Shooting steel at local range today. With 22/250 77gr Sierra TMK I was making consistent hits out to 430 yds. But at 550 yards on a 10" gong not so much. Was I asking to much of this caliber/load combo ? #4 contour 26"bbl 8"twist . Gunsmith said the previous bedding job done was questionable .
550 yds with sporadic wind
- Thread starter Ironworker
- Start date
Ned Ludd
Silver $$ Contributor
That depends largely on the wind conditions. I have a "trainer" .223 Rem that shoots FGMM 77s remarkably well at 600 yd...until the wind comes up. After that, it's more like a precision shotgun. You're likely getting at least 300-400 fps greater velocity with a slightly higher BC bullet, which is certainly an advantage. However, even with a Berger 80.5 load I have for that same rifle (much higher BC than the 77 SMK), it still gets pushed around a lot in the wind. The lighter (< 90 gr) .224 pills simply don't have a great deal of inherent wind resistance.
On the other hand, if the wind was moderate (you mentioned the word "sporadic") and you were able to time your shots to relatively consistent conditions, it may well be that the rifle itself has a precision issue. If there is a significant problem with the bedding job, you ought to be able to see the effect at 100 yd, where the wind will be much less of a factor. Without knowing your exact setup, it's difficult to say exactly what potential precision it should have. But realistically, you ought to be able to shoot half MOA or better 5-shot groups at 100 yd with a reasonable setup. If you're confident in the load and it won't shoot under at least 1 MOA at 100 yd, you might have an issue with the rifle.
On the other hand, if the wind was moderate (you mentioned the word "sporadic") and you were able to time your shots to relatively consistent conditions, it may well be that the rifle itself has a precision issue. If there is a significant problem with the bedding job, you ought to be able to see the effect at 100 yd, where the wind will be much less of a factor. Without knowing your exact setup, it's difficult to say exactly what potential precision it should have. But realistically, you ought to be able to shoot half MOA or better 5-shot groups at 100 yd with a reasonable setup. If you're confident in the load and it won't shoot under at least 1 MOA at 100 yd, you might have an issue with the rifle.
If you are going to continue shooting at those ranges you need to learn to read the wind so you can adjust for it.
I just limit my shooting distance when it counts. I can shoot on the 600 yard range but not in the wind. That is one of the reasons I limit myself to 200 yards when hunting. I've never learned to read the wind...
I just limit my shooting distance when it counts. I can shoot on the 600 yard range but not in the wind. That is one of the reasons I limit myself to 200 yards when hunting. I've never learned to read the wind...
Thanks guys,very helpful.
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