So last week I got to shoot at 1000 yards with my 260 AI. Some background, my range is 300 yards. I have sent some further at groundhogs, but not much. I became friends with a man that builds his own rifles. He has an engineering background and is very precise about his builds. Has a logbook for each rifle, dopes out to 1k for some and 1.7 miles for others, in every condition he has shot in. ( I'll come back to this. )
I showed up that day with no intention of firing a shot. He is a busy man and his invite was "drop by Monday" which I did.
I brought a couple of rifles for him to look at and maybe get his thoughts on scope setup. He insisted we shoot.
I was very intimidated by the whole thing, conditions weren't fantastic. At launch point the wind was blowing around 16 mph. 1/4 value.
At 700 about that at 1/2 value.
At 1k the flag hung dead calm. But between the two chicken houses I was to shoot between, about 850 to 950 there were fans exhausting all kind of air and causing a fair amount of turbulence.
I climbed on the back of an ancient dump truck that held the table to set up on. No chairs. I really started doubting I could do this with my equipment.
After about 15 minutes, the owner showed up with his gear. He shoots off bipods preferring a realistic hunting scenario. I was shooting off a BR adjustable front and a rear bunny ear bag. I needed all the help I could get.
I hadn't brought my full dope sheet but popped Strelock up on the phone. I plotted it as accurately as I could, knowing this ballistic app would only get me in the ballpark.
I explained my inexperience to him, He asked a few questions about data at distance which made me inwardly cringe. After what little I gave we decided 58 up and a 3 o'clock hold would be good at 700. ( I was really doubting my chrono data at this point. )
I set up to fire, he spotted with his rifle ( topped with a 45x Nightforce ). He asked that I tell him when I was ready.
First shot felt good but hit 8 inches left and 10 inches high. Didn't watch the flags. Bad on me.
Adjusted down 5 clicks.
3 oclock left hold.
I watched that 700 yard flag and it seemed it would never come off the horizontal. When it drooped a bit and I felt the wind die on my face, I took the shot. I hit exactly where I was holding on the 8" steel target.
Now for 1k.
My host grinned at me and told me he set a golf ball up there for me. I told him I was going to try the 8" target near it first.
dialed up a total of 109 clicks from original zero. Settled down on the rifle to look at what I was about to shoot at. I had texted a friend about 30 minutes before and told him what I was about to do. He said "It's only 3000 feet." Somehow that sounded better than 1k yards. I just kept saying that. When the shot broke I had time for the rifle to settle after recoil and see the hit.
My host said "Dial down 3 clicks and let her rip." I did and and made a good hit on the target.
I was instructed to go for the golf ball. I whiffed one shot. My host took one with his rifle, about 6 inches left of the ball. I fired again and hit 2 inches low, I inch left.
He then invited me to shoot his rifle. This is a Large 6mm wildcat of his design with generous case capacity. I has a brake, and a 1 oz jewell trigger.
As I settled down on the rifle and adjusted the scope to my eye. My host checked his logbook, suggested a hold that seemed good.
The shot broke as I felt the wind settle, the 700 flag had drooped but at 3600 fps I saw what happened in a millisecond.
A truly awesome rifle, caliber, and platform.
My host is a quiet,low key , humble guy who doesn't make much of his rifles or his abilities. I can't thank him enough for letting me shoot today and got an invite back.
I recovered one of my ELDX bullets, about 8 to 10 inches in red clay dirt, core was gone, just found the jacket lower 2/3s.
I don't have an engineer's mind or habits, but I did make the 22 mile trek to town and buy some small spiral bound note pads so that I could start logging for different rifles. His vast data source on his rifle made for him that was a bit over 1/2 MOA left and dead on cold bore.
I had a lot of fun and learned quite a bit today.
Here is a pic of the impact zone. The 1k berm is about 25 feet in total height.
The 700 berm is around 5 feet high and lower in elevation.
He found my ball the next day ( there were 47 golf balls laying at the bottom of the berm) and brought it to me. Layed this up on the table, winked at me me and said " I still gotcha whooped."
Yes he does.
I showed up that day with no intention of firing a shot. He is a busy man and his invite was "drop by Monday" which I did.
I brought a couple of rifles for him to look at and maybe get his thoughts on scope setup. He insisted we shoot.
I was very intimidated by the whole thing, conditions weren't fantastic. At launch point the wind was blowing around 16 mph. 1/4 value.
At 700 about that at 1/2 value.
At 1k the flag hung dead calm. But between the two chicken houses I was to shoot between, about 850 to 950 there were fans exhausting all kind of air and causing a fair amount of turbulence.
I climbed on the back of an ancient dump truck that held the table to set up on. No chairs. I really started doubting I could do this with my equipment.
After about 15 minutes, the owner showed up with his gear. He shoots off bipods preferring a realistic hunting scenario. I was shooting off a BR adjustable front and a rear bunny ear bag. I needed all the help I could get.
I hadn't brought my full dope sheet but popped Strelock up on the phone. I plotted it as accurately as I could, knowing this ballistic app would only get me in the ballpark.
I explained my inexperience to him, He asked a few questions about data at distance which made me inwardly cringe. After what little I gave we decided 58 up and a 3 o'clock hold would be good at 700. ( I was really doubting my chrono data at this point. )
I set up to fire, he spotted with his rifle ( topped with a 45x Nightforce ). He asked that I tell him when I was ready.
First shot felt good but hit 8 inches left and 10 inches high. Didn't watch the flags. Bad on me.
Adjusted down 5 clicks.
3 oclock left hold.
I watched that 700 yard flag and it seemed it would never come off the horizontal. When it drooped a bit and I felt the wind die on my face, I took the shot. I hit exactly where I was holding on the 8" steel target.
Now for 1k.
My host grinned at me and told me he set a golf ball up there for me. I told him I was going to try the 8" target near it first.
dialed up a total of 109 clicks from original zero. Settled down on the rifle to look at what I was about to shoot at. I had texted a friend about 30 minutes before and told him what I was about to do. He said "It's only 3000 feet." Somehow that sounded better than 1k yards. I just kept saying that. When the shot broke I had time for the rifle to settle after recoil and see the hit.
My host said "Dial down 3 clicks and let her rip." I did and and made a good hit on the target.
I was instructed to go for the golf ball. I whiffed one shot. My host took one with his rifle, about 6 inches left of the ball. I fired again and hit 2 inches low, I inch left.
He then invited me to shoot his rifle. This is a Large 6mm wildcat of his design with generous case capacity. I has a brake, and a 1 oz jewell trigger.
As I settled down on the rifle and adjusted the scope to my eye. My host checked his logbook, suggested a hold that seemed good.
The shot broke as I felt the wind settle, the 700 flag had drooped but at 3600 fps I saw what happened in a millisecond.
A truly awesome rifle, caliber, and platform.
My host is a quiet,low key , humble guy who doesn't make much of his rifles or his abilities. I can't thank him enough for letting me shoot today and got an invite back.
I recovered one of my ELDX bullets, about 8 to 10 inches in red clay dirt, core was gone, just found the jacket lower 2/3s.
I don't have an engineer's mind or habits, but I did make the 22 mile trek to town and buy some small spiral bound note pads so that I could start logging for different rifles. His vast data source on his rifle made for him that was a bit over 1/2 MOA left and dead on cold bore.
I had a lot of fun and learned quite a bit today.
Here is a pic of the impact zone. The 1k berm is about 25 feet in total height.
The 700 berm is around 5 feet high and lower in elevation.
He found my ball the next day ( there were 47 golf balls laying at the bottom of the berm) and brought it to me. Layed this up on the table, winked at me me and said " I still gotcha whooped."
Yes he does.
I can't wait to do it again. I wish I could describe his cartridge in more detail. I purposely didn't ask to many questions. A 6/06 AI with enough of this and that to call it his own thing is my best observation.
