Anyone use the Berger VLD method to find the perfect load for the grendel?

[giannid]

http://www.bergerbullets.com/vld-making-shoot/

In my bolt guns I exclusively use the Berger VLD bullets. I've had very good luck with getting them to shoot well in my other rifles. The link to this method is included above. With this method, you adjust your coal first using the lightest power charge. When your best shooting coal is found you go and do your ladder test with your powder. Doesn't seem like Berger makes a very good bullet for the 6.5 grendel but I think the Hornady ELD match bullets are very similar. I always found a great shooting load with my bold rifles and really liked this method. Thoughts?

[grayfox]

It's kind of opposite from what I do, but to each his own, probably has its merits.

For an accomplished marksman who doesn't introduce hundreds of variables by having himself in the equation, I'd say it probably works well. The issue for regular, more average shooters is that they can't always hold and fire the rifle exactly (and I mean exactly) the same time after time after time for their rifles. I've been shooting over 40 yrs but I am not in the marksman category. I shoot for an MV that shows great consistency first: a good chrony gives bullet speeds, with consistent objectivity. For the normal range of bullet coal's and powder choices 10-20-30 thou difference in a cartridge will not affect MV appreciably, at least that's the theory I'm working from (the amount of energy available to accelerate a given bullet in a given barrel, is pretty much the same for equal grs of that powder even for a varying coal).

So laddering to find MV with low SD and low ES is my first step. Then I adjust for coal to see the target pattern tighten up. ps, I also think I have a good idea in advance, for that barrel, what the MV nodes are, so I typically look at combo's that will give MV's around those points. Fair disclosure: this is still a working theory, I wouldn't propose it as pure gospel.

I would not say that this is the only way to do it, certainly the Berger method could do well also. But this one makes the most use of objectively obtained data and so far for me, it has worked well.

edit: ps, your use of the term "perfect" introduces intriguing connotations... not many perfect things in this real world...

[Sticks]

Same here. Not near a good enough shooter to use even the ladder test. Have to use OCW. 10 perfect shots (1 shot with each charge weight) at 200 to 300 yards is not going to happen with me for a while.

[diddlyv]

No exactly on point but my rem 40 xbr will shoot approx 1/2 min groups with 155 Palmas 174 smk and 190 smks all seated where the boat tail is approx at the junction of case neck and shoulder. This results in wildly different coals. I don't know how close to the rifling the 190 is but do know the rifling does not mark the bullets the 175s and 155s have to be a long W at off but all shoot very accurately so for that rifle bullet jump is meaningless

[grayfox]

No exactly on point but my rem 40 xbr will shoot approx 1/2 min groups with 155 Palmas 174 smk and 190 smks all seated where the boat tail is approx at the junction of case neck and shoulder. This results in wildly different coals. I don't know how close to the rifling the 190 is but do know the rifling does not mark the bullets the 175s and 155s have to be a long W at off but all shoot very accurately so for that rifle bullet jump is meaningless

Well... I can say that all of my rifles shoot lots better than I do!!!