731 yds & 734 yds shooting

[griffshrek]

Hello all

 

Due to loads happening in my life with work, family and all that come with this I haven't been out anywhere near as much I wanted practicing longer range varminting and shooting.

 

Some months back a friend of mine made me some 6" 7" & 8" "Hardox" steel plates . The 6" plates have had a bashing as ive been practicing on these with the .204 & .308 with ranges from 150yds--300yds practicing shooting from sticks, prone etc , its amazing how much damage a .308 will do to a 15mm piece of steel at 250yds and the .204 does make a good little crater.

 

Just before Christmas I had a new Android type phone and downloaded free the "shooter " ballistics calculator ,anyway I've been itching to get out and do some longer range shooting and check out the "shooter " ballistics calculator.

 

Last week kids in school nice cold dry day and I've found a new location where I can practice out to 900yds , decided 900yds was too much so settled on a nice sheltered location that gave me 731yds & 734yds to target

 

The targets being an 8" & 7" steel plate, The "shooter " ballistics calculator had an easy or advanced setting when programed ,part of this was the % your given load would loose fps with every 0c of temp change (i got this from tinternet searching my specific powders)

 

Got all settled down targets all ranged there was a consistent 2 mph 3 o'clock r-l wind and the temp was -1 c it was a real nice day. I took two rifles out the Rem model 7 .204 with a 10x40 Bushnell tactical on top shooting a 32gr SBK & Sako 85 SS Varmint in .243 the PMII 5-25x56 shooting 85gr hpbt .

 

Started with the .243 and adjusted for wind and drop held nice and steady with bi-pod and bag then fired , I saw nothing fired again & again still didn't see any impact or splash from the bullet , i rechecked the range the wind my calculations and what ive dialed all was the same .

 

I had a cuppa and racked my brains what could it be, then remembered about the temp alteration on the ballistics calculator as all my loads were developed in the Summer / Autumn with temperature in the

20 C range . I had a little fiddle with the phone and put in the new Temp.

 

Re-dialed the new MOA given with the temp and fired saw the impact just to the left & low of the 8" plate altered 3 clicks right and 3 up again fired the time of flight seems ages at this range then to my astonishment saw the hit on the plate low left i was chuffed to bits , didn't alter scope just fire again plate hit high right 3rd shot missed plate buy 1" over the next 22 shots i managed 2/3rds hits with the .243 the misses were close .

 

I managed a few hits with the .204 and very pleased with this as shooting a x10 scope and the plates did look very small through this.

 

I went to the same location 3 days later same temp but the wind was now blowing 2.5--8mph changing constantly my god did it make a difference I only got 1 out of 4 hits this time the wind played havoc, I know its not Bisley or competition shooting but I was very pleased with the rifle performance as well as my phones ballistics calculator. I cant wait to bag a rabbit in the 700yds range .

 

hope you enjoyed the little read....Neil

[247sniper]

Good stuff fella, well done .

 

Can you fill us in more on the elevation requirement and corrections for both rifles at these ranges.

 

What was your loads too ?

 

 

Steve.

[eldon]

 

 

,part of this was the % your given load would loose fps with every 0c of temp change (i got this from tinternet searching my specific powders)

 

 

Hi can you post the link to the temp change variation please especially if it has Vitavourhi (spelling?) on the list?

[SteveW]

Thanks for sharing Neil, great read. Good luck stretching your ballistic legs.

 

Steve

[CZ Varminter]

Hi Neil,

 

Good read have to say i use the Shooter app and so long as you put in all correct data it works a treat i have shot many corvid out to 600yrds with mine and elevation is always perfect its just my poor wind calls! time to invest in a little thing called a kestrel with BT so i can use it side by side with my Shooter app. Have found it very useful tho learning different wiond speeds and approximations down range tho without and using field skills blades of grass branches moving snow on 45deg angles etc...makes it more fun but annoying when you miss!

 

Happy hunting and enjoy the challenge.

 

P.s. I shoot 22-250 with 55gr Blitzkings and they are a nightmare for wind movement. all fun tho.

[griffshrek]

Cheeres for the replies gents ,i'll try and answer the questions in order

247 sniper elevation for the rifles and load data as follows

a/ .243 with 85gr hpbt 47.6gr RL19 rem brass & 9 1/2 primer elevation for 730yds = 22.6moa @ 25degC/77degF correction to 24.3moa @ -2degC/28degF

b/ .204 with 32gr sbk 26.3gr X10 rem brass & BR4 primer elevation for 730yds = 20.0moa @ 25degC/77degF correction to 21.3 moa @-2degC/28degF

 

Eldon

no direct link to fps change per deg C/F of temp change i just searched my powders (it took some looking )

 

CZ Varminter

i will also be looking for a kestrel with BT ,as jumping up and down with the wind meter is loosing its appeal and i know i must learn to read the wind better by eye not just by the meter at my end.

 

my goal is a 1000yrd 8" plate hit with 1 in 5 shots and dare i say it a rabbit at same range

 

 

regards....Neil

[Guest richness]

Great stuff mate sounds like a lot of good progress in one day Will your 243 spin the 105amax? They'll thrash the 85gr bullets at longer range...

ATB Richard

[Guest richness]

 

 

......and dare i say it a rabbit at same range

 

 

regards....Neil

 

My friend, that takes some doing.... I spent all of 2011 trying to beat my 962y and it is difficult:

Just having the visibility to spot the rabbit

Likewise spotting the shots

On a day with steady winds...

Plus of course the fact that you need to put in a quarter moa shot

 

Interestingly, I do think this is the time of year to do it. The visibility on snow is top notch, you get a good splash and those cold bright frosty mornings tend to be fairly windless....

Let's do it!