.2 gr grouped 7/8" apart at 500 yards. That tells me I need to fine tune my load around 77.0 gr.

Ah, very clever! Too bad most of us don't have access to long ranges like that.

That is the major down side to it. Not everyone has access to 500 yards all the time.

may have a node around 78 too

78.4 and 78 do not look to have too much vertical seperation

I agree.

That pesky 77.6 screwed up the roll I had going. No way did I drop the rear bag and cause it to land up there. But it went smooth off the reservation as compared to the loads above and below it.

Found another good use for duck tape though.

For grins i may try this at 200...