Zero Shift? Tikka/SWFA/UM Rings

[Formidilosus]

Shot another 10 rounds of each today. This time I shot 5 round groups 2x. I shot the hunter drill w/ the .223 in between each 5 round group to keep things cooler. By shot 5 of each though there was some level of mirage so for the next one I'll do 4/4/3.

I'm testing 2 things here.
1 - POI difference between my handloads (on right and factory ammo on left).
2 - POI difference between a solid rest at the range and shooting off my pack.

The 10/16 targets are in the previous post and were shot off an ammo box with a pint size game changer taped to it. The top 10/26 targets were shot the same way and the bottom one was shot off my pack with a molinator tied to it and my bino harness as a rear bag.

I'm down to 10 rounds of my handloads left and have a local hunt in a few weeks so I'm going to get through that then I'll shoot one more group with whatever's left to finish out Test 1.

Test 2 really just started today with my first group off the pack. So far it doesn't seem like there's a difference, but I'll get to 30 rounds of each and then compare (and adjust zero for the new ammo).

I'm uncertain if I'm going to adjust zero .2 mil left with my handloads until I finish 30 rounds of the factory ammo and compare the impact from pack vs solid rest.
View attachment 782237

This is how knowledge and truth is found.


And, I wouldn’t touch the zero until you finish the test. See where all 30 go, then you’ll have a very high confidence factor.

 

[TX_Diver]

This is how knowledge and truth is found.


And, I wouldn’t touch the zero until you finish the test. See where all 30 go, then you’ll have a very high confidence factor.

Here's how we ended up.

"Range" is a Pint Size Gamechanger taped to a full ammo can with an "answer" rear bag (from Taylor on snipershide)
"Field" is a molinator tied to my kifaru pack and using my bino harness for some level of rear support

First picture - 2 days worth of shooting
Top Left - Factory - Range 10 rds
Top Right - Handload - Range 10 rds
Middle Left - Factory - Range 10 rds
Middle Right - Handload - Range 10 rds
Bottom Left - Factory - Field - 10 Rounds

Before this next pic I went on another hunt (~500 miles on the road, and ~50 in a sxs on some of the worst roads I've been on). Gun was set with the butt on the floor and the stock sort of in a rest on the seat. Many times it fell out.

Second Picture - 1 Day of shooting
Top Left - Factory Range - 8 rds
Top Right - Handload - Range - 8 rds
Bottom Left - Factory - Field - 9 rounds
Bottom Right - Factory - Field - 9 rounds
I brought everything to a 28 round group as I only had 8 rounds left of the handloads.

Conclusion
My handload zero was probably .1 Mil right of where it should have been
My handloads hit .1 Mil higher than factory loads
I am going to adjust up .1 and left .1 and keep shooting factory ammo for now
All 84 rounds fall into about 1.8 MOA.

Circling back - No adjustments were made after shooting this from earlier in the thread. It does appear that I may have shifted a hair right from the group below, but everything would also fall in the cone of the group below so I'm hesitant to draw conclusions like that. If I overlay this with the above then I'm still at 112 shots into 2" - half from a field position and half from a more steady rest. I am betting the gun isn't the reason I miss anything.

Anyone draw different conclusions? @Formidilosus

 

[Formidilosus]

Here's how we ended up.

"Range" is a Pint Size Gamechanger taped to a full ammo can
"Field" is a molinator tied to my kifaru pack and using my bino harness for some level of rear support

First picture - 2 days worth of shooting
Top Left - Factory - Range 10 rds
Top Right - Handload - Range 10 rds
Middle Left - Factory - Range 10 rds
Middle Right - Handload - Range 10 rds
Bottom Left - Factory - Field - 10 Rounds

Before this next pic I went on another hunt (~500 miles on the road, and ~50 in a sxs on some of the worst roads I've been on). Gun was set with the butt on the floor and the stock sort of in a rest on the seat. Many times it fell out.

Second Picture - 1 Day of shooting
Top Left - Factory Range - 8 rds
Top Right - Handload - Range - 8 rds
Bottom Left - Factory - Field - 9 rounds
Bottom Right - Factory - Field - 9 rounds
I brought everything to a 28 round group as I only had 8 rounds left of the handloads.

Conclusion
My handload zero was probably .1 Mil right of where it should have been
My handloads hit .1 Mil higher than factory loads
I am going to adjust up .1 and left .1 and keep shooting factory ammo for now
All 84 rounds fall into about 1.8 MOA.

Circling back - No adjustments were made after shooting this from earlier in the thread. It does appear that I may have shifted a hair right from the group below, but everything would also fall in the cone of the group below so I'm hesitant to draw conclusions like that. If I overlay this with the above then I'm still at 112 shots into 2" - half from a field position and half from a more steady rest. I am betting the gun isn't the reason I miss anything.

Anyone draw different conclusions? @Formidilosus

No. More than 100 shots into 2 MOA is about as good as you’ll find.

 

[Reburn]

Here's how we ended up.

"Range" is a Pint Size Gamechanger taped to a full ammo can
"Field" is a molinator tied to my kifaru pack and using my bino harness for some level of rear support

First picture - 2 days worth of shooting
Top Left - Factory - Range 10 rds
Top Right - Handload - Range 10 rds
Middle Left - Factory - Range 10 rds
Middle Right - Handload - Range 10 rds
Bottom Left - Factory - Field - 10 Rounds

Before this next pic I went on another hunt (~500 miles on the road, and ~50 in a sxs on some of the worst roads I've been on). Gun was set with the butt on the floor and the stock sort of in a rest on the seat. Many times it fell out.

Second Picture - 1 Day of shooting
Top Left - Factory Range - 8 rds
Top Right - Handload - Range - 8 rds
Bottom Left - Factory - Field - 9 rounds
Bottom Right - Factory - Field - 9 rounds
I brought everything to a 28 round group as I only had 8 rounds left of the handloads.

Conclusion
My handload zero was probably .1 Mil right of where it should have been
My handloads hit .1 Mil higher than factory loads
I am going to adjust up .1 and left .1 and keep shooting factory ammo for now
All 84 rounds fall into about 1.8 MOA.

Circling back - No adjustments were made after shooting this from earlier in the thread. It does appear that I may have shifted a hair right from the group below, but everything would also fall in the cone of the group below so I'm hesitant to draw conclusions like that. If I overlay this with the above then I'm still at 112 shots into 2" - half from a field position and half from a more steady rest. I am betting the gun isn't the reason I miss anything.

Anyone draw different conclusions? @Formidilosus

Thank you for documenting this.

 

[TX_Diver]

No. More than 100 shots into 2 MOA is about as good as you’ll find.

What would you be looking for as I keep shooting and practicing? Any shot outside of 2MOA? A few shots falling outside 2MOA?

Also, would the slight difference between field and range positions POI be of concern or close enough that it's not an issue?

Swapping rings on my .223 then will get a 30 round zero on that rifle and start working on shooting while timed.

Thanks!

 

[Formidilosus]

What would you be looking for as I keep shooting and practicing? Any shot outside of 2MOA? A few shots falling outside 2MOA?

I would use a 1.5 MOA dot and work to hit that every time.

Also, would the slight difference between field and range positions POI be of concern or close enough that it's not an issue?

This is what I would work on- the zero is the same for both, so there is something that you renting into one versus the other.