Shot long range for the first time

[IDHUNTER]

After always shooting a standard 3-10x duplex reticle scope and limiting myself to 350 yard shots I got a new rifle, Sauer 100 in 7mm Rem Mag and Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56 scope. I messed with some handloads but wasn't getting the accuracy i was hoping for so I tried some 150 gr Barnes Vortex TTSX factory ammo and those were shooting great. To start, I used the data on the box for MV and the BC on the Barnes website to create a DOPE chart. The info must have been right because this was my first time ever dialing for distance and I was hitting steel every shot out to 510 yards. I'm sure there's a lot more work to do to really dial things in but for a first timer I was pretty happy and it was a lot of fun.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Sounds like you are having fun and learning! That's excellent.

That's a great rifle and scope choice in my opinion. I would say it's too much magnification for me for hunting. Unless it's a dedicated very long range target gun or varmint gun (chambering says otherwise) you'll probably never use anything past 12 power for big game hunting.

As an example, I regularly shoot targets and 8" steel plates at 900 yards and use 9 power for that. Most shots on big game while hunting are in the 6ish power range, unless they are beyond 600ish yards depending on terrain.

I would recommend trueing up your numbers if you want to consistently shoot long ranges. Getting hits like that without real numbers is great and it's definitely fun when the steel rings like that!

Factory loads are more than adequate even for long range. I would get a good velocity baseline for what your rifle is shooting them at, and see how large of a spread you are getting between shots. My guess is you will see somewhere in the 50-60 FPS for your maximum spread, maybe even a bit more.

As an example, on the Barnes TTSX 150 grain bullet you are using, 60 FPS difference at 900 yards ends up having about 17" of discrepancy. At 500 yards it's only about 4" of discrepancy so you could still see "hits" on large enough targets. You'll want to do your best to find a "best fit" once you can get the rifle and round of choice chronographed. I can PM you the calculation I use, which is slightly different than what most guys use. Involves a bit more math and variables to minimize extreme misses but nothing crazy.

 

[hereinaz]

After always shooting a standard 3-10x duplex reticle scope and limiting myself to 350 yard shots I got a new rifle, Sauer 100 in 7mm Rem Mag and Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56 scope. I messed with some handloads but wasn't getting the accuracy i was hoping for so I tried some 150 gr Barnes Vortex TTSX factory ammo and those were shooting great. To start, I used the data on the box for MV and the BC on the Barnes website to create a DOPE chart. The info must have been right because this was my first time ever dialing for distance and I was hitting steel every shot out to 510 yards. I'm sure there's a lot more work to do to really dial things in but for a first timer I was pretty happy and it was a lot of fun.

That's awesome!!! It is addicting to start seeing success like that, and know that you have gear that can do it.

You are doing a lot of things right to start with box muzzle velocity. It does show that long range isn't that hard, but at the same time to make first round impacts hunting it takes lots more input. Keep at it, you have a fantastic start.

 

[mtmojo]

After always shooting a standard 3-10x duplex reticle scope and limiting myself to 350 yard shots I got a new rifle, Sauer 100 in 7mm Rem Mag and Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56 scope. I messed with some handloads but wasn't getting the accuracy i was hoping for so I tried some 150 gr Barnes Vortex TTSX factory ammo and those were shooting great. To start, I used the data on the box for MV and the BC on the Barnes website to create a DOPE chart. The info must have been right because this was my first time ever dialing for distance and I was hitting steel every shot out to 510 yards. I'm sure there's a lot more work to do to really dial things in but for a first timer I was pretty happy and it was a lot of fun.

Congrats on your success. Your about to drop down the rabbit hole. Welcome to the club and best of luck.

 

[Turkeytider]

After always shooting a standard 3-10x duplex reticle scope and limiting myself to 350 yard shots I got a new rifle, Sauer 100 in 7mm Rem Mag and Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56 scope. I messed with some handloads but wasn't getting the accuracy i was hoping for so I tried some 150 gr Barnes Vortex TTSX factory ammo and those were shooting great. To start, I used the data on the box for MV and the BC on the Barnes website to create a DOPE chart. The info must have been right because this was my first time ever dialing for distance and I was hitting steel every shot out to 510 yards. I'm sure there's a lot more work to do to really dial things in but for a first timer I was pretty happy and it was a lot of fun.

Fun, ain`t it?! Up until about 4 months ago if you`d told me that I could hit ANYTHING at 500 yards with a rifle I`d have laughed in your face! Up until then my rifle experience was limited to when I was working for Uncle Sam ( 14s and 16`s ) . Could hit targets at 300 with the 14. The 16, not so much.
My newly acquired Savage Model 12 LRPV in .223 has shown me the way! Now I`m working on group size at 500 yards with a 6" gong.

 

[Geewhiz]

I respect @mxgsfmdpx b/c I remember his CBC shots, so heed his advice.

I will, however, say that I have the same exact scope on one of my big game hunting rifles and I use 22x often when shooting at targets as well as game animals, so I think preferred magnification varies a lot from shooter to shooter. I have taken a good number of animals well over 500 yards and I often find myself at full magnification. YMMV

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I respect @mxgsfmdpx b/c I remember his CBC shots, so heed his advice.

I will, however, say that I have the same exact scope on one of my big game hunting rifles and I use 22x often when shooting at targets as well as game animals, so I think preferred magnification varies a lot from shooter to shooter. I have taken a good number of animals well over 500 yards and I often find myself at full magnification. YMMV

I'm actually "new" to lower magnification at longer ranges...

I was a competitive shooter and won many varmint hunting competitions across the country. When shooting ground squirrels/prairie dogs at very long range, I got used to needing 24X or even more. That's a viable zoom for that application. I leaned in the last few years or so to gradually take my "zoom" down further and further for big game hunting. I still battle with it on target shooting and question myself sometimes.

When I killed a Coues buck (Great Dane sized animal) at 500 yards last year with my fixed 6 SWFA, I sat there longer than I should have realizing I didn't have any more "zoom". Could have easily missed the animal as he was in a group of bucks fighting in and out of thick manzanita, ocotillos, and mesquites. So my old instinct was to crank the zoom up when I really didn't need to. I had an excellent sight picture and cross hair right where I wanted it. I ended up taking the shot and the buck dropped and never got up again.

I got some general "zoom range" advice from @Formidilosus and have been working on that lately.

Always learning and trying to be a more effective long range hunter I guess that's why I mentioned that here.

 

[eric1115]

I'm actually "new" to lower magnification at longer ranges...

I was a competitive shooter and won many varmint hunting competitions across the country. When shooting ground squirrels/prairie dogs at very long range, I got used to needing 24X or even more. That's a viable zoom for that application. I leaned in the last few years or so to gradually take my "zoom" down further and further for big game hunting. I still battle with it on target shooting and question myself sometimes.

When I killed a Coues buck (Great Dane sized animal) at 500 yards last year with my fixed 6 SWFA, I sat there longer than I should have realizing I didn't have any more "zoom". Could have easily missed the animal as he was in a group of bucks fighting in and out of thick manzanita, ocotillos, and mesquites. So my old instinct was to crank the zoom up when I really didn't need to. I had an excellent sight picture and cross hair right where I wanted it. I ended up taking the shot and the buck dropped and never got up again.

I got some general "zoom range" advice from @Formidilosus and have been working on that lately.

Always learning and trying to be a more effective long range hunter I guess that's why I mentioned that here.

I think this single post conveys a wealth of knowledge and information from a guy who clearly knows his stuff, and as a result knows how much there is to learn.

Too many of us get to a point of thinking we know most of what there is to know.

Hats off to Mr mxg for a <2" CBC group and also asking for advice regarding stuff he recognizes as not his area of expertise (however competent he may be). I know I'd be inclined to think I'm hot shit with not much left to learn if I was at his level of long range precision shooting.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I think this single post conveys a wealth of knowledge and information from a guy who clearly knows his stuff, and as a result knows how much there is to learn.

Too many of us get to a point of thinking we know most of what there is to know.

Hats off to Mr mxg for a <2" CBC group and also asking for advice regarding stuff he recognizes as not his area of expertise (however competent he may be). I know I'd be inclined to think I'm hot shit with not much left to learn if I was at his level of long range precision shooting.

Believe me I’ve been there with thinking I know it all haha. I do have some strong opinions on things that a lot would disagree with.

I think there’s a lot for anybody to learn if they are willing to open their eyes and mind a bit.