What did you do at the range today?

[Q_Sertorius]

I searched, but did not find an existing thread on this topic (maybe I didn't search hard enough?). Anyway, here's my attempt to share some of what I did at the range and some of the data I recorded. Feel free to add your pictures and reports, if you like.

I finally got admitted to the local range - Rivanna Rifle and Pistol Club - so I no longer need to drive four hours to the farm whenever I want to shoot. To celebrate the occasion, I got out three rifles that needed to be sighted in. It was a glorious morning and some of the most fun I have had in a while. Never mind the dudes shooting something large with a brake... at least they had the decency to set up at the other end of the range from me and only fire about 10 rounds total before declaring that "it was all sighted in and ready for the season."

I'm going to put a separate post for each rifle.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

My new semi-custom Tikka T3X 6.5 CM w/ 20" barrel, wooden RokStok, SWFA 6x, AB Raptor 8 w/ 3" reflex. 10.0 pounds. 45.75" long.

This rifle also experienced an unexpected drop test. The magnum rifle shooters interrupted my string to ask me to please go cold. Flustered, but not wanting to offend anyone since I literally joined yesterday, I left it on the bag. And it promptly fell three feet onto concrete. Zero did not shift (but the brand new AB suppressor took the brunt of the fall).

Shooting AAC 140-grain FMJs (cheapest ammo I could find at the time). On the box velocity of 2700 FPS. Fired 54 rounds, got an average FPS of 2508 with Std Dev of 31.

I had a bit of mirage, despite the suppressor cover, by the time I got to this group. That, and I suck.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

My old reliable Mauser 98 .270 Win with 21" barrel, old B&L 3-9x40 scope, US/UM OG. This rifle just got cut, threaded, and a different scope. Weighs 10.1 pounds. 46.5" long.

I was shooting Hornady Whitetail 130-grain. On the box velocity of 3060 FPS. Fired 30 rounds, got an average FPS of 2,875 with Std Dev of 19.5.

I am not sure why this group seems to have migrated a bit higher and to the right.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

My lovely little CZ 527 6.5 Grendel, which just got a new scope. She has an 18" Pac-Nor barrel, Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x40, Scythe Ti. 8.0 pounds. 42.5" long.

I tried out three different loads in her:

AAC 123-grain FMJ on the box velocity of 2525. Today's average for 20 rounds was 2405.1with Std Dev of 13.95.

At the very end of my range day, I decided to shoot two more five round groups at the top left and right of this target with the AAC 123-grain FMJs (I had just fired the .270 and wanted to end on a gentle note).

Hornady Custom 123-grain SST on the box velocity of 2580. Today's average for 20 rounds was 2496.2 FPS with Std Dev of 11.2.

Hornady Black 123-grain ELDM on the box velocity of 2580. Today's average for 11 rounds was 2507 with Std Dev of 9.1. I deeply regret taking shot #11. It was the last one left in the box and I pulled it.

 

[Fitz]

What was your impression of the raptor vs your other suppressors?

 

[Q_Sertorius]

What was your impression of the raptor vs your other suppressors?

Quieter and heavier. But very pleasant. I think the 6+3 configuration is an excellent combination. The OG is a far better hunting can, but it’s hard to beat the Raptor for a day at the range.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[flyfisher117]

Took the 6.5 Grendel to the range for the first time I. A long time.

I forgot how fun it is to shoot, low recoil and it really hits the steel harder than the .223.

Though I am debating getting out of the Grendel game. For the price of projectiles I’m better off practicing more with the Creedmoor. Maybe it’s a sign to build a 6 Arc bolt gun.

 

[waspocrew]

Still breaking in my Sig Cross Sawtooth 6.5 Creedmoor. It's shooting very well with Gunwerks loaded ammo (127 LRX and 147 ELDM). I doubt I'll even load for it at all this season.





147 ELDM



127 LRX. 4 Consecutive 5 round groups.



Tried out the 215 hybrid in my 300 PRC with N570 and H1000. H1000 was the clear winner, so I'll load up my remaining 60 cases and take it out on the steel at distance soon.

 

[UncleBone]

Took the cva accura 50 out today and shot 7 loads. Bh 209 110g by volume with 320g fury universals. Only 1 shot wasnt on paper at 100 yds and that was the first one. Would have liked to shoot more but that thing does a number on your shoulder after a few loads. Was mostly just going back out to make sure it was my new glasses causing me trouble with being on target a few weeks ago. Looks like they got the lenses slightly off my prescription on the new pair, and the old ones are perfect still.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I took the FN Mauser .270 to the range today to confirm its ability with 130-grain Hornady Whitetail. Today I got 2887.4 FPS with a STD DEV of 15.1.

It shot about like I expected.

This is the first group.

This is the second group after making a one-click correction. I mismarked one of them in Ballistic-X, but it shouldn't change the group.

____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I also took my Tikka T3X in 6.5 CM with 20", with five different Hornady factory loads.

I broke my leg about ten days ago, so I was very far from shooting my best as the Ibuprofen and ice wore off, but I am pretty happy with the 140 ELDM overall.

120 ELDM - I made the mistake of firing five of these at the top left corner and they ended up just off the paper. On box FPS is 2910. My average FPS 2709, STD DEV 16.9.

129 Interlock - on box FPS is 2820. I got 2,558.9 2559.8 with STD DEV 17.2.

140 ELDM - on box FPS of 2710. I got 2544 with a STD DEV of 11.

143 ELDX - on box FPS of 2700. I got 2515.3 FPS with STD DEV of 19.2.

147 ELDM - on box FPS of 2695. I got 2537.3 with STD DEV of 13.4.

 

[SloppyJ]

@waspocrew we have matching 300prcs.

 

[waspocrew]

@waspocrew we have matching 300prcs.

Very nice!

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I went to the range again yesterday evening and it was a rather humbling experience until I switched over to sighting in my CZ 457 Royal on which I recently mounted a SWFA UL scope. The scope adjusted properly and exactly and the rifle shoots like a dream. Even so, I could tell I was pulling the occasional shot.

I brought the cheap AAC ammo with me for the CZ 527 and the Tikka T3X. I shot a 10-shot group with each to temper my expectations. The “Xs” mark the first five of each group. Even with the ammo, I was far from shooting my best with these rifles.

The preliminaries being accomplished, I chose not to adjust the windage since each rifle is dead on with my hunting ammo. That’s a deplorable habit I need to break, but it comes from a lifetime of using “set it and forget it scopes.”

Then I settled in to do the 100-yard Carl Ross drill for each rifle. I quickly discovered that shooting off the bench with a broken drumstick is a lot harder than it sounds. I also found that I only brought one magazine for the CZ 527, which got in my head and made the time limitation an impossibility, but I just rushed things as fast as I could. I also found that I couldn’t get into a proper prone position due to my leg and I didn’t have a pack or bipod. With all those excuses, I feel like I established a rock bottom level which I can surely exceed once I regain my mobility.

The heavier Tikka with Rokstok is also far more stable than the lighter CZ. If there is a better advertisement for the Rokstok, I would like to see it.

It’s obvious that the slightly off to the right bench groups magnify my errors and result in misses, but even so this was a hard and humbling drill.

I finished up the day with two more poor showings on the bench, before switching to the rimfire and restoring my faith in myself and CZ. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures of the pretty little groups with the 457.

As I wrote this post, Lucy, my intrepid Bavarian Mountain Hound puppy, decided that she wanted to say “hello.”

____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Q_Sertorius]

The range was deserted for most of the evening yesterday, but towards the end a very nice couple showed up. As I was leaving, I overheard some gentle swearing in a British accent and decided to investigate. After introducing himself, it turned out that Paul was shooting a T1X in 17 HMR and his wife, Yvonne, was spotting for him. He was unhappy because his 5-shot groups weren’t all touching. They averaged under an inch, but he kept getting one or two fliers that “really opened up the groups.” Here’s the worst example:

He seemed to think that he should be doing better using a stock T1X with a cheap bipod and an overstuffed rear bag. I don’t know how realistic that is, because I was pretty impressed with his shooting.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”