338 EDGE at 800 yards

remingtonman_25_06

Handloader
Nov 17, 2005
2,794
372
Today was a very nice day so I decided to take the 338 EDGE out and do a bit of shooting at 800 yards. I also took my little brother and let him shoot a few at 800 yards. Hes only shot a rifle a couple times, and nothing over about 200 yards, so I thought he would get a kick out of doing some LR shooting with me.

Some history behind the rifle. Its a Rem 700 LSS in 338 EDGE set up to shoot the 300g SMK at 2850fps with 92g H-1000. It has a 28" HART stainless, 1-10", sendero contour, fluted, with a DE muzzle brake. The factory trigger is set at 1.5# and breaks like glass. Scope is a Leupold VX3 LR 6.5-20x50, SF, set in Leupold PRW base/rings. It also has a bubble level and a cosine angle indicator. Harris bipod in the prone position was used for all shooting. The rifle was built and action trued up by Shawn Carlock of Defensive Edge Gunsmithing. He does a nice job and really knows how to build a LR shooter.

Anyway, I layed the big 338 out on my shooting mat in the back of my truck and flipped the legs down on the harris bi pod. I also used a rear bag. Target was a piece of steel about 10"x30" and I painted the bottom section white. I looked at the chart and it said to go UP 20 MOA so I cranked the leupold up 20 MOA. Wind was maybe a few miles an hour, switching, but I figured I would give it a shot before I touched any windage. This thing bucks the wind a lot better then my 25-06 and 7 RM. So I get all snuggled in and touch the 1st off. Second later I hear the resounding "dong". I could see through the scope it looked like a center hit, so I decided to shoot 2 more and see what it looked like. After the 2nd shot I could see it was right in there with the first. So I load the 3rd and final shell and shoot and get a nice 5" cluster, about 3-4" from dead center of where I was aiming. I was pretty happy with that. Just barely over 1/2 MOA off a bipod at 800 yards.

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My brother doesn't do a lot of hunting/shooting. As a matter or fact, I'm just trying to get him started. I thought I'd let him have a crack at 800 yards and see what he thought. He was pretty intimidated at the range at first. Seems like it took me forever to point him in the right direction, hes one of those that has a hard time looking at something through a scope and picking it up. He is also left handed for some very odd reason when shooting rifles. I told him to just put the crosshairs dead on the plate, and squeeze the trigger when you were ready and the rifle would do the rest. Well my coaching skills were about to be put to the test.

His 1st shot was a solid hit. You woulda paid $100 to see the grin on his face when he came back from the recoil and heard the solid whack on the gong. I told him to go ahead and shoot again. His 2nd shot he barely missed over the top. I told him not to worry about that and shoot again. He got nice and settled in, took a deep breath, aimed and squeezed the trigger. A second later, you could hear the solid thunk of bullet hitting steel. 2 for 3 at 800 yards for his 1st time ever shooting 800 yards aint to shabby. His fingers are pointing to his 2 hits on the gong, they are about 8" apart, his 2nd shot wen right over the top.

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He was pretty stoked and I was excited for him. I told him with a bit more practice, he could start giving me a run for my money, LOL.
 
Remmy,

Congratulations to the both of you. You have one very nice shooting rifle.
Your brother shooting MOA first time at 800 yds is awesome! I hope he gets involved with more shooting. :lol:

JD338
 
Very nice rifle, impressive group at that distance and good shooting for sure on your part as well as your brother and his first time. You just might have given him the bug bit that there is no cure for - gun addiction!!!!!
 
Looks like fun for both you and your brother. Long range shooting can be addictive, no doubt.
 
Nice group at 8.... I bet your brother is hooked now. Watch him start shopping for a rifle of his own......
 
Thanks guys!!

Yah my brother is hooked now. He wants to get into hunting and shooting so I need to think of a rifle/caliber that would fit him and his needs. I'm thinking .270 winchester as I am not a big 30-06 fan. Plus, most his hunting will be coyotes and deer, with the occasional elk thrown in.

I am going to Burns this weekend with my dad and maybe a friend to do some coyote hunting/calling. I was thinking of bringing the EDGE just in case they dont feel like coming in. I"d say there in big trouble out to 800 yards!!!
 
Have fun in Burns. My favorite restaurant/bar I think closed down last year... the big log cabin looking place on the West edge of town. Shoud be a few song dogs out that way.
 
That i what I picked for my boy. A savage 111f 270 Winchester.
 
We look forward to some pictures of some song dogs, hopefully with .338 cal holes in them :grin:

The .270 Win is a great starter rifle. +1
 
Look at the 270WSM. It has a little more juice than the regular 270 when loaded properly and would make a decent medium range rifle with a little work and a decent scope. Plus, you can get the heavier bullets moving out pretty good and that would suffice for longer range elk/deer shooting. I know you had a bad experience with one 270WSM, but MAGPRO and a the 270WSM were made to be together. Scotty
 
Remmy,

Do you still have that 7mm WSM? That would be a good one for your brother.

JD338
 
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