Time to stretch it

T

TackDriver284

Handloader
Feb 13, 2016
2,572
2,159
Got bored of shooting 100 yards, and decided to head over to a ranch out of town at dawn where there is a berm sitting on the edge of a corn field and set up the shooting table at 500 yards facing east and I knew it won't be a comfortable place to shoot since the sun was coming up at any moment. It's better shooting at the crack of dawn than to be bombarded with a killer mirage in late afternoon with the sun at my back. When I had everything set up, the sun creeped over the treetops and I struggled a little trying to focus on the tape on the target with the 6.5 x 284 using 147 ELD-M's, 3 shots downrange and pulled out my .308 using the 165 Ballistic Tips, and aimed on the right target, and 3 shots downrange. Very little wind left to right. Packed up to go take a look,,,,
147 ELD -M in 6.5 x 284 ( 500 yards )

165 Ballistic Tips in .308 ( 500 yards )
wvwAFBol.jpg

Went back to pick up the table to set it for 600 yards,,, 3 more shots,,,
147 ELD- M 6.5 x 284 ( 600 yards )
P9FNOT1l.jpg

165 Ballistic Tips .308 ( 600 yards )
KuRhkT3l.jpg

300 Win Mag 180 grain Ballistic Tips ( 600 yards )
GhOmISGl.jpg

I used the Strelok app after adjusting scope height and speed, I just added one extra click in elevation before I shot those 3 rifles. I think I need to tweak a little since they are shooting a little high.
I'll try to get someone to dump a pile of dirt for a new berm to the west of the corn field today so the sun will be out of my face in the morning practice, I like that place. All crops was cut and harvested and soon to be plowed.
 
Most encouraging results. The results give evidence that you handle the rifles quite well and know a thing or two about hand loading. (y)
 
Heck yeah, that sorta performance and accuracy has to make you very happy. I know it would me. Nice shooting. You definitely have them all dialed.
 
xphunter said:
Did you measure those groups at 500 and 600 yards?
Click to expand...
No i have not measured, it was my first time stretching in a while, the sun was in my face that morning and affected my shooting and the target looked like it was in the shade and was hardly visible and those gnats are a pain in the arse when you are trying to settle the crosshairs, lol. I went again a few weeks later on a cloudy day and used red paper plates. Made a 1 MOA wind hold, and printed 1.3 to 1.75 inch groups with the 6.5 Creedmoor and the 6.5 x 284 @ 500 and was dead on in the center of the paper plates. I'm happy. The Strelok Pro app gave perfect elevation / windage numbers than the basic Strelok which I used for previous shooting session, I used .5 / .7 less MOA @ 100 this time for elevation.
The .308 and .300 groupings was around 3 inches give or take. I'm doing a seating depth test in .005" increments for both rifles to try again @ 500. Used the 147 ELD M's on the 6.5's and 165 / 180 Ballistic Tips for the 308 and 300. I'm about .010" off the lands, I would like to go deeper. I like the Strelok Pro better than the free version, just had to fuss around a little with it to get all the data tweaked like temp / humidity, etc. Importantly, need the correct bore to scope height to get it to give you correct numbers. Overall its a great app. Those new berms I had put at my ranch 20 miles from my house is nice, I can stretch it out to 1100 yards. I won't be shooting that far yet. Just testing my rifles at 500 to 600 yards for now. Logically speaking, I rather test my rifles to the range I will be hunting game, not 1000 yards, unless I like to have some fun at the range one day. To be honest, I am curious on how a ELD or a Ballistic Tip flies at 1000 yards. That is a test to be determined later. 😎
xphunter, I am amazed at your shooting ability at 1000 yards with your hand canons. ;) Just dang excellent.
 
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Anytime you can hang around that half minute mark at distance, you are doing great!
When you do begin to stretch things out further, it will ultimately make you better at the mid-range distances.
ELD-X's and ELD-M's can do pretty good at a grand.
A number of years ago, before I started shooting on steel I went to a range just north of Hutchinson Kansas and shot blind on paper at 600 yards with my center grip 6.5-84, using the 140 grain Amax.
I would typically do a three shot group or a five shot group, but for whatever reason, I only shot four times. Yes, those are 1 inch squares.
Sometimes it’s your day to look good:cool:
3C092DD8-FB76-49B1-84E1-786E35642F51.jpeg
 
Wow, that is an excellent group, I hear the A Maxes are getting obsolete, I hear many hunters swear by this bullet at long distance especially the 208 A Max.
 
TackDriver284 said:
Wow, that is an excellent group, I hear the A Maxes are getting obsolete, I hear many hunters swear by this bullet at long distance especially the 208 A Max.
Click to expand...
The ELD-M is a itty bitty softer, or tends to open just bit faster on game, than the older A-Max's. My only guess as to why is the new tip on the ELD-M's.
For competition's like benchrest and F-Class the Hornady ELD-M's or A-Max's are hardly every used.
Berger's, Matchking's, and your boutique match bullets, pretty much rule the day for score and or for group
 
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Firebird said:
I went out this morning since the temps were agreeable and shot some long ish range. I like to shoot jugs filled with water for several reasons. Excited to go deer hunting later this month!
Click to expand...
Odd, when I went to give you a 'thumbs up' I got a screen asking me to confirm I wanted to post that reaction. :unsure:
 
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