First time shooting past 300 yards. Not great...Cataracts. :-)

[Mike Islander]

Went to our open island range last week and shot 100, 200, 300, 540. Sighted in at 100. Shooting a 6.5 CM Fieldcraft, 21" barrel with 6x42 SWFA fixed scope. Best ammo grouping was with Barnes VOR-TX 127 grain factory. At 100 it was easy to get 1/2 MOA. I sighted in at the pistol range, since we had a bit of wind and it was sheltered. Then I headed out to the longer range, which does have hedge to block some wind, but there is definitively more exposure.

I used my chronograph to get an average for 10 shots, which I can't remember and lives in Strelok on my tablet, which is sitting at home. Something tells me it was about 2785 fps. This seems reasonable, since the ammo is rated at 2825 fps in their test with longer barrel. In any case, I entered all the data in Strelok and it told me to dial 4 up (0.1 mils/click) for 200, 10 up for 300, and 30 up for 538.

Here are the results. Since there was a bit of wind, and I was not correcting for it at all. I'm fine with 200 and 300 and would feel very comfortable shooting deer-size game (or even coyotes) at that range. Poor trigger control with this ultralight rifle likely played a role in my "flyers". Certainly have shot much better than that before.

200 yards


300 yards


At 538 it was a different story. I aimed for the big blue tape square in the center of the four targets, which are just 8.5"x11" paper taped together. Ended up far right and high. I was having trouble resolving the blue square at that distance but still expected better. Wind was only about 5 mph and not a direct crosswind, so I don't think it could throw me that far right.



Went to see my eye doctor the next week and it turns out I have cataracts. Seeing double with one eye closed, etc. I know 500+ yards is pushing the resolution of the 6X scope, but I'm thinking I can do much better than this first try. What do you think? Getting surgery in a few weeks, so we will eventually find out.

 

[Wapiti1]

I'd wonder if parallax wasn't playing a part. 500 yards at 6X is very doable, IMO to maintain a MOA group with a good rifle. I like a lower power for long shots, personally. My brain freaks out if I am at high mag and the crosshair is dancing.

Overall, the group isn't bad. Even for just two shots, you aren't all over, IMO. Let's say you kept shooting and put 5 shots into a 7" circle. At 500 yards with a light rifle, that's workable. Maybe cataracts influenced it, but I'd lean more toward form and rifle control.

A right group makes me think you are pulling the rifle right with your trigger hand, and that you are right handed. One thing to try is to adjust the overtravel on the trigger so it has quite a bit of overtravel. Short overtravel and a death grip will pull the rifle into your trigger hand.

Jeremy

 

[Mike Islander]

I'd wonder if parallax wasn't playing a part. 500 yards at 6X is very doable, IMO to maintain a MOA group with a good rifle. I like a lower power for long shots, personally. My brain freaks out if I am at high mag and the crosshair is dancing.

Overall, the group isn't bad. Even for just two shots, you aren't all over, IMO. Let's say you kept shooting and put 5 shots into a 7" circle. At 500 yards with a light rifle, that's workable. Maybe cataracts influenced it, but I'd lean more toward form and rifle control.

A right group makes me think you are pulling the rifle right with your trigger hand, and that you are right handed. One thing to try is to adjust the overtravel on the trigger so it has quite a bit of overtravel. Short overtravel and a death grip will pull the rifle into your trigger hand.

Jeremy

I think you are probably right. Although I wasn't right in the no wind range earlier that day sighting in at 100 yards. The rifle is extremely light (6.7 pounds scoped and fully loaded), and I haven't shot it much. All my experience is with nice heavy walnut BDL 700s.

But I seriously had a problem resolving the target details at that distance, and was seeing two images through one eye. We'll know in a month or so whether it's my eyes or my finger.

 

[bsnedeker]

Did you only take 2 shots at each distance? What exactly do you expect that to tell you? By your own words you had trouble seeing the target and had poor trigger control. 2 shot groups don't tell you anything.

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[Mike Islander]

Did you only take 2 shots at each distance? What exactly do you expect that to tell you? By your own words you had trouble seeing the target and had poor trigger control. 2 shot groups don't tell you anything.

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I was out of ammo.

I had 6 rounds left and 3 targets (200, 300, 538). Just a very casual afternoon shooting longer than I ever shot before. I'm easing into a more formal program, but literally just starting. Shot 300 yards for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

 

[bsnedeker]

I was out of ammo.

I had 6 rounds left and 3 targets (200, 300, 538). Just a very casual afternoon shooting longer than I ever shot before. I'm easing into a more formal program, but literally just starting. Shot 300 yards for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

Gotcha. Shooting at distance for the first time can be humbling. Trigger control and breath control are really important. Making sure you are holding and shouldering the gun consistently. At 6x magnification is pretty easy to be off by more than an inch when shooting for groups. Even a 5mph wind is going to throw off a 6.5 bullet pretty good at 500 yards.

But yeah, like I said above, a 2 shot group doesn't tell you anything. Get back out there and put up some 10 round groups and work on that until you get results you are happy with.

I'll also add, some days at the range are just frustrating.



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[Mike Islander]

8 hours out of cataract surgery on my right eye. Unbelievably better vision. Next week I'm going to get back out there and shoot several groups.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

8 hours out of cataract surgery on my right eye. Unbelievably better vision. Next week I'm going to get back out there and shoot several groups.

Glad you got it fixed and everything went well. Hope you have a speedy recovery.

I will say it took me a few range trips to get used to shooting my FC...I was used to RM700s from the 90s.
Good Luck!

 

[Rich M]

Once you put a couple hundred rounds downrange, the shooting will tighten up.

My dad just had cataract removed and lense replaced. He’s 82 and back to 20/20 vision. He said he’d do it again.