Well, time to stir the pot. I havn't done a lot of reloading for rifles, but came accross this method a couple months ago on this sight. I tried it for a 6.5x55 I have which with multiple factory loads is about a 1.25-1.5" gun. I fired a ladder of 10 rounds at .3grain intervals. Just to test the method I did it again under differant conditions. In both cases, shots 1,2,3 were possible loads, but 4&5 were very closely grouped in both tests. So, I tried loads at both 4 and 5. Group 4 fired about a 1" group, maybe slightly less. It was the best group that gun had ever fired. I then adjusted the seating depth out till I was .020" off the lands (hunting Load), and fired a group of .836". What more could I ask for?

I know that is not diffinitive proof, but... I will be trying this with some target loads for the same gun as well as my .375HH and .308win. I am expecting good results.

Let the commentary roll in!

PS Here is the final group i shot. By no means amazing, but nearly a 1/2" better than factory loads and for a light hunting rifle pretty good.

Good for you. Mr. Audette really knew how to sum up the Method extremely well. Pass it on to people who have never tried it.

With say .2grs differences, shoot some loads on either side of your selected load. Continue outward until your groups start to deteriate. Then make your final load exactly in the middle of that accuracy node. That way if you have slight variances in your powder load, it will have less effect.

Mr. Wasbeeman speaks wisdom, do it.

It seems a LOT of nay sayers to Mr. Audette's ladder method badly misunderstand what it serves to do; it IS NOT a way to directly find an accurate load. Instead, it is a rapid way to identify and elimanate charge levels that won't shoot. That lets us concentrate on the better charge range less costly in both time and components than working with scads of five round groups in small steps.

Jim, I think your right. When you look at the method, it simply makes sense.

Wasbeeman, I'm glad you suggested that. I was thinking about trying something like that just to see if I could tune it better. Sounds like you've done this a lot so i will give it a try.