What distance to test loads-advise

[9milli]

Just wondering if there is a distance that most people test their loads for 9mm?

It's probably "at the distance you shoot targets at" but my 25yd groups are

less than stellar, but closer are better.

Any thoughts and help?

Thanks

[Alan550]

You're right about testing at the distance you'll be shooting, but at whatever distance you test, be consistent. Don't try one load at 10 yds and the next at 15 or 20. That way you can compare one to the other on a level playing field and know better how they'll hit compared to each other. That's what you're after anyway, just comparing one to the other.

Alan~^~

[Flexmoney]

You can't test any further out than your ability to hold a really good group.

[LPatterson]

For bench rest I use 15 yards as an intermediate range to test potential. If they are inside 3" which I consider accurate enough for most of our shooting, then I'll stretch it to 35 yards. This is a distance used for several classifiers and is still within limits of most pistol bays. If I have an especially good hold on any testing day I will try 50 yards but it doesn't happen often.

[lugnut]

If they group good at 25 yds then I know I'm good inside that distance. However I usually test at 50 feet because my indoor range is open 24/7! 50 ft min, 25yds optimal. But like Flex said- if you can't group at 25yds decent- it's a waste. I shoot slow fire, freestyle- no bench for me. FWIW- with my Glocks- I can usually group at about 2 inches +/- at 50' and about 4 inches at 25 yds +/-... depending on my patience on any given day. I shoot 10 shot groups amd might "ignore" one or two outliers if I know it was me and not the gun.

[Boats]

2nd on slow freestyle. Bench is a different sport and needs some experience to shoot off bags well. Personally I never use a rest and often times can shoot a smaller group from position than I can from bags. This is a throw back to Smallbore Pone days when all testing was from prone off a mat with sling glove and shooting coat. Few position rifle shooters zero from sandbags. Plus if looking for zero it will be quite different off bags than from position.

Shoot a group on paper with a good distinct bulls eye. Take the target with plenty of shots 10 or 20 and use a framing square to box in the group, If you want throw out obvious flyer's, if you think they are yours. Then measure the group maximum height and width. Draw an X between the corners and you get true center of impact from your normal grip and sight picture. It's usually not what you thought it was going to be. Few clicks adjustment can make a big difference in scores on paper during a match. Centered up is the goal.

Distance ? It has to be far enough to see differences close hides poor grouping, but get too far outdoors and sometimes conditions come in to play. Personally I recommend longest distance you are likely to shoot in matches. IDPA 20 yards about does it.

Boats

[JoeGlocker]

Set paper at 7yd, 15yd, 25yd, 40yd, take 5 good shots at each. You see if high or low from where you were aiming. and you will know your limits.

[Shawn Knight]

I sandbag the gun and test at 25 yards.

[HSMITH]

I rest them at 25 to try a new load, but I can call shots a lot better than I can actually shoot groups so I will shoot freestyle at 25-50 and see if the bullets land on the call. If they do I know it is working well, if they don't the load isn't working. Some guns are kinda picky about loads and some will shoot just about anything pretty well, and having super accurate guns will spoil you. When a terrible load will still do 6" at 50 a lot of load work isn't needed.

[WyoBob]

I shoot plates at our local shoots at 7 yards so 95% of my load testing and practice has been at 7 yards. Off the bench, my 9mm Trojan's best group is .26". Offhand at 7 yards, I can group .59", slow fire. I have yet to shoot the STI at a longer distance. I've been told on various forums that I'm not learning much shooting only at 7 yards and I need to shoot at longer distances.

Yesterday, I shot 8 shots out of my 45 CBOB at 25 yards offhand, the first time at this distance. Four shots grouped 1.7" but the other four were flyers of massive proportions. I was aiming at a one of the 6" diameter round targets taped to cardboard that I use for plate practice and had a heck of a time getting a good sight picture. I'm assuming a black bull on a white background would be best. What diameter of black bull would you all recommend for shooting at 25 yards?

I have a front sight focus lens on the right and a distance lens on the left so the target is pretty blurred with the left lens blocked with clear tape. I tried to get a good focus with both eyes and it didn't work too well. I also think that I should perhaps put some black tape over the F.O. front sight for longer range testing as I've noticed my groups got larger when I switched to F.O.'s on a few of my pistols.

As we don't have IDPA/IPSC shoots within 110 miles of where I live, I doubt I'll ever shoot competition at 25 yards but a guy should know how his pistols shoot at this range, I think.

WyoBob

[poke_53]

I use a sandbag at 25 yards and then I start soming closer. I will put 5 mags at 25 20 15 and 10.

[fltbed]

Maybe it’s just cause I’m too old school but I do all my testing of competition and Hunting ammo off sand bags at 50 yards. (I started out shooting Bullseye and I still remember the dreaded 50 yard “standards” ).

Jeff

[jkrispies]

Consistency is the key. You're "supposed" to do it at 25 yards, but like Flex pointed out, if your abilities can't hold a scientifically consistent group at that distance, you're not accomplishing much. When I started reloading, I tested to 15 yards, as that's as far as I could go without beginning to doubt my abilitites. Nowadays, I'd feel comfortable at 25 yards (last week I did a 1" 25yd group off a bag just to verify my current load and sight setting), but I still stick with 15 yards for the sake of consistency so I can compare to my old loads.

One thing I'd also recommend is to do some long range shooting (50 yards or more) to see how much the bullet drops. A few months back I made a light .45acp load to try at the Steel Challenge. It worked great on the close targets, but when I tried it at the long shots (35 yards), it was hitting too low for comfort-- not sure if it was bullet drop due to lower velocity or just a funky Point Of Impact for that load, but I dropped it. Just something else to consider.