Long range shooting

[Kwaynem]

So who is going to start a thread on long range shooting? I haven’t ever been a paper puncher just a hunter and my reloads if I can get them under an inch at 100 yards I have always been good to go but I have always wanted to shoot that deer at 500 yards or farther I have made several shots at 300 and less but I want to learn

 

[rockchalk06]

Theres a bunch of em so far?

Do you have a Chrono for your handload?

 

[conditionzero]

Popped this over to the long range forum.

 

[Cowcatcher]

I’m in fer learning!

 

[conditionzero]

What cartridge are you loading?

 

[Kwaynem]

Theres a bunch of em so far?

Do you have a Chrono for your handload?

Yes but I haven’t used it in quite a while

 

[Kwaynem]

What cartridge are you loading?

Mainly .270 and 6.5 creedmoor

 

[conditionzero]

Mainly .270 and 6.5 creedmoor

What is your 6.5cm recipe lookin like? What projectile are you runnin?

 

[Kwaynem]

I have been trying everything all for hunting 129 grain SST’s, 143 grain ELDX (best shooters) 140 grain SST’s best group 1 1/2 129 grain LRAB about the same some of the 129 SST’s were with accurate 4350 and the rest with H4350 on the 6.5 creedmoor the 143’s I get about a 5/8 group with H4350 all are seated by the book only way to measure is base to tip with dial calipers

 

[ClintC]

look in advance load development on set back. There was a great right up that @conditionzero did. Sometimes you want to run one brand of bullet but another bullet can preform better. Try some Berger hunting bullets good for target and hunting. I played a round with the Hornady match bullets for a little bit. Switched to the Berger match and got better results. If you dont have a chronograph phone a fren that can help with that. Average velocity ES and SD will help with drop data aka the DOPE of the rifle. I don’t get a lot of practice do to my job but when I’m home I love to send it.

 

[Kwaynem]

I have a chronograph

 

[conditionzero]

There is a lot of different ways to do load development, depending on how deep you want to go. I would probably start out with a satterlee test and go from there once you get a node or two.

 

[rockchalk06]

Load a 140 grain (insert brand here) over 40-41 grains of H4350 and damn near every 6.5 will shoot minute of deer.

Key to making a rifle shoot lights out is consistency. Consistency in everything from the load process to the breath you take while breaking the shot. Break out your Chrono and send 5 rounds over it taking a break between shots of about a minute. See what your numbers are. Higher the Standard Deviation and or Extreme Spread, good chance your group will be less consistent on paper at any distance.

I've been loading for precision for a good 30 years and I'm still peeling the crusty part of the onion off.

I'm about to start load development on a new rifle with a new bullet I've never used. I think I'll devote some serious time and start a thread on it. Might be helpful for you. Hopefully it will be helpful for me and see if I've been doing something wrong or mundane.

 

[rockchalk06]

So who is going to start a thread on long range shooting? I haven’t ever been a paper puncher just a hunter and my reloads if I can get them under an inch at 100 yards I have always been good to go but I have always wanted to shoot that deer at 500 yards or farther I have made several shots at 300 and less but I want to learn

Something else I just thought of. If you plan to hunt game at that distance, make sure your bullet will be traveling at a speed to provide reliable expansion for an ethical kill.

Knowing what you muzzle velocity is, plugging that into a quality ballistic app, will give you a pretty good estimate of your speed at 500-600 yards. Most bullet manufacturers will tell you what the minimum FPS is to get the expansion needed.

If you're not meeting or exceeding it, you need to either speed it up or change up a tool.

 

[ClintC]

I’m about to start a load development on my 6GT. I will also be setting up my 6.5 for small rifle primer brass. Can’t wait to start this.

 

[rockchalk06]

I’m about to start a load development on my 6GT. I will also be setting up my 6.5 for small rifle primer brass. Can’t wait to start this.

I'll be on that 6GT info like stink on shit!

 

[ClintC]

I'll be on that 6GT info like stink on shit!

Your going to be my first call

 

[Kwaynem]

Something else I just thought of. If you plan to hunt game at that distance, make sure your bullet will be traveling at a speed to provide reliable expansion for an ethical kill.

Knowing what you muzzle velocity is, plugging that into a quality ballistic app, will give you a pretty good estimate of your speed at 500-600 yards. Most bullet manufacturers will tell you what the minimum FPS is to get the expansion needed.

If you're not meeting or exceeding it, you need to either speed it up or change up a tool.

Where I hunt 300 yards is about as far as I can shoot and RARELY ever see anything there most of my shots are 150 yards or less I most likely wouldn’t take a shot farther than that but want to be able to shoot farther if I want to beit target or whatever

 

[rockchalk06]

Where I hunt 300 yards is about as far as I can shoot and RARELY ever see anything there most of my shots are 150 yards or less I most likely wouldn’t take a shot farther than that but want to be able to shoot farther if I want to beit target or whatever

I agree. Better to have the dope just in case. The two places I have to hunt, 75 yards is more the max with shit so thick you might still not get a shot. That same area has a cut out well over 500 yards that is hot with movement at times. Next season I'll pack the Tikka for that area and carry my 30-30 for the rest.

Back home in central Kansas, it was pick how far you want to shoot one. 500 yards, I got you .

 

[Kwaynem]

I have a small spot of government that I can shoot all the way across I never have ranged it but I’m guessing 400+ I only go there during the week or on thanksgiving morning when there is nobody else there I have seen some all the way on the other side but never took a shot because I wasn’t confident enough I passed on a buck that was pushing 170+ because I didn’t want to wound him my .270 reloads shoot good enough just not sure I do