35 Whelen ladder test: Inconclusive?

[thomae]

So...I went out to the range today and after sighting in (had changed scopes to a Nikon 3-9x40 with more eye relief than the previous scope), at 25 and then 100 yards to make sure she was on paper, I did a 200 yard ladder test.

I only had time to do one "ladder" although I had loaded up enough for two ladders. (Things slow down when I don't have the range to myself.)
My methodology was shoot one round (using front and rear bags), walk 200 yards to target, mark target, walk 200 yards to bench, by which time barrel has cooled. Repeat as necessary. What with placing, marking and retrieving the target, I figure I walked over 3 miles. Pleasant stroll.

The load is 50-56 grains of Varget (.5 grain intervals) behind Hornady 250 grain interlock spire point (blemished bullets from Midway).

The very first shot with 50 grains of Varget was the one just above the center of the orange aiming point. I probably shoulda stopped right there . (What a confidence builder!) 50-51grains looks like a possible node, and possibly 52.0 (that's the hole on the line of the diagonal aiming point) and 52.5grains. Does this sound reasonable? Do you more experienced load developers see anything different that I have not noticed?

I will try a second ladder test next week or whenever I can get out to the range again. I know some people think 200 yards is a borderline short distance for a ladder test, but itthe longest distance at my local range.

If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions, please feel free to comment. My proposed methodology will be to try to find a node, then see if I can get a bit more precise on the powder load, then work on seating distance.

I guess I'd like to get some confirmation that I am proceeding in the right direction along the appropriate path.

Thanks very much.

[KRP]

Same point of aim on all shots?

[fgw_in_fla]

That was going to be my question.... The next question I had would be how can you see 200yds with a 9x scope? I can't see with a 12x!!!

[fgw_in_fla]

By the way thomae...
If it were me, I'd make up 3 of each using 50.0, 50.5, 50.1 & send 'em downrange. I'll bet you need to be somewhere in there.
The rest of them look too scattered. You might be in the 'ol ballpark with the lower charges in which you may have to go to a little slower powder. I always have my best results when the case is 75% filled or better.

But that's just me.

Frank in Fla

[thomae]

Point of aim for all shots was the center of the orange dot. I was shooting off front and rear bags (filled with rice)
Scope is a Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 with BDC.
Today was a sunny day and it was easy to see the target dot at 200 yards at 9x and the Crosshairs don't cover up all the orange.
Caveat: the scope does not have an adjustable objective lens and parallax is factory set for 100 yards. I could see that there were parallax errors at 200 yards, and tried hard to get a consistent cheek weld/sight picture for each shot.

Velocities (FPS) were as follows (admittedly, not always consistent and a second ladder test will take out some of the error)
50.0g=2188
50.5g=2226
51.0g=2241
51.5g=2305
52.0g=2303
52.5g=2320
53.0g=2387
53.5g=2379
54.0g=2376
54.5g=3023(??)
55.0g=2390
55.5g=2834(??)
56.0g=2415

I'm not really worried yet where they fall on the paper relative to the aimpoint. That can be adjusted easily enough later.

I'll do another ladder when I can, and I'm thinking that the 50.0-51.0 (average velocity is 2218fps) may be one accuracy node and the 52.0 and 52.5 (average velocity=2311.5) is another node. The only problem with that is the 51.5g velocity was 2305 and it was almost 2 inches below the 52.0g and 52.5g bullet holes.

Also, I do have other powders to try as well.

[masterloader]

The only problem with that is the 51.5g velocity was 2305 and it was almost 2 inches below the 52.0g and 52.5g bullet holes.

Don't worry about this problem, which it isn't a problem. A cousin and I both had a 357 Herrett in which he was shooting 1gr more then me. Just for the heck of it one day we tried each others loads in our own guns. Mine shot 6" higher out of his with my 1gr less powder. His shot 6" lower out of mine with his 1gr more. So he tried a group shot with my load and it grouped better for him and he switched to my load.

[gpoldblue]

thomae...In my .35 Whelen,I load 56gn/IMR4320 with a 250gn Speer Spitzer for 2550fps...shoots 3/4moa(5 shot grps) @ 100 & 200yds.. You're doing real good with your 1/2moa groups! Good luck.