Joined a new club and range tests

[TackDriver284]

I joined a gun club an hour away on Sunday, attended a meeting there and signed up for a yearly membership and they have 600 yard matches on Sundays once a month. There were nice folks there and we had a fun .22 match but I did not have a .22, but the director had offered to let me use his CZ 547 and we were shooting steel gongs at 50 yards from big gongs to small ones, and the last two gongs was a tiny .25 inch plate and a half inch and the 100 yard line had big plates to the small ones as well, the smallest one was an inch. I hit every single plate at the 50 yard line except the last 2 small ones, and there was some high SE headwind, but that is no excuse for missing it. At 100 yards, I hit every one of those plates, it was fun! That CZ 547 is scary accurate that I wanted to buy one. The other guys are great shooters as well. We had pizza and Cokes and after it was all over, I joined a friend to help him do a ladder for his custom built .223
Yesterday I headed back to the range to get accustomed to the new range, and wanted to test the 6 BR using 105 Hybrids for the next week match. Test went well, with some promising results, but to be declared once I redo the test again in .2 increments. There was a node at 2800 fps that I liked. After I was done, I did a quick test on the 6.5 Creed, 6.5 x 284 and the .308 before heading home. The firing line is facing southeast where the wind mostly blows from. The wind was 20-25 plus from the SE yesterday that it knocked my chronograph down twice while testing the BR.

.308 and 165 Ballistic Tips - 3 shots

6.5 x 284 / 147 ELD-M 5 shots

6.5 Creed / 147 ELD-M 5 shots, I was overconfident that I pulled on the 4th shot.
This Sunday's 600 yard match, the forecast says high SE headwinds of 20-25 plus, I wonder if I should use the 6.5 Creed with 147 ELD-M or the 6 BR with the 105 Hybrids. I think the 147's will be more tougher in the headwind at 600 yards than the 105 Hybrids. I'm not a fan of shooting on windy days, but I want to learn to read the wind.
I'm also working up loads for the .308 and 168 SMK to test, I have been using hunting bullets in it for a while now for the last 4 years. I lost the notes that I used for the 168 SMK, oh well.

 

[DrMike]

It does appear as though you're getting your rifle doped despite the wind. Those are some enviable groups.

 

[RL338]

Nice job , they’re going to think the new guy’s a ringer

 

[JD338]

Nice shooting Mark. 600 yards is a long line.

JD338

 

[300WSM]

Love...absolutely love shooting 600
I try to challenge myself against the bolt guys with million dollar set ups...
Some matches I use AR10's and AR15's...

Did I mention I love shooting 600

I've found it more enjoyable than shooting 1000....
Or at least more relaxed.

1000 yard matches everyone is all tense and uptight.

Out of curiosity what ammo were you using in your .22 shoot?

 

[Slimfinn]

Sunday's 600 yard match, the forecast says high SE headwinds of 20-25 plus, I wonder if I should use the 6.5 Creed with 147 ELD-M or the 6 BR with the 105 Hybrids. I think the 147's will be more tougher in the headwind at 600 yards than the 105 Hybrids

Any reason to take the 65creed over the 65-284? What is your velocity difference, just curious. The 65 284 has peaked my interest lately

 

[Joec7651]

That’s awesome. You and the guys had a great time. A group or club with good people and friends is worth more than gold these days. The competitions are a cherry on top of the desert. Great find, I hope it gives you many great days afield.

 

[TackDriver284]

Out of curiosity what ammo were you using in your .22 shoot?

Wasn't sure, I think its Lapua, many of those guys did not use cheap ammo.

 

[TackDriver284]

Any reason to take the 65creed over the 65-284? What is your velocity difference, just curious. The 65 284 has peaked my interest lately

Both the Creed and the 6.5x284 shoot so well, the 6.5x284 is a barrel burner, its reason I chose to try the Creed this come Sunday. I'm shooting 2720 fps average with the Creed using 147's with H4350 and with the 6.5x284 with the same 147's is moving at 2825fps average with H4831SC. Both rifles have not been pushed to their limits. H4831SC is a slow powder, and I could increase the speed to 2900 fps roughly with faster powders. I prefer to stick to temp stable powders nowadays. I have 210 rounds down the tube in the 6.5x284 and will switch to 140 Ballistic Tips / or the 143 ELD-X soon to use it as a hunting rifle. I have 10 boxes of the 140 BT's stashed.
Below are some pictures from a few weeks ago when I tried 1100 yards for the first time using the 6.5 Creed with the 147's. Thought it should be perfect for the Sunday 600 yard match, but 25 mph headwinds has been bugging me.

 

[sako2]

Great shooting. Sounds like a lot of fun. Good luck on Sunday.

 

[DrMike]

That is some fine riflery. Nothing to cause a rifleman to be ashamed of, that's for sure.

 

[TackDriver284]

That 147 ELD M is a long bullet, seats past the shoulders.

 

[xphunter]

In your drops, what wind difference do the 6BR and the Creed have at 600 yards with a 10 mph FV wind?

 

[TackDriver284]

In your drops, what wind difference do the 6BR and the Creed have at 600 yards with a 10 mph FV wind?

With 10 mph wind, the elevation in MOA @ 600 :
0 mph ---- 10 mph ---- 25 mph ---------6 BR / 105 Hybrid Berger - .536 BC
12.5 -----------12.7 ---------13.1------MOA

0 mph -----10 mph ------25 mph----------6.5 Creedmoor / 147 ELD-M - .697 BC
12.6 -----------12.8 -----------13.2 -----MOA

Seems to be very close. The heavier, the better?
( Had to put hash lines in between, for some reason it won't let me space it apart )

 

[xphunter]

Basically no difference.
Shoot the one that stays in tune the easiest.
Probably give the lean to Berger, since they tend to have more consistent bullets.

 

[ShadeTree]

Great shooting. You got anything you want to take tuned up. You better bring some snacks and drinks to hand out in good favor, otherwise everybody's gonna be p.o'd at the new guy first week out.

 

[Blkram]

Very nice! Sounds like fun! (Have been busy or weather hasn't cooperated so that I could get out and shoot my new Bergara 22 yet!)

While shooting in the wind isn't fun, it is great experience and will meet your goal of learning to do it...better! Best of luck!'
While the heavier bullets usually buck wind better, the reduced recoil of the lighter cartridge may provide more positive results by the end of the match. Tough call.

I would recommend shooting this match with one, and the next match in windy conditions with the other, so as to learn from both experiences and provide you with first hand knowledge as to the results of both, providing that you are shooting equally well on both occasions!
(Always a variable that rears its ugly head at some point, as we all have good and bad days...and hope that most are the better days!)

 

[xphunter]

Both the Creed and the 6.5x284 shoot so well, the 6.5x284 is a barrel burner, its reason I chose to try the Creed this come Sunday.

Does the 6BR shoot "so well"?
Give us a description and a picture of your front rest and rear bag set-up.
Is you rear bag set-up better for one rifle over the other?
Another reason I listed the 6 BR as my choice, is that it will/should be more consistent from shot to in terms of recoil impulse (If it weighs as much as the Creed).
Does the stock design give you an advantage with one over the other?
Which one do you have the most confidence in?

 

[xphunter]

Looking forward to your match results and what you used

 

[TackDriver284]

Looking forward to your match results and what you used

I had to miss this match today, more important things came up that I needed to attend to. The next match is in March.