I have reloaded for the last 25 years and only recently started using "ladders" to help me find an ideal load. Before that I picked a powder and started shooting 3 shot groups over and over till I got one I liked then started tweaking primers, OAL, etc etc. Most of my rifles are sporter weight models with upgraded barrels but recently decided to get a 10 FLCP-K law enforcement model in 223. 99% of what I do is target shoot and since they make it in left hand models I was sold.

I have only had it to the range maybe 5-6 sessions but already it has put 6 groups in my personal top ten list (in 25 years of shooting). Most of them are shooting benchmark with 69 nosler bullets. This weekend I decided to try a ladder test with the rifle and some Varget which I had not shot before. I started at 24 gr and went up to 26g I think it was in .2 jumps. I shoot my ladders at 100 yards which I know is short but it has worked ok on other rifles and it is the range I have so I use it.

Today I shot one each of the loads above and after walking back and forth and marking them over and over what I have is just one very good 10 shot group well under 1". If I throw out the 2 most outside rounds the remaining 8 are around .5" and if I toss out two more rounds the final 6 are a scant .325"

This rifle shoots crazy good anyway so I am not really sure what I expect to find out of a ladder test but have any of you ever shot a ladder and the whole ladder shot into one big ragged hole of under 1"? I am not sure what to make of this. I shoot ladders on my precision AR15 in 556 and it doesnt do this well ever.

I simply love this rifle and now its got me wanting the 308 version too.