I'm a bad influence...

Ridgerunner665

Handloader
Oct 28, 2008
2,516
298
The video I did last week shooting the milk jug at 600 yards...that inspired my buddy to finally take a step in this direction.

He called today and told me to order him a scope like mine, except in 50mm if they had one, from whoever had them for the best price...I knew that without even looking...I got him one on the way, a demo unit from CameraLandNY, for $899.99...everywhere wants around $1,250 for them new.

The scope is a Zeiss HD5 3-15x50mm with a plex reticle and lockable turrets, his rifle is an older, extremely accurate, Browning Abolt chambered in 270 Win...that thing just plain shoots, I know...I do all his load development.

I'm gonna have to rework his load with a new bullet...he wants at least 700 yard capability, only one bullet that will do that...Nosler's AccuBond LR...he is currently shooting 140 Accubonds, but they are at their limit at 600 yards.

He's known for nearly 10 years that I did this type of shooting, but last week was the first time he actually witnessed it first hand...he's hooked....he's bought the scope, Talley mounts, and the Applied Ballistics app.

I only videoed that first shot that day...but I made the same shot a few more times...never missed, and if it had been at a paper target the group wouldn't have been more than 3"...centered the jugs every time.

2 of the things I am most happy (blessed) to have...good friends and a good place to shoot!!!

 
That is great. Always pleased to see others introduced to the finer points of shooting.
 
Way to go Lynn. You have a nice set up there.

JD338
 
He told me yesterday that when he saw it done with his own eyes, in real life, not on TV.... That made him realize that it can be done, and its not really all that complicated.

Too many people think you need a 16 pound, 5 foot long, $7,000 rifle to do this.... Well, you don't... Not for 800 yard hunting... Any accurate rifle properly setup with a good scope can do this.

I can and have done this with my sons Ruger American...$800, rifle scope and all.

My point.... You don't have to spend thousands of dollars on rifles and scopes to do this.... BUT... You do have to spend that much, and then some, on ammo and practice.

This happened a while back and has been on my mind a lot since...

I was at the gun range a few weeks back, letting my son shoot his Ruger American 7mm-08... There was a guy there that had the look.... tacticool... The sunglasses, the pants, the shirt.... All of it.... Even the rifle, a full custom from G.A. Precision, USO scope on there.

I'm not making fun of him, he is a LEO, and I admire his dedication (he bought that rifle)... The problem is he thought that big expensive rifle would magically send bullets to the target no matter what he did.

He appeared to have read all the books, he knew what to do.... But he didn't know when or how to actually do it.

He was staring through his scope watching the wind, dialing, and everything.... For a 335 yard shot... And missing, every time.

My son was banging away at the 150 yard steel... Then turned and asked if he could shoot the top one (335 yard target)...

I knew that very instant what was about to happen but I had no idea how to avoid it... The guy with the GAP was about to get his ass handed to him by a 9 year old kid with a Ruger American, who had no intention at all of humiliating him, he just wanted to shoot the farthest target.... And that's exactly what happened.

Daniel loaded 3 rounds and in as many seconds he hit that 335 yard steel 3 times.

The guy, visibly disgusted, started packing his stuff to leave...I tried to start a conversation with him, he wanted no part of it.

Days like that are when I wish my social skills were much better than they are... I'm sorta in the same boat as that guy.... I know what to do, just not how to do it.

It he had given me just 10 minutes of his time...
 
It is hard for many people to accept direction from others--especially when they are not recognised as "experts." An expert is simply someone who knows what to do and does it, however. Theory is wonderful. Expertise is something else.
 
Lynn it is always fulfilling when you are helping someone & they appreciate it (y).

PS. It sure looks like you have a great place to reach out to practise!!
Thank you for the post & photos!!

Blessings,
Dan
 
From the hunting blind you see down next to the jug I shot, I can shoot just over a mile (1,770 yards), shooting back towards where we are in the pic...

I don't currently have a rifle that'll shoot hardly that far... My 280 Ackley runs out of gas (goes transonic) at 1,500 yards.
 
hey it happens, I went over and helped a guy with the basics of long range shooting, Him and his son took it from there, 9 months later his 10 year old handed me my ass on a plate when I was invited to come shoot with them, and I been doin this since 1982. the kid was making first round hits on a 10x10 rock at 1010 yards, with a 243.
I told the guy, keep that boy shooting and he'll be somebody one day.
RR
 
Ridge_Runner":ezm5hlzi said:
hey it happens, I went over and helped a guy with the basics of long range shooting, Him and his son took it from there, 9 months later his 10 year old handed me my ass on a plate when I was invited to come shoot with them, and I been doin this since 1982. the kid was making first round hits on a 10x10 rock at 1010 yards, with a 243.
I told the guy, keep that boy shooting and he'll be somebody one day.
RR

That's great the little 243 is pretty danged awesome with good Bullets. Hope things are going well buddy.
 
SJB358":2aigx3zx said:
Ridge_Runner":2aigx3zx said:
hey it happens, I went over and helped a guy with the basics of long range shooting, Him and his son took it from there, 9 months later his 10 year old handed me my ass on a plate when I was invited to come shoot with them, and I been doin this since 1982. the kid was making first round hits on a 10x10 rock at 1010 yards, with a 243.
I told the guy, keep that boy shooting and he'll be somebody one day.
RR

That's great the little 243 is pretty danged awesome with good Bullets. Hope things are going well buddy.


I can attest to the .243 being danged awesome!
Most of my best shooting I did with my .243.
I whopped some long distance prairie dogs at 400-500 yds. Made them fly 12ft up in the air, and threw them back 25 ft.
I shot one of the biggest coyotes I've ever seen at 400 yds with my .243! It was the size of a medium German Shepherd.

HawkeyeSATX a.k.a. Bryce
 
Good on ya' Ridgerunner!

I too, am an enabler. I took my counterpart in NM out to Whittington on their steel course. He's all into handguns and AR's and hadn't ever really handled a bolt rifle. He watched as I banged the 500 meter ram a few times with my 25-06 and then I let him try it.
The look of pure joy on his face when he hit that ram set him off.
I then walked rounds (took me 3 shots) to hit the white buffalo at 1123 yards with the 25-06. I did it again with my 243.
Then I set up the hold over for him and let him try the 25-06. He looked through the scope and turned back to me and said "I'm aiming at the top of the mountain!". I assured him that was where he needed to hold. He proceeded to whack the buffalo on his 4th shot.
He's hooked. He's been back at least 5 times whacking away at the 500 meter ram with his new (to him) Tikka 308.

It's fun being an enabler :twisted: (y) :grin: :mrgreen:
 
Ridgerunner665":1os0fene said:
I'm gonna have to rework his load with a new bullet...he wants at least 700 yard capability, only one bullet that will do that...Nosler's AccuBond LR...he is currently shooting 140 Accubonds, but they are at their limit at 600 yards.

Are you thinking this due to the decrease in velocity when compared to preferred velocity for proper bullet function? That's my assUmption based on the published 1800 vs 1300 numbers, but just checking.
 
Dr. Vette":14wu0mzs said:
Ridgerunner665":14wu0mzs said:
I'm gonna have to rework his load with a new bullet...he wants at least 700 yard capability, only one bullet that will do that...Nosler's AccuBond LR...he is currently shooting 140 Accubonds, but they are at their limit at 600 yards.

Are you thinking this due to the decrease in velocity when compared to preferred velocity for proper bullet function? That's my assUmption based on the published 1800 vs 1300 numbers, but just checking.
Yes...

The 140 BT drops below 1,800 fps at around 625 yards, and by 700 is well below 1,700 fps.
 
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