First Time at 600 with the new rifle UPDATE went again

[MNFinn]

I received my custom rifle ain January and between taking care of my new son, finding a new job and live in general, I hadn't gotten much time to shoot, other than to do load development using a technique very similar to the one Erik Cortina started a topic on. Well finally, after 7 months, I finally took it out for a test run at 600 yards today. Conditions were pretty good, other than the wind and the fact that the grass at 300 yards was long enough that I had to time a couple shots to when the wind blew it out of the way.

Temp: 74
Baro" 29.87
Wind: variable from about 7mph to about 9mph, and switching from 10 o'clock to 3 o'clock
it was slightly overcast today.

Here's my target, I only fired 7 rounds because this was a last minute thing, I was actually going to do pistol shooting but thought what the heck and put the rifle gear in the truck too. I cranked 13.25MOA on the sciope and let loose First 2 sighters, I adjusted the scope the 2MOA I guessed I needed and fired the next five without changing anything.

Here's a close up of the 5 shot group

I'm still relatively new to the shooting game, having a grand total of 3 matches under my belt, and not a huge amount of trigger time, so I'm pretty happy with how this group turned out.

I've received a lot of advice and help from folks on this forum, it looks like my reading up and practicing is starting to pay off some. Thanks to all who have helped me out.

Oh, did I mention that I forgot my key to the trailer and had to use a 500 yard target that someone had left out.

 

[ShootDots]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

Other than the 1 shot to the right, which was probably wind switching directions, you have a nice vertical and not too shabby of a group either! For not shooting too much and minimal time on your hands, I think you are doing very well indeed!

 

[Dgd6mm]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle


I echo Ben's post, very well done young man. Tell us about your rig.

 

[MNFinn]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

BAT B 1.35 Action
Brux 30" 1-11 medium palma barrel (Chambered in 308WIN)
Masterclass F-TR stock
Sightron SIII 10-50x60

Load:
Lapua PALMA brass
44.3 Grains IMR4895
CCI 450 primers
Berger 185 grain Juggernauts

 

[ShootDots]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

Beautiful piece of ordinance! It should serve you very well.. I bet before long you are at or near the top of your club's competition!

 

[MNFinn]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

Thanks!

Local club doesn't do competition, sadly, not set up for it, it's a deer hunter's sight in range.....I think they put in the 600 yard berm mainly because I travel to competitions (3 competitions in 3 years...I'm a big competitor...LOL) I just enjoy shooting, and plan to try to up my competing to 2-3 a year after this year....

 

[ShootDots]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

Yeah... Sometimes we just live where there is no place to do what we want to do! Fortunately, retirement eventually comes along and we CAN (if we then desire to) move to a more "shootable" locale!

 

[jr600yd]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

Amen brother Amen!

 

[CaptainMal]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

You really did well. Nice tuning job showing little to no vertical.

 

[MNFinn]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

You really did well. Nice tuning job showing little to no vertical.

Thanks. I measured the vertical on the 5 shot group, not sure I can improve on 0.25MOA vertical, at least not with my shooting ability

 

[barefooter56]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

emn83,
Working on your wind reading and position will reap WAY bigger benefits with this load than ANY load tinkering ever will!!!! Good job on the load and very nice rifle sir! Its always us "loose nuts" behind the butt plate that are the biggest issue with accuracy and the hardest to fix! lol !!

 

[MNFinn]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

emn83,
Working on your wind reading and position will reap WAY bigger benefits with this load than ANY load tinkering ever will!!!! Good job on the load and very nice rifle sir! Its always us "loose nuts" behind the butt plate that are the biggest issue with accuracy and the hardest to fix! lol !!

next step is working on getting my wind reading more accurate and improving my position, I don't plan on touching this load/rifle combination, it's more accurate than I am right now

 

[Lapua40X]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

emn83,
Working on your wind reading and position will reap WAY bigger benefits with this load than ANY load tinkering ever will!!!! Good job on the load and very nice rifle sir! Its always us "loose nuts" behind the butt plate that are the biggest issue with accuracy and the hardest to fix! lol !!

Barefooter56 sums up my point of view precisely. I don't see anything on that target except wind influence so I'm confident you can live with that load very nicely. That's a beautiful water line.

 

[MNFinn]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

Barefooter56 sums up my point of view precisely. I don't see anything on that target except wind influence so I'm confident you can live with that load very nicely. That's a beautiful water line.

Thanks. Wind reading is my main achilles heel. I have the rifle that will shoot amazing, and a load that is awesome. I went all in on equipment so I won't be the guy that blames it on his gear, My gear is great, any problems are because of the hairless ape behind the rifle.

trying to figure out good ways to practice reading wind in everyday life, since I am on daddy duty all summer.....

 

[Lapua40X]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

Here's a smart phone app ...
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/ronstan--wind-meter-for-smartphones--15100605?cm_mmc=PS-_-Google-_-Shopping_PLAs-_-15100605&adpos=1o4&creative=54604275484&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CPvN99SP3sYCFUSBfgodXRcEVA
I haven't checked it out but if it will transmit wind information from the smart phone it's connected with to another smart phone it could help you learn to read wind more quickly. Putting it "down range" 5 or 6 hundred yards and learning to interpret the movement of vegetation by comparing your educated guesses with real time feedback could speed things up. Reading wind at the rifle is easy - judging it downrange is not.
Just an idea .................. 8)

 

[Road_Clam]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

That's awesome shooting ! Notice the minimal vertical shot stringing. That's reflecting some very accurate loads ! I'm shooting 600 now on a weekly basis trying to improve my wind read skills. Our 600 is notorious for multi-directional winds as the bullet travels downrange. I'm averaging about 2-2.5 moa and having fun !

 

[MNFinn]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

Went out shooting agin...for a Minnesota boy, I must be a glutton for punishment, on my belly in a steel building with these conditions:

Temp 90
Baro: 29.93
RH%: 37% (not too bad)
Wind: variable 4-6mph switching from 5 o'clock to 7 o'clock

I took 21 total shots at 600 yards after shooting 5 at 100 to ensure my zero....glad I did, I was 1.5 MOA right at 100 yards. Why 21 shots you might ask? Well, I wanted to have a full 22, like in competition, but, well, on shot 22, there was just a click....I'll have to remember that I need tp put powder in all of my cartridges next time.


I shot 2 sighters first, both solid 10s, just right of center. The next 20...er..19 shots were shot in r shot groups, I drove out to the target and marked the shots between groups. Group 2 was the winner as far as score, with 2x, 2 tens and a nine. total "score" is 182-7x....if I convert one of my "sighters to "score" it would be 192-7x.....no complaining there, and the load seems to hold decent waterline....the shot that's low and right was in my third group, and checking my shot log, there's a note that the second shot in that string was rushed.

oh, as a side note, I HATE mirage.

 

[snakepit]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

BAT B 1.35 Action
Brux 30" 1-11 medium palma barrel (Chambered in 308WIN)
Masterclass F-TR stock
Sightron SIII 10-50x60

Load:
Lapua PALMA brass
44.3 Grains IMR4895
CCI 250 primers
Berger 185 grain Juggernauts

Doesn't the .308 Lapua PALMA brass use the Small Rifle Primers. Did you mean to say CCI 450 primers?

 

[joshb]

Very nice! I hope that last bullet isn't in your barrel. 😱 If you lived thru those Minnesota winters, you're pretty tough.

 

[MNFinn]

Re: First Time at 600 with the new rifle

BAT B 1.35 Action
Brux 30" 1-11 medium palma barrel (Chambered in 308WIN)
Masterclass F-TR stock
Sightron SIII 10-50x60

Load:
Lapua PALMA brass
44.3 Grains IMR4895
CCI 250 primers
Berger 185 grain Juggernauts

Doesn't the .308 Lapua PALMA brass use the Small Rifle Primers. Did you mean to say CCI 450 primers?

oops. YES, CCI 450