2023 Cold Bore Challenge

[sargent]

MER - 400 yards
Kimber Hunter shortened and lightened
Leupold VX3i- 3.5-10x40
.308 Winchester 150 grain Core-Lokt Tipped
SAP Run and Gun Bag on top of a Leofoto tripod front rest
Bag of game bags as rear rest
Nice, calm evening. Winds left to right at 3-5 MPH.

First Shot


It cut paper... I'm calling that a hit.

Second Shot
Calm, 0-5 MPH wind

Another hit, slightly closer to the center.
Thank you to Rokslide and the sponsors for putting on the challenge.

 

[sportsmans challenge]

Cold bore challenge 2023 goal MER 800yds

Rifle:
28 nosler built on a trued rem 700 l/a by Dallas@ Lane Precision with a 22" proof carbon, terminator t3, trigger tech, leupold mk 5 3.6-18x44 in hawkins hybrid rings, forget the stock make.

Ammunition:
195 berger on top of 84 grains rl33, bertram 28 nosler brass, 215 m primer running 2900fps

Other equipment used:
Modular evolution bipod, rear squeeze bag filled with get lite( cut the weight in half). Kowa 774 spotter w/ phone scope, ziess rf/ bino, kestrel w/elite update to co witness.

Day 1 cold bore taken @605 yards(video shows some kestrel data) target with measurement in pic and dated the shot from today.

Day 2:
Same place 605 yards wasn't on the squeeze bag best I could and rushed, shot a little low of center also kicked the tripod while getting set in for the shot. Will now move on to 800 yards or in that area.

Day 3:
Whole new location(Montana), 962 yards per the ziess 9 degree angle, called for 2mph wind and then something shit the bed impacting 2moa low. Will attempt another shot near that range in the next couple days. No clue why, but no excuses. More practice, verifications in the future and dependable equipment.

Day 4:
Backed the range down to 846 swung and missed high, nailed the wind and now that the single shot stuff is over I can go and clean the piss out of this gun and see what the deal is. Not blaming everything else but me, but something is not right, so now to find it. Was a great learning with paying more attention to wind and being more ready for when a cold bore shot is needed (which should be any time you run the gun).

Thanks all staffers for the work mending and tending the pages and questions.

 

[PanhandlePilgrim]

MER Goal 750 yards
Target is at 576 yards

Rifle:
7mm RSAUM Built by Defensive Edge
Blueprinted Rem 700 SA
Hart 1-8" twist 26" Barrel
HS Prescision Stock
Triggertech trigger
Atlas Bipod
Nightforce ATACR 5-25

Ammo:
180 Berger H-Vld at 2865
59.8 H4831sc
ADG Brass
Fed 210 primer

Dope: 10.4 up (dialed 10.5)
Wind 3-5mph, dialed 1.5 moa

Shot #2

Kinda tricky on the wind today. 3-5mph with gusts of 7 and then it would flat die out. Being at the head of a canyon there was some updrafts. I waited for the wind to flatten out, held left edge and sent it.

 

[Hunter26]

593 yards
7saum
Tikka
20” CF barrel
AG COMPOSITE Alpine Hunter
180 eldm
H1000
Adg brass
2750fps

Right to left 10mph wind that I clearly didn’t call quite right. Plan to do better on the next go around!

Shot two was with similar conditions. It is over a draw and I am wondering if the wind of pushing harder at some point over the distance of the shot.

Shot number 3. Max effective range is 625. Wind was about half.

Last shot, not what I was hoping overall. I expected to be closer to the center. I will be taking a better mental note of how my first shots hit moving forward.

 

[jdvangeystel]

I am going to call my Maximum effective range 800 yards. Today I shot 600 yards at a 10” Orange circle on a plate. 2.7 mils of elevation with .2 mils of wind. I am shooting a Mountain Forged 7 SAUM on a long action shooting 168 grain McGuire Ballistics Copper Rose bullets, Huskema blue diamond scope, Hawkins ultra light rings with a Harris Bipod. I will shoot again tomorrow at 600 yards and then step out to 800

I got my 2nd qualifying shot done today and so now I will move out to 800 yards, been raining here the last few days and finally got a break in the weather. 600 yards this afternoon, same target as last time, my impact ended up at about 6 o’clock on the steel, coulda gave it just a bit more vertical correction but I was within the 10” circle still, my next shot will be at my MER of 800 yards.

Today I stepped out to my MER of 800, painted a 10” circle on a plate- I had 4.5 mils of vertical correction and with a 5.1mph wind I was at .4 mils of windage. I shoulda added a .10 of a mil but I stayed in the game anyhow and got it within that 10” circle. See what the final shot brings. Copper bullets don’t seem to be near as loud on mild steel as lead- but you can hear the impact right at the end

Day 4 and my final shot at 800 yards. Moved to a different target today and hung a 10” plate at 800 in a better area for fire safety. Shot prone again off a bipod and a rear bag. I had 4.8 mils of elevation with about 1/2 a mil of wind. You can hear this impact quite a bit better on the AR500 steel. I had a lot of fun with this challenge and look forward to doing it again next year

 

[UncleLou]

Max effective range of 800yds.
Todays shot was 600yds.
Spray painted 10” orange circle on white plate.
7mm SAUM with 168gr McGuire Ballistics copper bullet.

Day 2: 600 yards

Day 3: 800 yards on 10" plate

Day 4: 800 yards on 10" plate

 

[Keith Stone]

Range 608y
Wind .2R
Elevation 2.2 should have been 2.0 but forgot to include the angle
Tikka 6.5CM 19” barrel KGM R30 can
140g ELDM 41.5 H4350 @2619
Atlas Cal and Gamechanger bag lite fill



Day 2 dropped .1 off elevation and no wind hold

 

[BRTreedogs]

Mer 743
Custom Rem 700 6.5 Creedmoor
140 Berger Hybrid
Swfa 5-20
Prone off bipod and Gamechanger rear bag.
1st Qualifying shot
598 Yards,
Nice overcast day, 64 degrees, call a 3mph right to left wind.
Dial up 3.3 wind .1 right.

2nd Qualifying shot.
598, Clear cool overcast.
60 degrees.
Called a 5mph left to right wind.

Day 3 Mer 743
Nice cool 60 and darker overcast.
Called 5mph 8 o clock and was .2 to far left and about .1 low.

Day 4
60 Sunny.
Called no wind at target but second guessed myself at the shooting spot.
Called 5mph right to left and dialed .5 mils.
Completely missed my 18" target.
I had to take the wind out and make a follow up.

 

[slim23]

Max range 1000
300 Norma
225 Eldm 3160
Lapua case
93gr RL33
Lone peak fuzion steel action
Manners eh1a stock
Zero compromise 5-27 mpct1 mill
Carbon 6 barrel 28”
Dead air nomad can
Mdt cyke pod lightweight single pull
Apa bottom metal xl
Bix n Andy trigger
14.2lb loaded
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0646MduiULIj-FpN-CmGmwG6Q

CBC 1

Well after filming shot 1 I went to look for bears. Found this beautiful chocolate boar at 940yds and made a perfect shot right behind the shoulder dropping him. Tried to get it on video but didn’t work out. Kick me out of the competition but this is what all the time shooting is for. And that’s my main hunting gun.

Shot 2
585 wind 12-15mph 4:30 held .25 right target is 8” circle. Was multiple people shooting and was about to shoot the 585 and another guy hit of left the hit it. Asked him if I could do 1 shot and broke it!!

 

[SouthPaw]

Tikka 223 / SWFA 3-9 / Sportsmatch
73 ELDM 2900 fps
Broken terrain / mountains / only using what I would have on a hunt
MER 500yds

Day 1
498 yards
T= 62F
DA = ~6700, wind bracket 6mph
Shot off my pack using a bunched up rain jacket for rear rest. Called 4-5mph LtoR so held .4

Day 2
508 yards, different area/terrain
T= 53F
DA = ~5600, wind bracket 6mph
Tall grass so I shot kneeling with the sticks/pack. Calm 1-2mph LtoR wind, held .2 L

(hard to see splash on video but impact was about an inch left of dead center)

 

[BjornF16]

Equipment:
Blaser R8 Jäger with carbon fiber furniture
NF NX8 4-32 in Blaser unimount
6 XC sending UM 108 ELD-M
Silencerco Omega 300
Backpack
Rear bag

Leica Geovid Pro
Kestrel 5700






Yesterday’s zero check and MV measurement after having Karl Kampfeld cut barrel and install 5/8” threads





MER: 660 yds

Day 1:
565 yd qualifier on 10” plate
Weather: 90° F, 3070 DA
Light, variable winds from left 3-5 mph
Dialed 3.1 mils; held .2 mils left

Day 2:
565 yd qualifier on 10” plate
Weather: Sunny, 70° F, 1729’ DA
Calm, humid
Dialed 3.2 mils, 0 hold for wind

Day 3:

655 yards, light winds. 80° F, 80% humidity; 10” plate.
Dialed 4.1 mils, held 0.2 left (needed 4.3 mils so may need to true my velocity; needed to hold 0.4). Nearly missed due to bad wind call. Just nicked at 4 o’clock position, but moved steel and heard ring.

Day 4:
75° F, 91% humidity, DA 2435’, 660 yards

With low hit yesterday, adjusted MV to give another 0.2 mils. Dialed 4.2 mils, held 0.3 left

 

[Formidilosus]

Rifle:

Tikka M595 Master Sporter 6xc
115gr DTAC
Minox ZP5 5-25x56mm THLR
CGS Hyperion K suppressor

Shot kneeling with crossed hiking sticks up front, pack in the rear.




Weather:



576 yards, shooting across the head of a deep draw. 2-4 MPH wind from right to left at the gun with a slight updraft, half way across the canyon, switching to left to right with a bit of down draft.

Held left .3 mils.

Day 2:

7,000ft DA, right to left 1mph wind called, held right .1 mil

Day 3:
966 yards, DA 5,533ft, right to left swirling 1-3 mph wind

Position-

Drove to @mtnwrunner place with @PNWGATOR. 966 yards, prone, swirling 4-9 mph, left to right wind, held left .5 mils

 

[280Ackley]

Finally got over my sinus infection and felt well enough to get some bullets reloaded so I could shoot.

Rifle:
Savage Switchback 6MM Arc
B&C stock
SWFA 3-15
NightForce bases and rings


Shooting prone off my bipod. Started carrying this last year for the kids to use and I’ve become very fond of it!

Distance:
408 yards
After reading a lot on here and doing actual shooting drills. I’ve realized that this is currently MER on a live animal. Where I can get a first shot hit consistently. Thanks Form!!!


Shot#1
Perfect condition for shooting. Overcast with no wind.
Went to adjust my scope for the shot and realized I never tightened the cap after setting the zero. Had to use the reticle for hood over.
Shot felt good, just made it inside the circle. I’ll take it as this is only round #22 for this gun!


Shot#2
Another great morning for shooting. Unfortunately I dialed .4 MIL off and shot low.
Just barely clipped the box.

 

[Kyle Avey]

MER: 750 yards

Rifle: Tikka T3 7mm REM Mag, Mesa Precision Stock, ATACR 4-16x50, APA “The Answer”, Mountain tactical bottom metal and rail, Hawkins rings, Warne bipod.

Load: ELDM 162g, Norma Brass, 69 gr N165, 2940 FPS

Day 1: 588 yards to qualify. 10 MOA elevation, no wind. Hit low and left on 10 inch gong.

Day 2: 579 yards, a swing and a miss….

 

[kylem]

Sauer 100 Atacama 6.5 PRC
SWFA 3-15
147g ELDM
Harris bipod

I gave myself the goal of getting my MER out to 600 by this bear season and have shot more rifle rounds in the past year than I have in the previous 10 years combined. I guess for the sake of the challenge if I make my 2 hits at 600 I’ll give it a go at 700 for my final 2 shots and see what happens.

Day 1
601 yards slight wind from left to right



Day 2
Wind quartering towards me from right to left. Held .2 mil for wind


Day 3
I was hoping to shoot about 700, but the way the country laid out I got 741.
Hardly any wind at all.

Learned a valuable lesson about exact numbers today. I punched in 740 yards because what kind of difference can one yard actually make. Well I dialed for 4.5 Mil and after I saw I barely missed low I entered 741 yards and it gave me 4.6 Mil…. Would’ve been a hit but oh well that’s how it goes.

Day 4
741 yards wind quartering to left to right about 15 so I held .9 mils. Mirage was quite bad as well.

Wind call was good but missed about 3 inches low.(accidentally set my target up upside down….) Not sure if my velocity is a touch high or what but find it interesting that both my shots from 741 were low.

Overall I’m real happy with how I did considering my MER was 600 and made both my hits from that range.

 

[Mountainrancher]

Mer: 450
Browning xbolt 6.8 western
Bushnell lrhs2 4.5-18
Factory browning 175 tgk
Caldwell carbon bipod

Shot prone using bino harness as rear support. Shot was calm no wind about 63 degrees dialed 2.2 mil

Day 1: clean miss

Takeaways: this was a very cold bore shot for me as I haven’t shot a rifle larger than a 17hmr since October.
The more I use the Caldwell bipod the more I don’t like it.
Also I suck at shooting

Day 2: I’ll let rokslide decide on this one it’s very close. 53 degrees and much more humid today. Dialed 2.3 mil elevation was perfect. Wind wasn’t much but might be why it’s off, or I just pulled it. Either way I still suck at shooting

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

MER 744 yards
Seekins Precision Element
TBAC Dominus can
NX8 4-32x50
6.5 PRC factory precision hunters
Shooting prone off pack using zseat as rear bag as would be in woods

I’m not an alligator, don’t want any confusion.

Target set up, 10” plate



Day 1
604 yard qualifier
60 degrees, scattered showers, 7mph cross wind
Working on the video portion

Day 2
2nd 600 yard qualifier
50 degrees, 5-10mph swirling winds
Hit- had a little luck, definitely should have come up .1 mil after first hit low

Day 3
First shot at MER 744
50ish degrees, 10-15mph gusty winds
Missed right off plate, real close so it was hard to tell but think low/left

Day 4
Second shot at 744
65 degrees, 10pm gusty cross wind 270 degrees
Missed to right off plate, need .1 more adjustment for wind

 

[sram9102]

23 Cold Bore Challenge
Had to break out the new plate the wife got me for christmas. Going to give 800 a go if the first two days go well.
Second round of the year. I forgot to reset the scope after switching from the 223 barrel last week. Sent one 2' over a coyote running across the field on monday.
Rifle
Tikka T3x 6.5 Creed chopped to 20" in a Bravo
AAC 7.62 sd
NF SHV 4-14 F1
130 eld


Day 1 Hit
605 Qualifer

Shooting off the pack no rear rest
70 degrees very little wind off of the left



Day 2 Miss

Wind got me today. Thought I had it right at my back but didn't get far enough from the barn to realize it was quartering across. Missed just off the left.

 

[Hank]

MER 750

Shooting a Christensens ridgeline in 6.5 creedmoor
Leupold VX6 3-18x44
Harris bipod
142 gr accubond lr’s

Day 1
Shooting at 592 yards for qualifying shots
12” plate with a white 10” spray painted circle
Temp was 74 degrees
Variable Wind from right to left roughly 5-10mph
Shot with @lak2004 today

Day 2
Was a miss off the right edge of the dinger
Sunny and calm
56 degrees at 7:20am
Sun was just rising over the hill directly behind the target
Lesson learned- move your shooting position into the shade or have someone shield the sun. I was alone and wanted to shoot from the same spot as my previous shot, my mistake. I had to move my head around to get a decently clear view of the target, in doing so I was not in my correct shooting position. Resulted in a miss.

 

[silasbowhunter]

Rifle is a Tikka T3x 243win 18.5” barrel with a homemade Form1 can. Shooting Hornady Superformance 75 grain VMAX is at 3225 fps. Scope is vortex viper pst gen1 (gonna upgrade to something better before season). Shooting off my trigger stick tripod with a davros head.

MER was 450 yards.

Day 1. Slight drizzle. 7mph wind blowing from l mostly behind me, but crossing left to right slightly.
Held for my dope and felt like it was gonna hit high. It hit way about a foot high haha day 2 I’ll dial for sure.

Day 2. Weather was 92° and slight breeze in my face/across right to left. No wind hold. Checked my drop chart and realized I was holding over way too high. Got setup and shot. Felt good, thought I was a little high when it broke. Ended up being about 1/2” out of the top left.

Since I was done for the challenge and had a minute. Went back to the distance, built a WAY better position and dry fired 2 times to settle my brain.
Fired 4 shots and put em all in the paint of course.

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