Ladder load work up?

[Nwflycaster]

Savanahsdad, for most people and most rifles a 1moa is good enough. But I'm a competitive rifle shooter and must have sub 1/2 moa to be able to compete. It's not always that lights out 6BR that I'm shooting in competition, but sometimes an AR-15 or my rimfire.

A typical target that I shoot at has an x-ring that is .75 moa and a 10 ring that's 1.75 moa in total width, so half those numbers from the center to the ring edge.
A 1moa load already puts shots into the 9 ring before you even add your pulse beat (shooting irons with a sling) and wind factors. Plus any cheek pressure irregularities and maybe an imperfect trigger squeeze. Oh, and I cant forget that my age isn't exactly eyesight friendly anymore either.

On a good day I'll have a .25moa pulse beat and on an off day it can be .5 or more. That's why I'm always looking for that .25moa load. I need all the help I can get to aid in my own deficiencies.

 

[savanahsdad]

well since your rim fire is a Anschutz, I'd hope you're at 1/2 MOA and I see all your NRA Masters listed on your post, and for what you are doing I agree with all of what you said and your right, at 300 yard you will see a bigger difference in groups with a ladder test , but I don't know if the OP can read wind as good as you, me, or others, and with what I think is a stock AR (he has not said otherwise) and with a 3-9X? Nikon, and not knowing how good his eyes are, or what he has for a rest , and so on , the 100 yard test to find the sweat spot is what I recommend , plus he seems to only have the 3X and the 3-9 and is new here , so I'm only guessing but a 300 yard ladder test might be a bit much , as for me I have about 15 scoped rifles ranging from a 3X Tasco to a Shepherd V1 6-18X40 and a few red dots , and some spares laying round so 300 yard groups would just be a fun afternoon , but I still like to do my work ups and ladder test at 100 yards with a LeadSled on a good shooting bench ,


to the OP: if you can judge wind and are conferrable at longer ranges , then go for it , I'm not saying Nwfylcaster is wrong , not at all , just not how I would start my testing.
let us know how things work out

 

[Chewy4480]

Thanks everyone. I am really just doing this as a learning experience. Although I spent 5 years in the army and can read the wind good enough to hit a man size target at 300 meters with iron sights I am not ready to shoot 1/2 moa at 300 yards yet. 100 yard ladder test I feel will be a good place to start. Right now I'm just loading up 55gr v-max for plinking. I just want to get the method down so when I build me "long range gun" I'll be able to make some good loads for it. I can put the nikon on my current gun for the ladder test but after that the eotecth is going right back on. Definitely want to try out multiple ways of doing this to see what works for me. All suggestions and tip are welcome.

 

[savanahsdad]

Definitely want to try out multiple ways of doing this to see what works for me.

that right there ^^^^^^ tells me you are on the right track , good luck and most of all have fun ,


And Thanks for your service ,

 

[WNTFW]

I would suggest against a ladder at shorter ranges. I believe originally it was designed to shoot at 300yd and longer. Every method has it's good and bad points. With any ladder or variation of a ladder you will have to continue you load development after the initial pass. The main thing is to get conclusive info from good data.