Brian Bowling came to the Dasher Dome Tuesday to do some bullet testing. Brian is from Memphis and is the 2016 Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Tennessee F-Class state champion. He is affiliated with Cutting Edge Bullets. A month ago Brian came to the Dome in frigid temps to test a 416 Barrett. This trip found a different condition. We had a warm front passing through with rain threatening but the wind was gusting between 20 to 30 mph.
Brian started at the 800 yard line with a TAC 40. Shot very well under the conditions making hits easily of the prarie dog and ground hog at 800. Then at lunch he twisted the 6mm barrel off and put a 284 Win 9 Twist barrel on. He was loaded with the new 183 SMK. I also had my 284 loaded with the 183's and this would be my first try with them past 800 yards.
We moved up to the hilltop and set up on the two benches to try a Rock painted white sitting on a pond bank at 1428 yards. I dialed my ACTAR MOAR T up 42 MOA from 100 yard zero. We discussed the wind situation and I told Brian I had never shot is this kind of wind. For my first shot I held 18 inches left of the rock.
I touched off my first shot and waited 3 seconds and saw no splash. Nothing. Brian with younger eyes said I saw white dust off the rock. This could not be. A first shot hit at 1428 in high winds. I held the same hold and touched the VIPERS SS off again. This time dirt splash two inches off the rock. I held a third shot same hold and this time I knocked a chip off the rock closer to center. Brian was excited and game me high fives. Including the shot in the dirt almost touching the rock it was a very tight 3 shot group.
This is the view. Targets were at treeline of the very back field on distant hill.
Next Brian took his turn and in short order he hit the rock and now we are ready to go to the 18 inch plate sitting in the same field. Yardage was 1430 yd. My first 2 shots hit a few inches off plate at 4 o'clock digging one large trench that was clearly visible. My third shot I held eleven o'clock on plate and tatooed the plated slightly right of center. Third shot hit. I told Brian I was finished and turned the plate over to him.
Brian wasted no time and walked his 284 in on the plate for two hits.
Brian's 2 are to left
My hit was on the right
After we quit shooting we took the Gator over to the targets.
Brian's finger is pointing to where the benches sit
Benches are by the rock pile
This bullet torpedoed under ground till it hit a rock. copper jacket and lead core exposed
The rock on pond bank was behind me
Frozen water
183 SMK after torpedoing under ground and striking rock
Jacket and lead core
Click on pic for video of Brian shooting.
I cut the video off too soon. On that second shot Brian scored.
Brian started at the 800 yard line with a TAC 40. Shot very well under the conditions making hits easily of the prarie dog and ground hog at 800. Then at lunch he twisted the 6mm barrel off and put a 284 Win 9 Twist barrel on. He was loaded with the new 183 SMK. I also had my 284 loaded with the 183's and this would be my first try with them past 800 yards.
We moved up to the hilltop and set up on the two benches to try a Rock painted white sitting on a pond bank at 1428 yards. I dialed my ACTAR MOAR T up 42 MOA from 100 yard zero. We discussed the wind situation and I told Brian I had never shot is this kind of wind. For my first shot I held 18 inches left of the rock.
I touched off my first shot and waited 3 seconds and saw no splash. Nothing. Brian with younger eyes said I saw white dust off the rock. This could not be. A first shot hit at 1428 in high winds. I held the same hold and touched the VIPERS SS off again. This time dirt splash two inches off the rock. I held a third shot same hold and this time I knocked a chip off the rock closer to center. Brian was excited and game me high fives. Including the shot in the dirt almost touching the rock it was a very tight 3 shot group.
This is the view. Targets were at treeline of the very back field on distant hill.
Next Brian took his turn and in short order he hit the rock and now we are ready to go to the 18 inch plate sitting in the same field. Yardage was 1430 yd. My first 2 shots hit a few inches off plate at 4 o'clock digging one large trench that was clearly visible. My third shot I held eleven o'clock on plate and tatooed the plated slightly right of center. Third shot hit. I told Brian I was finished and turned the plate over to him.
Brian wasted no time and walked his 284 in on the plate for two hits.
Brian's 2 are to left
My hit was on the right
After we quit shooting we took the Gator over to the targets.
Brian's finger is pointing to where the benches sit
Benches are by the rock pile
This bullet torpedoed under ground till it hit a rock. copper jacket and lead core exposed
The rock on pond bank was behind me
Frozen water
183 SMK after torpedoing under ground and striking rock
Jacket and lead core
Click on pic for video of Brian shooting.
I cut the video off too soon. On that second shot Brian scored.
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