338LM H1000 300gr ladder test. thoughts??Updates.

[Kelly Timoffee]

Finally made the trip to do the initial tests on my 338 Savage.

Conditions were good @ 17C overcast and a wind from left to right.

The load information:

3.755" OAL(2.290" if using my comparator) , to fit magazine.
H1000 powder
215 Primers
Lapua Brass
300gr Hybrid projectiles

The rifle:



The set up: this was done @ 250 yards.



The ladder results:



Here are the specifics on the results:

6 sighters to get going. avg velocity 2502

Powder charge - velocity:
83gr -2527 ft/sec
84gr - 2552
85gr - 2581
86gr - 2589
87gr - 2628
88gr - 2643
89gr - 2665
90gr - 2690
91gr - 2720
92gr - 2759
93gr - 2768
94gr - 2802
95gr - 2817

note: I was making windage corrections to stay on target

note: there was cool down/rest time between the three groups of shots(83-86, 87-90 and 91-95)

Two very obvious nodes even with the cool down time between groups.Further testing in the 92-95 grain would be my choice.

The 92 - 95 grain loads are above the manufacturers recommenced maximum loads. These were safe in my rifle and did not show sign of excess pressure but may not be safe in others.

 

[back40sniper]

Just for S&G I would load 3 at 93 grains and shoot them.

 

[ultimate_monkey]

if the 92-95 range was operating saftly and no signes of pressure thats where i would be doing my next set of testing as well. load up a few of each and see how she goes

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

To be honest I was actually a bit surprised , during this testing session as loads increased there was no difference in the extraction and primers(although a poor indicator) didn't seem to have any change in appearance as the loads increased.

if the 92-95 range was operating saftly and no signes of pressure thats where i would be doing my next set of testing as well. load up a few of each and see how she goes

 

[legi0n]

looks like a windy day
if so, try again when there's next to no wind

 

[ultimate_monkey]

looks like a windy day
if so, try again when there's next to no wind

doing a ladder test wind doesn't much matter, hes looking for the nodes with the least amount of virtical seperation, not shooting for any kind of group

 

[legi0n]

doing a ladder test wind doesn't much matter, hes looking for the nodes with the least amount of virtical seperation, not shooting for any kind of group

that's not how I learned it.
in the ladder test you're looking for "clumps"
the barrel vibration can happen on both vertical and horizontal and gusty wind masks the horizontal vibes.

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

note: I was making windage corrections to stay on target

looks like a windy day
if so, try again when there's next to no wind

As the loads increased they walked towards off target , I corrected for this , I am looking ONLY for vertical spread, or lack there of.

Shots 83 and 84 were consecutive , then I corrected , then shot 85 and 86, see what I did there?

Then I will shoot groups to see what is what.

 

[legi0n]

note: I was making windage corrections to stay on target



As the loads increased they walked towards off target , I corrected for this , I am looking ONLY for vertical spread, or lack there of.

Then I will shoot groups to see what is what.

you can look for whatever you like
and if you're lucky you may get a good load out of it
but I doubt it

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

And your advice is noted.

you can look for whatever you like
and if you're lucky you may get a good load out of it
but I doubt it

 

[Mystic Precision]

Nice set up. A few flags would be very helpful.

Good luck with your testing

Jerry

 

[c-fbmi]

Through out 40 years of loading and load testing I have never seen different powder loads cause horizontal stringing. In my experience this is always a bedding problem. I understand the theory that the muzzle moves in a circular vibration pattern, but in literally thousands upon thousands of test loads I have never seen the next grain or 2 or 3 cause horizontal movement of groups. Even different bullet weights almost always cause only vertical displacement and usually little to no horizontal movement, JMHE.

 

[Cleftwynd]

I agree that looking for vertical movement is the way to go with a ladder test, 93 grains or thereabouts would be where I would be playing with next.

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

Just that the big horizontal movement has me bamboozled especially if there are clearly two nodes with small vertical deviation.

The chassis system allows the barrel to float for most of it.

 

[todbartell]

retest 93grs at 600+ yards

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

Ok, here is the brass , lowest load and largest , I see no issues and bolt lift was the same, just slight crater but it is Federal primers also.





Ok now here is a possible concern of mine or maybe not.

There is a "clean" area in front of the rings.I just noticed this tonight in some better lighting.The width is not the same so I don't think it is from slipping in the inserts and it could be from when I initially installed the scope.

Also I checked the action, chassis, ring screws and they were tight but I did give them a bit more which felt like a frog hair from going too tight.Just wanted to eliminate that as a cause for the horizontal stringing.

 

[Cleftwynd]

Usually if a scope moves within the rings due to recoil it will scratch or mark the coating on the scope. Doesn't look like they have moved to me.

 

[kman300]

It looks like he is using plastic inserts so it wouldn't be scratching his tube.

I put a piece of black electricians tape behind one of my rings on big boomers to see if the scope moves or not. So far no issues with seekins rings on my 338lm.

 

[swissinn]

Burris signature zees? I had to ditch those on my 110 FCP HS Precision cuz the scope would move with 300 scenars and 94 Grains of N570. Even overtorqued to 24 in lbs. I went with a matched set of farrel steel rings and 30 MOA base. Doesnt budge.