Long Range Targets

[RedRidge]

I am getting close to finalizing a good hunting reload, my first at that and I am curious what everyone uses for long range targets while dialing in your dope. I have plenty of distance to shoot out here in the desert and wonder what is the most effective way you have seen in the past on long range targets. There are plenty of rocks to shoot, but I am afraid of not being able to actually measure bullet drop corrections to fully understand my rifle/bullet combo.

I planned on starting at 100 and moving all the way out to 600. What are your most effective methods in doing this? Do you do 50 yard increments all the way out to your desired range or do you use something else? I have shot out to 400 with ease with my setup, but that was just me shooting factory ammo and trial and error on the corrections until I would hit. Wanting to get my setup dialed in for more hunting type scenarios and first time hits. Open to all suggestions, just want to start getting better. Thanks to all.

 

[Sam Millard]

I am getting close to finalizing a good hunting reload, my first at that and I am curious what everyone uses for long range targets while dialing in your dope. I have plenty of distance to shoot out here in the desert and wonder what is the most effective way you have seen in the past on long range targets. There are plenty of rocks to shoot, but I am afraid of not being able to actually measure bullet drop corrections to fully understand my rifle/bullet combo.

I planned on starting at 100 and moving all the way out to 600. What are your most effective methods in doing this? Do you do 50 yard increments all the way out to your desired range or do you use something else? I have shot out to 400 with ease with my setup, but that was just me shooting factory ammo and trial and error on the corrections until I would hit. Wanting to get my setup dialed in for more hunting type scenarios and first time hits. Open to all suggestions, just want to start getting better. Thanks to all.

Ideally, you would true your drops with a solver by firing rounds at the distance where the bullet used goes transonic (usually ~ 1300 fps). There are a lot of steps involved to doing this right, most having to do with your ammo and rifle/scope setup. If you don't want to mess with all of that stuff, make sure your zero is perfect, chrono the ammo you're using, plug it all in to your solver, then carefully shoot a group at 600. You'll want to shoot at a surface that's perpendicular to the bullet's flight, so you can see the exact impact point. Rocks on the ground can be tough for this, but a rock face can be fantastic! Then just adjust your velocity to match the drop.

Assuming all of your inputs are solid, your drops to 600 will now be good to go. No need to fire rounds at shorter intervals unless you want the practice.

 

[RedRidge]

Thanks for the info Sam. Now if one did not have access to a chrono, what would you recommend? I know I would save a lot of time and rounds by executing the above guidance, but not sure if I can find one around here to borrow.

Any ballistic solvers you recommend. My setup is the Tikka T3 7Rem Mag, 168 VLD Bergers, I need to finalize my OAL, to fit the rounds in the magazine, but my last best grouping was with 70grains of RETUMBO.

 

[Sam Millard]

Thanks for the info Sam. Now if one did not have access to a chrono, what would you recommend? I know I would save a lot of time and rounds by executing the above guidance, but not sure if I can find one around here to borrow.

Any ballistic solvers you recommend. My setup is the Tikka T3 7Rem Mag, 168 VLD Bergers, I need to finalize my OAL, to fit the rounds in the magazine, but my last best grouping was with 70grains of RETUMBO.

You can use the actual drop at 600 to figure out your velocity, but it will be all trial and error, and you won't have any baselines as far as MV, ES, etc. Practically speaking, if you just want to shoot to 600 at that temp/elevation, with that ammo, it will work.

I like and use BulletFlight (M) on an iPhone 6 and Applied Ballistics on a Kestrel 4500AB. I have Shooter on my phone, but I just don't like it. BulletFlight is cleaner and more efficient IMO. The 4500AB is a great little unit, but I've never tried AB on a mobile device.

Get your ammo completely figured out and your scope perfectly dialed in before you start doing the long stuff. It will save you a lot of time and ammo!

 

[RedRidge]

Thanks for the advice. I will give it a look.

 

[Fire_9]

If you can get access to a chrono and get a real velocity I would then tune your BC instead of your velocity.