Getting ready to load .223 now. Any suggestions or insights I need to know? Everything else is set. Do you have a Chrony? I loaded some .338 Federals using 250gr match for Zed.
Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
We had a great day. Learned a lot. Tons. The range is really cool, NOBODY there. There were two other shooters all day.
I learned that it's of the utmost importance to zero your scopes AND turrets before you head out past 100 yards.
I also learned that 750 yards is a long, long way from 600. Also, giant, 8'x12' plywood backer boards SUCK. If you're not on paper, you might as well be shooting at the moon.
I have more, but want to wait for Jerm and Chris to check in.
I just got home. Don't expect us to come out of this experience as Olympic swimmers. It is more like some goofballs that went to the water park and splashed around in the pool and rode some slides. It sure was fun though. I learned quite a bit and I am sure that it is going to take me awhile to process it all. I had a great time. We really need to do this again-- and soon.
Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
Sounds like a fun and good start.
Once you get past 700 the little gremlins come out:jester:
Every 100 yards, it gets a little tougher, depending on conditions.
Ask questions of the guys who have been there and done that.
Main thing is to keep going out and shooting, learning, and documenting what you are doing.
And most of all--HAVE FUN!
Once you get past 700 the little gremlins come out:jester:
We did ok at 500-- Me and Alpha both managed to make groups on paper at that range with our .308's. We were hitting steel at that range pretty consistently too. After that, the range jumped out to 750-- we tried, and tried hard, but we couldn't hit crap out there (this time).
I also learned that mirage sucks. That, and we actually tended to shoot too high, not too low like I would have thought. Oh, I tried out one of those strap on cheek pads-- I shoot MUCH better without them. I was paying close attention to my cheek weld and parallax today. I still need to work on that some more, but at least I am aware of it now.
Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
I also learned that I'm doing my heavy 243 a disservice with the scope on there. What should have been the best performer at 600, turned out to be the worst. Gonna fix that, soon.
I'm also thinking about adding a long barreled, heavy rifle to the herd. Maybe, (gasp) a 308.
My first inclination would be to get another 6.5-284, but, brass cost and barrel life life would make it awfully expensive, just to punch holes in paper a few times a year. I dunno.
...Now that I got some sleep, the rest of the story. We went and hung some targets out at 100 yards to get started. Little did we know that the real 100 yard berm was hiding on the other side of the 25 yard berm. We were shooting at 200 the whole time. 218 yards to be exact. We learned two things: Shooting at 200 ain't a big deal, and our range estimation sucks. Later in the day, I was still kind of disappointed with my "100 yard" groups until JB and Alpha reminded me that the 100 yard groups should actually be half that size.
Our ignorance turned out to be a good exercise in breaking the psychological 100 yard barrier. The shortest distance we shot at all day was 200 yards.
Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
That is great.
Getting past the 6 inches between your ears can be difficult.
Shooting is shooting.
The same shooting skills it takes to shoot small groups at 100 yards is the same that it takes at distance (Other than reading wind/mirage and understanding how to adjust for it).
I also learned that I'm doing my heavy 243 a disservice with the scope on there. What should have been the best performer at 600, turned out to be the worst.
I also learned that anything .204/.223 is pretty much a varmint round. I have a whole new interest in those heavy barreled 6 and 6.5's
Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
[QUOTE=Jermanator;251690Little did we know that the real 100 yard berm was hiding on the other side of the 25 yard berm. We were shooting at 200 the whole time. 218 yards to be exact. [/QUOTE]
Now, THAT's funny. WOW!!! You need to get out more. :jester:
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
A fast twist 223 can perform quite well for someone who knows how to run it.
But if I have my choice between a 22 and fast twist 6mm, 6.5 or 7mm, the 22 will feel left out.
What scope is on your 243?
And, I should have gone over to the real 100 yard range, and zeroed everything that wasn't zeroed.
We gotta have better big targets for the long ranges. A roll of butcher paper and black spray paint would have been better than what we had. Spotting scope. Need one.
The high points, for me, my 204 and 223 did great out to 600. The 204 was spot on the predicted drop, smacked the 600 yard steel the first 4 in a row.
My 6.5-284 did well to 500, then my forgetting to zero issue crept up. I couldn't remember if I had the windage dialed to the left or right for load work, and I never zeroed the turret, so I was screwed. Same for the 243.
The range we were shooting at was completely overgrown with weeds and brush, except for mown lanes out to the berms. The berms were like jungles, so there was pretty much no spotting your splash on misses. The only place that you could see any splash was in front of the 2'x2' chunk of inch thick I-beam on the ground at the 500 yard berm.
There was steel scattered from 300-500 yards, but it was all suspended from a-frames, and 8" or so. It was great when I hit it, but no feedback on misses. Bullets off into the jungle.
All in all, I had an awesome day. Just shootin stuff, with a couple of good dudes.
A fast twist 223 can perform quite well for someone who knows how to run it.
But if I have my choice between a 22 and fast twist 6mm, 6.5 or 7mm, the 22 will feel left out.
What scope is on your 243?
It's a Nikon Monarch 4-16x42 with bdc. I originally bought it for hunting. My eyes much prefer my Leupold glass to the Nikon, the reticle is terrible for target shooting, way too thick. It's gonna go down the road. Nothing but gold rings from now on.
Oh, also, my 223 is slow twist. 1:12. BUT, a little experimenting with the load, a primer swap, and what was a .450" rifle, laid down a .159" group Wednesday.:yikes:
A fast twist 223 can perform quite well for someone who knows how to run it.
But if I have my choice between a 22 and fast twist 6mm, 6.5 or 7mm, the 22 will feel left out.
Yea, that is my thoughts. Those 80gr bullets got what it takes, but you really need a rifle set up to handle them. Ruger chambers 6.5 Creedmoor in their varmint/target rifles with a 28" barrel-- say all you want about them, but every one of my VT models have shot 1/2" or better with no mods and a wide variety of ammo. That, and they got good triggers and the stock seems to fit my face pretty well.
Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
Now, THAT's funny. WOW!!! You need to get out more. :jester:
Definitely. Honestly, everything looked closer than it actually was. I could see all the way out at 750 yards clear as a bell. I couldn't hit squat out there, but I sure as heck could see it.
Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
Replies
Of course.
http://www.bassandbucks.com/
The range from space...
https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=4890+w.+Millcreek+Pike,+Wabash,+IN+46992&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x881443ac53288ef9:0x3b46c7f9ca0c07c2,4890+W+Millcreek+Pike,+Wabash,+IN+46992&gl=us&ei=h0_UUbnbB-W-yQGkj4HgCg&ved=0CCwQ8gEwAA
We have shooting benches at 25, 50, 100, 200, 350, 500, and 750 yards
Ready to go. Life is good.
Woohoo! I'm waiting to see the results.
"The Un-Tactical"
I learned that it's of the utmost importance to zero your scopes AND turrets before you head out past 100 yards.
I also learned that 750 yards is a long, long way from 600. Also, giant, 8'x12' plywood backer boards SUCK. If you're not on paper, you might as well be shooting at the moon.
I have more, but want to wait for Jerm and Chris to check in.
Once you get past 700 the little gremlins come out:jester:
Every 100 yards, it gets a little tougher, depending on conditions.
Ask questions of the guys who have been there and done that.
Main thing is to keep going out and shooting, learning, and documenting what you are doing.
And most of all--HAVE FUN!
"The Un-Tactical"
I also learned that mirage sucks. That, and we actually tended to shoot too high, not too low like I would have thought. Oh, I tried out one of those strap on cheek pads-- I shoot MUCH better without them. I was paying close attention to my cheek weld and parallax today. I still need to work on that some more, but at least I am aware of it now.
"The Un-Tactical"
"The Un-Tactical"
"The Un-Tactical"
I'm also thinking about adding a long barreled, heavy rifle to the herd. Maybe, (gasp) a 308.
My first inclination would be to get another 6.5-284, but, brass cost and barrel life life would make it awfully expensive, just to punch holes in paper a few times a year. I dunno.
Our ignorance turned out to be a good exercise in breaking the psychological 100 yard barrier. The shortest distance we shot at all day was 200 yards.
Getting past the 6 inches between your ears can be difficult.
Shooting is shooting.
The same shooting skills it takes to shoot small groups at 100 yards is the same that it takes at distance (Other than reading wind/mirage and understanding how to adjust for it).
"The Un-Tactical"
My next one will be a 32" straight blank (1.250") 6.5cal.
Now, THAT's funny. WOW!!! You need to get out more. :jester:
But if I have my choice between a 22 and fast twist 6mm, 6.5 or 7mm, the 22 will feel left out.
What scope is on your 243?
"The Un-Tactical"
We gotta have better big targets for the long ranges. A roll of butcher paper and black spray paint would have been better than what we had. Spotting scope. Need one.
The high points, for me, my 204 and 223 did great out to 600. The 204 was spot on the predicted drop, smacked the 600 yard steel the first 4 in a row.
My 6.5-284 did well to 500, then my forgetting to zero issue crept up. I couldn't remember if I had the windage dialed to the left or right for load work, and I never zeroed the turret, so I was screwed. Same for the 243.
The range we were shooting at was completely overgrown with weeds and brush, except for mown lanes out to the berms. The berms were like jungles, so there was pretty much no spotting your splash on misses. The only place that you could see any splash was in front of the 2'x2' chunk of inch thick I-beam on the ground at the 500 yard berm.
There was steel scattered from 300-500 yards, but it was all suspended from a-frames, and 8" or so. It was great when I hit it, but no feedback on misses. Bullets off into the jungle.
All in all, I had an awesome day. Just shootin stuff, with a couple of good dudes.
It's a Nikon Monarch 4-16x42 with bdc. I originally bought it for hunting. My eyes much prefer my Leupold glass to the Nikon, the reticle is terrible for target shooting, way too thick. It's gonna go down the road. Nothing but gold rings from now on.
Oh, also, my 223 is slow twist. 1:12. BUT, a little experimenting with the load, a primer swap, and what was a .450" rifle, laid down a .159" group Wednesday.:yikes: