accuracy expectations

[Biomechanic]

Hi everybody,

i have been a hunter for the last 2 years and lots when i was young but have a trg 42 win 300 now and getting alittle obsessed with this long range shooting.

My question today is when you guys go out and shoot 1000 yards do you expect to hit the target like a 18 by 18 inch steel plate
"first hit". OR.... is it a case of " everyday is is different and I cant expect to be right on target on different days.

I usualy put a 1 x 1 yard cardboard behind the plate and are consistently on the cardboard but this seems to change on different days. I can just click onto the middle and hit the target but i realy want to be able to hit first shot as in hunting the game wil be gone.

I understand windage, humidity, temperture, my potential crappy shooting style, quality of my reloads al make a difference.I have horus software to calibrate my gun and this proves to be very good. I have wind meteres,chrono graph, laser range finders,

Al the gear ... no idea. It seems the more I read the less I know.


are my expectations too high for a fist shot hit at 1000 yards with my level of experience.

all helpfull feedback very wellcome

ps i have a few other threads about my reloading issues

 

[jb1000br]

Tough question to really answer...but i'll give it a go.

I can't say as I have logged too many CB shots at 1000...though I should...

You are talking sub MOA from center at 1000yds,18" circle). With your experience and setup, I'd say if you can hit 50% 1st shot hits you are doing very well. Circles are a lot harder to hit than squares

If you can get a follow-up hit on the 2nd shot half the time, you are still doing pretty well.

If ALL your first round shots are on the 36" square you are doing pretty good. Every day is indeed different. Just get to know the rifle a little more, and make sure it will hold the vertical. Groups under 1MOA of vertical at 1000. If your gun can't hold the vertical, you can not shoot a good group.

What will it do for 5 shot groups at 1000? Get the groups where they need to be first, then worry about 1st shot hits

HTH,
JB

 

[mikecr]

Your true capability in distance is defined by the maximum range that you can to hit a needed killzone with a cold barrel shot -in the field. Grouping doesn't matter at all.

So unless your killzone is 18", and your accurate enough to hit within 9" of center, you're shooting beyond your capability right now, with that shooting system.

I would not shoot at animals at that distance with it.
I'd stalk within the range of my capability.
Afterall, this is hunting we're talking about..

 

[BoydAllen]

Do you really understand what role the wind plays, particularly at that distance, and the implications of your not being able to accurately "see" what it is doing down range, particularly in the field? What kind of accuracy will your rig deliver at 100 yds.,not a "wallet group", but an average? Have you ever shot over flags?

 

[Weda]

When I jumped into long range, hunting ) about 12 years ago.
The first few years I had a 500 yard limit. The it was 750 for a while. This was only after I had repeatable and consistient CB shots at those distiances day in and day out. I can't say that unless circumstances were perfect I'd go beyond 750.

 

[Biomechanic]

thanks for the info.

no need shot over flags

the gun is around .5 moa at 100yards and continues that moa, more so than not, improves slightly out to 500yards.

with lapua brass of 3 shots at 1000yards their was a 5 inch group but no wind and just on the side of the 36 inch square target. I havent shot any more of this load yet, it might have been lucky shooting.

I agree with the whole shooting within yr capacity issue. totally. i offen get much closer into the target, to come within my 223 guns capacity and my capacity.

i never shot anything from longer than 600 yards yet. And dont intend to until i can consistently hit targets that are half the kill zone of the animal.

cheers

 

[SlowpokeRodriguez]

I have been shooting 1k and over for over 20 years now and compete at 1k as well. PRACTICE PRACTICE and then PRACTICE! Equipment and wind reading skills are the "secret" in this activity.

 

[Biomechanic]

this cold bore shot is of interest to me.

I gathering that as you shoot the barrel heats up and the bullets come out faster. how does this effect the grouping?

I heard that when people test for load they shoot 1 wait a certain time, then shoot again. I shoot 3 shots then walk to the target then shoot again -3. is this too quick? if so how long do people take to shoot/test their reloads?

and how do you get good groups at 1000yards if the barrel heats up? i gather you guys know how much the bullets changes as you shoot bullets 1 to 5?

 

[mikecr]

In competition there is a 'sighter' period where the barrel is newly fouled and brought up to stable temperatures before shooting for record. If you plan to compete, then your grouping/development should be done with the barrel so warmed up. Especially if your barrel is left with stresses inherent to it's making,button/broach rifled, lapped prior to contouring).
But even cut rifled and carefully finished barrels can be expected to wonder a bit with changing temps -within any group.

I couldn't tell you how to best develop loads for CB shooting.
I wait from 15mins to 2hrs between shots with groundhog guns.
And it has taken months for me to settle on loads I feel are reliable to 1/2moa of center of bull, with single cold barrel shots.