I am posting this here because you "serious" shooters can give me the best advice (if you are willing to put up with an old man's questions).
I decided last month that I was tired of shooting at 100 yard ranges and also tired of looking at a 450 yard shot and trying to figure out a "best guess" solution during hunting season. I am 65 so I can still remember shooting a 600 yard KD range with iron sites and an M-14.
I found a monthly fun shoot about 40 minutes away, so, three weeks ago off I went. The targets range from 100 yards to 1150 yards. Past 100 they are all metal, but, different sizes and different shapes (sizes were distance appropriate).
The order of engagement had me running my moa adjustments both up and down. 350 followed by 935 followed by 1150 followed by 750 then 1000 (you get the idea).
The rules provided opportunity for each shooter to shoot in two orders. Each order was 2 shots on each of 10 targets at known distances (you could dope your shoot ahead of time and adjust your dope between orders. Each shooter was provided a spotter who called each shot and scored your round.
I was handed my backside. I had showed up with a very good 308 but only brought 147 gr mil spec 308 ammo. This stuff was fine to about 600 yards, but at the 900 and above sometimes the spotter could not even find it. Lesson learned: Bring appropriate ammo.
I have now found a range with a 300,500, and 1000 yard line. I am using the same 308 and the most accurate handload is a 175 gr SMK's over 44.2 gr of Varget and BR-2 primer. This load is only getting me 2680 avg velocity, but, it is VERY good to the 1000 yard line. I am shooting at clay pigeons laid out on the berm and am hitting or bouncing these at 1000 about 50 percent of the time and within a couple of inches of the bird 90 percent of the time. The rest are when the wind would lull and then I was off by a mil dot or more windage. I had to stop shooting at 500 because I was breaking a bird a shot and wanted to leave some for the 1000.
I have done a lot of reading about what might be a better load or a more efficient bullet, but, with a clay pigion being 4" and most shots being within 2 inches of the clay at 1000, I don't know if I should even pursue another load. The SD and ED of this load are not good, but, I am breaking the 4" clay pigeons about 50 percent of the time and within what I measure as an MOA will all shots NOT windage errored.
My goal is to NOT be embarrassed at the next fun match. I am tempted to call this load good enough (SD's issues and all).
Opinions? Advice on how to adjust an SD/ED without losing accuracy would also be appreciated.
Thanks in advance rch
I decided last month that I was tired of shooting at 100 yard ranges and also tired of looking at a 450 yard shot and trying to figure out a "best guess" solution during hunting season. I am 65 so I can still remember shooting a 600 yard KD range with iron sites and an M-14.
I found a monthly fun shoot about 40 minutes away, so, three weeks ago off I went. The targets range from 100 yards to 1150 yards. Past 100 they are all metal, but, different sizes and different shapes (sizes were distance appropriate).
The order of engagement had me running my moa adjustments both up and down. 350 followed by 935 followed by 1150 followed by 750 then 1000 (you get the idea).
The rules provided opportunity for each shooter to shoot in two orders. Each order was 2 shots on each of 10 targets at known distances (you could dope your shoot ahead of time and adjust your dope between orders. Each shooter was provided a spotter who called each shot and scored your round.
I was handed my backside. I had showed up with a very good 308 but only brought 147 gr mil spec 308 ammo. This stuff was fine to about 600 yards, but at the 900 and above sometimes the spotter could not even find it. Lesson learned: Bring appropriate ammo.
I have now found a range with a 300,500, and 1000 yard line. I am using the same 308 and the most accurate handload is a 175 gr SMK's over 44.2 gr of Varget and BR-2 primer. This load is only getting me 2680 avg velocity, but, it is VERY good to the 1000 yard line. I am shooting at clay pigeons laid out on the berm and am hitting or bouncing these at 1000 about 50 percent of the time and within a couple of inches of the bird 90 percent of the time. The rest are when the wind would lull and then I was off by a mil dot or more windage. I had to stop shooting at 500 because I was breaking a bird a shot and wanted to leave some for the 1000.
I have done a lot of reading about what might be a better load or a more efficient bullet, but, with a clay pigion being 4" and most shots being within 2 inches of the clay at 1000, I don't know if I should even pursue another load. The SD and ED of this load are not good, but, I am breaking the 4" clay pigeons about 50 percent of the time and within what I measure as an MOA will all shots NOT windage errored.
My goal is to NOT be embarrassed at the next fun match. I am tempted to call this load good enough (SD's issues and all).
Opinions? Advice on how to adjust an SD/ED without losing accuracy would also be appreciated.
Thanks in advance rch
