First test loads, now what?

[71velle]

I made my first loads for my VT11 in 233, I am happy with the results but not sure what to test next. I changed the powder by .4 grains and left seating depth constant. How should I make the next set of test rounds. Each target is 5 rounds at 100 yards.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/artmalibu/Mobile%20Uploads/E736F2D3-160F-4753-BC9C-41D156AB3AF6_zpsnfbk1fuw.jpg (http://s36.photobucket.com/user/artmalibu/media/Mobile%20Uploads/E736F2D3-160F-4753-BC9C-41D156AB3AF6_zpsnfbk1fuw.jpg.html)

[Zero333]

Obviously 23.5 looks very good.

You have a few choices now...

-Play with the charge weight in 0.1gr increments, 23.3 - 23.4 - 23.5 - 23.6 & 23.7 gr
-Load up some at 23.5 and play with the seating depth in 0.010" increments.
-Load some at 23.5 at the same seating depth your original test and see how consistent it is by shooting several groups at different distances.

[alltherage]

I like 23.1. Did you yank that flyer at all? If it were me id go .1 increments between 23.1 and 23.5. Then change seating next round after that

[Robinhood]

Need more info. Powder, bullet, brass and primer.

[foxx]

Group 4 might be best... very little vertical variance. Could try playing with seating depth and see what happens.

[olddav]

I tend to agree with foxx, #4 looks good.

[71velle]

Need more info. Powder, bullet, brass and primer.

Hornady 68 grain HPBT
Varget powder
Remington brass
CCI standard primer

[m12lrs]

Let's go 24.5, 24.8, 25.1, 25.4, 25.7

Load 3 of each. Paint each group with a different color sharpie from tip to ogive.

Put your target at your longest distance available. Not over 600 yrds though. Better if you can't see the group developing

Use a large sheet of white paper with one aiming dot in the middle.

Shoot the first one of each group of 3. Then the second then the third.

You should be able to see the color around each bullet hole. I kind of Mark each one with the color where I can look at it and evaluate. You are looking at vertical dispersion. Don't worry about horizontal yet.

Send us pics.of that and we.will tell you what to do next

[jpx2rk]

Group 3, and test at 200/300/etc, depending on what you intend to use the load for and intended distance. You could try .1g higher and lower but I don't see any need to unless the longer distance testing shows something not seen at 100.

[71velle]

The longest range I can shoot is 200 yards.

I got a little excited to load last night and made up 100 rounds, 55 are to share with a friend and plink with same load as target #3(23.5 grains). The test loads I made were 15 each of 23.3, 23.5, 23.7 so I went .2 up and down from target # 3. I thought it would be good to make enough of each one so 1 or 2 bad shots on my end wont send me down the wrong path. I dont have a lead sled, and am still new to this type of rifle shooting.

This is all with Remington brass, will other types of brass make a big difference?

[Zero333]

The longest range I can shoot is 200 yards.

I got a little excited to load last night and made up 100 rounds, 55 are to share with a friend and plink with same load as target #3(23.5 grains). The test loads I made were 15 each of 23.3, 23.5, 23.7 so I went .2 up and down from target # 3. I thought it would be good to make enough of each one so 1 or 2 bad shots on my end wont send me down the wrong path. I dont have a lead sled, and am still new to this type of rifle shooting.

This is all with Remington brass, will other types of brass make a big difference?

What you loaded is good. Of each charge weight I would shoot 2 groups at 100 and 1 group at 200 or vice versa, 2 at 200 and 1 at 100.

I do the same thing by loading 2 or more groups of each to make sure the results are consistent and collaborate to each other.

[homefrontsniper]

What power scope? Can you Make dot smaller ?
#3 looks good. And yes shoot @ longer distance.

[71velle]

I replaced the scope with a vortex that will go to 20x

[Robinhood]

Let's go 24.5, 24.8, 25.1, 25.4, 25.7


Put your target at your longest distance available.

This, and the reason for me asking about components.

[71velle]

This, and the reason for me asking about components.

Why go with 1 grain more than tightest group and work up?
Is this the ladder test?
Is 200 yard long enough?

[Zero333]

Why go with 1 grain more than tightest group and work up?
Is this the ladder test?
Is 200 yard long enough?

200yards is good.

They're recommending going up in charge weight because it's common to see 25-26gr of Varget under 68-69gr pills.

Most people want the most velocity with good accuracy, but if you're never going to shoot beyond 200 yards there is no reason to bump up the velocity unless accuracy is better at the higher velocity.

And you'll never know until you try.

[m12lrs]

Usually there will be 2 accuracy nodes. One at lower velocities and one at higher velocities. I always like to find both.

200 yrds is sufficient. The further the distance the more vertical separation you will have between charges. Easier to read the target.

This is a bastardized OCW test to find your optimum charge weight. What you are looking.for are 2 or more charges that have little vertical separation. This is the powder charge that you want to work with as far as fine tuning the charge and seating.depth test.

[Texas10]

What I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around is why your groups seem to be hitting LOWER with each increase in charge wt. Is your scope creeping?

I agree with m12lrs about vertical separation. Usually when I shoot a load workup in my 223, the Point Of Impact shifts UPWARD with each increasingly hotter load. I look for the 3 loads that land nearest to the same elevation relative to the Point of Aim, pick the middle load and start seating depth work from there. Then once I find the best seating depth, go back and change the load by .1 grain increments to find tightest groups.

[71velle]

I believe the scope is good. The last time out with the same ammo the elevation stayed constant.

The max load in my manual with Varget is 24.9, being new Im not sure about exceeding max loads.

[Zero333]

What I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around is why your groups seem to be hitting LOWER with each increase in charge wt. Is your scope creeping?

I agree with m12lrs about vertical separation. Usually when I shoot a load workup in my 223, the Point Of Impact shifts UPWARD with each increasingly hotter load. I look for the 3 loads that land nearest to the same elevation relative to the Point of Aim, pick the middle load and start seating depth work from there. Then once I find the best seating depth, go back and change the load by .1 grain increments to find tightest groups.

Different barrels have different harmonics. I did a OCW and ladder recently where they seemed not to move up as velocity increased, and almost looks like they were going down.
Actually I have 2 barrels right now that did that during load development. A 300winmag and a 308win.

OCW at 109 yards...
http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr8/Zero333/_3332815_zpsr12ruhuy.jpg

2 ladders of same charge weights at 328 yards...
http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr8/Zero333/_3332810_zpsx35ku16f.jpg