Part 5: Using The Ladder Test - 700X Works in the Blackhawk, Lesson Learned - Maybe

The final notes on Ladder Tests:  Retesting ladders as follow up has proven to be critical.  Consistency and accuracy with a revolver at 25 yards, even off sand bags, is hard to achieve.  I wish I could say I redid the 700X Ladder for the Blackhawk, and this time it worked.  But I didn't redo the Ladder.  I had some 3.5 700X loads handy, with the 2 X Alox with Mica (Extreme Alox in prior post) lube and shot this great group:

Shot indoors, 25 yards off a sandbag rest, using the open iron sights on the Blackhawk.

This is a favorite load from the Taurus 66 and Rossi M92 rifle.  700X didn't shoot in the Blackhawk at all, at first.

In hindsight I suspect that the 700X Ladder missed this load because I flinched or made some other error.  Maybe having worked out the lube & leading problem made the difference.  So retest from time-to-time.  Especially if you don't have much experience shooting off sand-bags or a rest.

Technique makes a big difference and it is all too easy too influence the Ladder Test results.  This is true no matter what approach is used to work up loads.

Ladder Test - Incremental Load Develop continues to be my new favorite approach to work up accurate loads.

Luckily for me I had some 3.5 - 700X loads handy to shoot a few groups.  It could be that a Ladder Test with fast powders should use .2 grain increments.  The .3 increments I used in the other tests has a much great impact on 3.5 grains of 700X than it does on 13.5 grains of H110.  Food for thought and a suggestion when you work up a load with a Ladder Test.

H110 in a Rossi Lever Action Carbine:

For fun I've included a picture of a 10 shot group from the 20 inch Rossi M92 Lever Action rifle.  It's at 25 yards (max at my range) with the Lee TL-358-158-SWC (lapped) over 13.5 grains of H110:

A load of 13.5 grains of H110 with a magnum primer and either the Lee TL-358-158-SWC or the Keith 358-429 is a great performer.  Fun to shoot in a revolver and fun to shoot in a rifle too.

Have fun refining your 357 Magnum handloads, the finest caliber of all.