Can anyone tell me the Audette method is?

I thought I had a link but I can't find it. perhaps someone else can provide one. It is also known as the ladder or incremental step method. Basically you set a target at 300yds and keep the same POA on target as you shoot rounds with increasing powder charge steps, typically from your minimum to max in .3grain steps. You must carefully log each shots placement and powder weight on the target. After your test shots you should find one or more clusters of shots from the broad range of bullet impacts. These clusters will indicate your sweet spot(s) for your tested rifle using which powder weights. The rounds must be identical with the exception of the varying powder weights for the test to be valid. Best-o-Luck

Lonniemike has it basically right. You select a bullet and powder and then load one round with each charge weight. The range doesn't have to be 300 yards. It depends on the accuracy of the rifle. If it shoots 1/2 inch groups then you will need 300 yards to see the difference. In theory, as the charge weight increases, the bullet impacts higher, so assuming zero lateral effect, as the charge increases, the impact point increases vertically. You must spot, on a sheet of paper at the bench, which impact corresponds to which bullet sequence ie. first, second third etc. Audette said that vibration nodes will occur where small differences in charge weight do not affect the impact point ie. you will get a "group". At that point you can experiment with bullet seating. His method is a very efficient way (maybe 15-20 rounds) of evaluating a given bullet powder combination. Hope that makes sense. I did not say it very well.
Peter.

Maybe this is what you are looking for.
http://home.earthlink.net/~dannewberry/index.html

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Maybe this is what you are looking for.
http://home.earthlink.net/~dannewberry/index.html

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I have this one thanks, I heard the Audette Method mentioned many times and wasn't sure how it was done or if they were the same thing.

Hey Steve, What Lonnie posted is so close to being exactly correct, the differences are only semantics.

You do want to run the Audette Tests at an extended distance from the normal 100yd range. The only exceptions would be for very short range cartridges/firearms like pistol and revolver rounds, and cartridges like the 35Rem, 30-30, 444Mar, 45-70, etc.

And Peter was correct about once you know where the shot clusters form, you load more cartridges at those levels and "fine tune" the accuracy by adjusting the Seating Depth.

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The link to Rookie Green's "OCW" method basterdizes the Audette Method and will reduce the opportunity for you to achieve the best possible accuracy from your firearm.

Actually, I have a question about this method. Let's say I have a rifle that shoots 1" groups. That means at 300 yards the shots will fall anywhere within a 3" circle (roughly). Now My first shot is at point X. Let's say this is at the top of the 3" circle (statistically possible). My next shot 3/10 of a grain more in fact falls at the bottom of it's 3" circle. I now have 2 shots very close together. Viola a cluster! That's my question. I can see using this at 300 yards for my benchrest rifle, but for a "normal" 1 inch rifle? My reasoning would also work, I believe, for 200 yards and perhaps even for 100. What am I doing wrong HotCore and Lonnie? I must confess that I have never used this myself. I have seen very nice vertical stringing targets from target quality rifles, but I shudder to think what "real world" rifle target would look like. One other point, Steve, in case it was not clear, all rounds must be on the same target.
Peter.

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from Peter:
What am I doing wrong HotCore and Lonnie?

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Hey Peter, I don't see that you are doing anything at all wrong. I also agree with your logic.

Mr. Audette's suggestion to shoot at the longer distance simply allows the reloader to distinguish the clusters "easier". It separates the Points-of-Impact enough so the changing barrel harmonics as the load increases are clearer.

But, if you can determine the clusters at 100yds, the Audette Method will still work. It just isn't as easy and has better potential to mislead the reloader.

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It obviously helps to shoot the Audette Method when the wind is calm(typically right at sunrise and sunset), when your concentration is up and when you don't have caffeine shakes from too much tea.

If your concentration is high, you usually know when you have "pulled a shot" or imparted some form of negative influence. Obviously when this happens, you want to note that on your spotter target so you are not mislead by the results when you analize the real target.

I was looking for that a few months ago and the only description of Creighton Audette's method I was able to find was this:

http://kingfisher.0catch.com/guns/laddertest.explanation.html#Loaddevelopment

Scroll down to "Ladder Test"

regards

oldflint

The Constantine article is excellent. I have it at home from an old "Precision Shooting Annual". The targets at the end are very llustrative of the kind of "real world" you get with a target quality rifle. he also points out that you need a decent spotting scope that can resolve the bullet holes at the distance you are shooting at. I still need to try this myself!
Thanks for the link.
peter.

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Originally posted by Peter:
The range doesn't have to be 300 yards.
Peter.

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That's good, because few of us have access to a surveyed 300 yards any more!

Hey oldflint, Welcome Aboard AR! Thanks for that Link, it is excellent.

Steve, oldflint's link, although not the same link as the one I found and printed out some years ago, takes you to exactly what I wanted you to find. Best-o-Luck