A REAL Dropped Shot

[INTJ]

We had our last NBRSA 600 yd BR match for the year, yesterday, just a little south of weird riot-town USA.

I shot second relay in okay conditions. During my third LG group, as I removed round #4 from my Sinclair ammo holder, round #5 came out as well and fell all the way down to the concrete floor.

So I had a decision to make. Those five rounds were all sorted to be fired together. They had the same seating PSI, they all were within .0005" in seating length, and the bullets all came from the same Bullet Genie sort.

However, from previous experience with the Bullet Genie, I know that when a bullet is dropped on the floor usually ruins it--meaning it will no longer group with the rest of the bullets it was sorted with. Perhaps a jarring impact makes the core shift slightly. What I didn't know was how much difference that might make on target.

I also knew that the rounds I set aside for sighters, even though they are not as precisely grouped as my record rounds, shoot very well. And really, that ultra precise sorting only shows up in very good conditions. In average conditions, like I was shooting in, it probably doesn't matter.

I decided to pick up my dropped round and shoot it. While I knew I was using a potentially damaged bullet, it also added additional time to my shot string. I am guessing 8-10 seconds. Those of you who shoot LR BR know that adding that much time between shots, in all but excellent conditions, will spread out your group. That day we had a lot of vertical in the LG portion of the second relay--wind flags were frequently pointing at each other.

Well, I chose poorly.............



No, I am not 100% sure that my dropped shot was the one out of the group. However, my first two groups were 1.9s. This group was a tad over 3", and the top four measure a little over 1.6". It's not a huge stretch to assume the shot that is out of the group was the dropped shot.

Regardless, if I drop about round out of the holder all the way to the floor again, I'll grab a sighter round.

But what if I drop one but it falls on the bench?

 

[varminthunter1]

Hi Blaine. Good shooting yesterday. I feel your pain. TCGC is difficult on a good day. 8-10 seconds is a group breaker all by itself. My 2 cents is to only have match ready ammo on the line, and have a spare or two ready. I'll bet you won't repeat that mistake.
Shoot small.
Jeff

 

[INTJ]

Hi Blaine. Good shooting yesterday. I feel your pain. TCGC is difficult on a good day. 8-10 seconds is a group breaker all by itself. My 2 cents is to only have match ready ammo on the line, and have a spare or two ready. I'll bet you won't repeat that mistake.
Shoot small.
Jeff

That is how I have my ammo, the group to be shot in the port level ammo holder and everything else in the big box close by. The issue with dropping seems to happen when don't take ammo from left to right out of the ammo holder.

 

[JFrank]

The first four are the bad ones

 

[CaptainMal]

Never could understand the mystique of a small group not in the center. like shooting at a deer and hitting the tree behind it instead. Then you go and shoot that tree in the same spot over and over?

Shoot for the center, where you good shot is, and let groups take care of themselves.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Never could understand the mystique of a small group not in the center. like shooting at a deer and hitting the tree behind it instead. Then you go and shoot that tree in the same spot over and over?

Shoot for the center, where you good shot is, and let groups take care of themselves.

Br shooters do not want their group forming on their crosshairs because you lose a precise aiming point. In this target’s case they are shooting for score as well, and i know for a fact he wanted them in the center- one big issue is he couldnt see the bullet holes or he would have put them there. Best option is to shoot the smallest group possible and hope your sighters put you in the 10 once firing starts

 

[INTJ]

Never could understand the mystique of a small group not in the center. like shooting at a deer and hitting the tree behind it instead. Then you go and shoot that tree in the same spot over and over?

Shoot for the center, where you good shot is, and let groups take care of themselves.

You obviously have missed the point of my post, which is about ways to shoot the smallest groups at long range. That is the primary goal of the match.

Regardless, after my one fouler shot, the next 69 shots, both sighters and record groups, would have cleanly taken a deer at 600 yds. Crud, it would have cleanly taken a coyote.

This isn't some big X-ring like they have in a score shooting match. This X-ring is 1 3/16" in diameter. The 10-ring is 3". Make that target a 600 yd score target and I scored a 50-1x.

I have LOTS of awards for high single score and high score aggs, and it doesn't mean much. A moderately tuned rifle and mediocre shooting skills can allow high scores in LR BR. However, only a well tuned rifle and top shooting skills can result in small group aggs.

 

[INTJ]

Both were 1.9s, mostly vertical.

 

[Ned Ludd]

We had our last NBRSA 600 yd BR match for the year, yesterday, just a little south of weird riot-town USA.

I shot second relay in okay conditions. During my third LG group, as I removed round #4 from my Sinclair ammo holder, round #5 came out as well and fell all the way down to the concrete floor.

So I had a decision to make. Those five rounds were all sorted to be fired together. They had the same seating PSI, they all were within .0005" in seating length, and the bullets all came from the same Bullet Genie sort.

However, from previous experience with the Bullet Genie, I know that when a bullet is dropped on the floor usually ruins it--meaning it will no longer group with the rest of the bullets it was sorted with. Perhaps a jarring impact makes the core shift slightly. What I didn't know was how much difference that might make on target.

I also knew that the rounds I set aside for sighters, even though they are not as precisely grouped as my record rounds, shoot very well. And really, that ultra precise sorting only shows up in very good conditions. In average conditions, like I was shooting in, it probably doesn't matter.

I decided to pick up my dropped round and shoot it. While I knew I was using a potentially damaged bullet, it also added additional time to my shot string. I am guessing 8-10 seconds. Those of you who shoot LR BR know that adding that much time between shots, in all but excellent conditions, will spread out your group. That day we had a lot of vertical in the LG portion of the second relay--wind flags were frequently pointing at each other.

Well, I chose poorly.............

View attachment 1217495

No, I am not 100% sure that my dropped shot was the one out of the group. However, my first two groups were 1.9s. This group was a tad over 3", and the top four measure a little over 1.6". It's not a huge stretch to assume the shot that is out of the group was the dropped shot.

Regardless, if I drop about round out of the holder all the way to the floor again, I'll grab a sighter round.

But what if I drop one but it falls on the bench?

What do you mean, "chose poorly"? That was the only shot out of all five to hit the X-ring. The other four were all out high. Being the glass half, every cloud has a silver lining, bright little ray of sunshine that I am, I would have strongly considered dropping the other four onto the concrete.

 

[INTJ]

What do you mean, "chose poorly"? That was the only shot out of all five to hit the X-ring. The other four were all out high. Being the glass half, every cloud has a silver lining, bright little ray of sunshine that I am, I would have strongly considered dropping the other four onto the concrete.

All right you guys, do these targets make you happier?