Lapua test center in Ohio

[40xguy]

May, 2020, Lapua test facility, Marengo, Ohio. Luke Johnson is the manager and is a native Pennsylvanian who graduated from college in Alaska. The testing site is located at the Cardinal Shooting and Camping Center in Marengo, Ohio, just off Interstate 71 at exit 140. The test site has been built to test Lapua 22LR ammo in a rifle (or barreled action) at 50 meters (54.7 yards) and 100 meters (109.4 yards). The same test facility exists at the Lapua location in Europe.

So how does it work? The 100 meter “tunnel” has an electric "grid," about 2 feet by 2 feet, at both 50 and 100 meters that can measure the bullet's position EXACTLY, as it passes thru the grid. Each grid is linked to a computer. When the shot is fired, the 50 meter grid “takes an exact picture” of the point where the bullet passes through the grid and centers that first shot in the X ring of the target shown on the computer. The same with the 100 meter target. It makes no difference where the bullet passes through the grid, the first shot is always “dead center.” From then on, each subsequent bullet’s position will be presented on each computer relative to that first shot. What you wind up with is a perfect picture of your group size (in millimeters) at both points. The muzzle velocity can also be measured. For each test lot, you simply start off fresh with a “new target.” Now you simply look for the best group size as you test different lots. Pretty simple, actually.

Regards the testing; you can send your barreled action or the complete rifle to Luke or you can bring it into the test center yourself, makes no difference. Since I live in Ohio, it was an easy decision. Caveat: It’s my understanding that presently, the Mesa, AZ, location will only accept “sent in” rifles or barreled actions… this because of the virus situation.

The “nuts and bolts”….. In my case, the complete rifle was secured to the table by a mount which slid into the handstop rail. It worked very well.

Personally speaking: I have a BeeSting tuner-bloop tube that uses a dial indicator calibrator. We first tested the rifle 'without' the tuner and then 'with' the tuner attached to the barrel. Incredible results. Having selected a “good lot number,” I moved the tuner’s setting around till we found the best group size…. Took 10 minutes, max. The computer readouts show the group sizes in mm's so it's easy to see the measurements of the group sizes in comparison to each other. Once the best group size has been identified with the appropriate tuner setting, Luke then runs another 15 or 20 rounds thru the rifle to verify the findings. Luke has plenty of lot numbers but in this case, he knew that only 2 or 3 lots were testing really well, so we focused on those. The entire process took about two hours. I was skeptical at first but the results have made me a believer. “For what it’s worth:” the last case I bought, I had to order about 5 test lots, have them sent to me, and then spent at least two days testing them. Then had to hope the best lot was still available. Translation: LOTS of time and money spent. Contrasted to this, Luke had many lot numbers that were available, so no time was wasted sending the test lots to me. And the best part… the whole cost was fifty dollars!!! There’s absolutely no way you’re going to beat that.

So what is the correlation between the test tunnel and real life? On Memorial Day, I took my rifle to the range.... it was a perfect day for testing: zero wind, about 78 degrees, and sunny. Personally, I was VERY satisfied with the group sizes at both 50 and 100 yards.

Now then, if you buy 2 cases of ammo from Lapua, then the testing procedure is free. If not, then the cost is $50. If you do buy, Luke will ask who you want to "buy through" and then you specify the person or company that you will “buy through” and arrange the billing and lot number to be purchased with them. By the way: you do NOT buy from the test facility, you can only buy "through" a dealer. In my case, I used a local Lapua dealer. I told him ahead of time I was going to have my rifle tested and said I wanted to buy through him so all was in order when I went to the test facility. Four days later my case of Lapua Center-X, delivered by UPS, was at the front door.

Hope this helps. Any questions, ask away.

I tried to post some pictures but was unable... something about "the file being too large." oh well......

The phone number for Lapua’s test facility in Ohio is 480-695-0744

Lapua also has a similar test facility in Mesa, AZ.
Their phone number is 480-898-2731

If you’d like more information, here’s the web address for a more detailed explanation with some very good pictures included: https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2019/7/1 ... mpetitors/

Disclaimer: I have no business or commercial relationship whatsoever with Lapua. This article has been written to satisfy the curiosity of some of my fellow smallbore shooters. Hope it helps !!