90 gr. E-tip - 100 gr. PT @ 400 yards

6mm Remington

Ammo Smith
Feb 27, 2006
5,191
387
Took the camper over to where I elk hunt to make sure everything is working right and to get out of the house for a couple days. I had 4-gallon water jugs and 2-six gallon "water tankers" for camping that had seen their better day. I wanted to do a test at 400 yards and I should have brought more jugs because I was able to get out to 500 yards on the meadow strip that is grown up from a fire a few years ago. Besides doing a couple groups with each rifle at 400 yards to determine exact drop on my #1B 6mm and my 30-06 #1B. Both wear fixed 6x and 4x Leupolds respectively. I figured my drop with the 30-06 at 2940 fps with the 165 gr. AccuBond and the 6mm Rem at 3140 fps with the 100 gr. Partition would be about 12" at 400. I sight them in to be 2.5 to 2.75 inches high at 100. I also had my boys 6mm Rem shooting the 90 gr. E-tip at 3170 fps (chronographed again last time it was out, as was the #1B 6mm PT. It has the 4.5-14x40mm Leupold with the B&C reticle. I wanted to check and see how accurate the drop was with his load. On his rifle I used the 400 yard hash and it hit between 4-6" high at 400 so it was pretty close.

Here is what it looked like. Elevation right here is about 4600 feet. There was about a 5-10 mph breeze at my back blowing directly to the target so that was not an issue. I just laid down on the ground and used a front bench rest and a rear bag. It was not the most comfortable because although it looks pretty flat, it sloped down just slightly towards the targets and I had my head pulled up in an awkward position.

400yardjugtest.jpg


This is zoomed in as close as my digital camera would allow. You can see a fence way down where the grass changes color towards the left of center. There are 4 solid fence posts and a gate in between. My paper target was on a stand there. Just left of it and a few feet towards me in this picture on the ground are the 4 gallon jugs.

400yards.jpg


I tried groups first and shot okay 4-7" from this awkward position for 3 shots. I had the three rifles laying beside me and after groups, I went for the water. First up was the gallon jugs and the E-tip from my son's 6mm Rem. I held the cross-hair has right at the bottom of the front jug and drilled it dead center! I should have taken pictures because they all exploded! It was pretty cool and they were scattered pretty good. Last one was about where it was when I shot and was out of water like the rest. I could see that the bullet obviously went screaming through 4 jugs, and there laying on the ground about a foot beyond the last one was my 90 gr. E-tip! First time at 400 yards with those gallon jugs and I had a bullet. I was happy. It looked pretty good too!
90 gr. E-tip: 89.7 grs. 99.6% .405 caliber at widest point (not too bad, a 40 caliber hole!)
100 gr. Partition: in second jug.(This was the large blue tankers after my 30-06 took them out) Not sure how much water if any was in first when I shot. Look at the tanker tops where the valves are!
64.0 grs. 64% .620 caliber at widest point

First on the 6-gallon tankers was my 30-06 with a 165 gr. AccuBond. They are obviously heavier plastic and I was hoping they would not rupture and burst with the lids on so the water would not drain so quickly and I might be able to use them again. Didn't work so well. They took a beating and came apart at the seems and burst the tops off up into the air. I should have took the top off and with duct tape I could have filled them again at a cattle trough nearby and I think they would have survived enough to let me shoot all three into them.

Once the 30-06 exploded things, I grabbed my 6mm with the Partition and quickly drilled the jugs again in the center. Things looked pretty spectacular again with a huge burst of water, probably from jug number two. I then shot again on the right edge with the 6mm #1B again as the jugs were off center and not lined up very well with the back jug to the right of the front one so to try and get some water and slow down I was hoping there was water still in the first one. I then shot my 30-06 at the right side of the first one hoping to get some water and catch one. I then grabbed the MKII with the E-tips and sent one of those down range. This is how the jugs looked.

Murderedjugs.jpg


400yds.jpg


The 165 gr. AccuBond was not found and I never recovered another E-tip either. I believe the AccuBond went through both 6-gallon jugs it appears. I think I was just out of water with the last E-tip sent on a prayer. Next time I'm sticking to the gallon jugs and putting a 6x6 blue tarp on the ground near them and maybe sitting the jugs on a 3-foot by 4-foot piece of particle board or plywood.

Only other bullet recovered was my 6mm 100 gr. Partition so I have it and the E-tip. Those two bullets are the last two on the right as you look at the bullet line-up. I have the 90 gr. E-tip at:
25 yards - 100 yards - 300 yards - 400 yards


100 gr. Partition at:
25 yards - 100 yards - 400 yards

E-tipPartition003.jpg


E-tipPartition002.jpg


E-tipPartition001.jpg


E-tipPartition004.jpg


In retrospect I should have gotten more gallon water jugs in Phillipsburg as it wasn't about 15 miles away and did 500 and also 400 with the 165 gr. AccuBond. Oh well, next time!
David
 
Cool stuff, David. That's pretty informative. Thanks for your work.
 
Thanks Mike, yeah it was a pretty rough day. About 80 degree's and sunny and not another person around. The gophers were up and I had taken my .22 and whacked a few of them too! It was a great day. I'm going to stick with the gallon jug media though as I think I can catch one in them at 500 yards. I think Jim is right, it can be done. That way we keep it all the same too so we have consistent results across the board.
 
I forgot to add too that I was pretty darn close on my estimate of drop with that sight in. It was right at about 11 1/4" drop at 400 for both the 30-06 and the 6mm.
 
Nice work. I will forgive you for a day but I will be looking. Have you gotten any results for accuracy with the 90AB?
 
nvbroncrider":bp127jlo said:
Nice work. I will forgive you for a day but I will be looking. Have you gotten any results for accuracy with the 90AB?
Sorry but no. I need to load some up and try different loads. I did the water tests and a couple groups with the AccuBond, but I need to play some more with it. Hopefully real soon! I would have liked to put a 90 gr. AccuBond through them at 400 yards and see how it performed. Next time Jake I promise I'll take some with me.
David
 
David,

Nice work. 1/4 mile recoveries are cool.
I will be testing the 338 300 gr AB at 800 yds in the next couple of weeks. That catch will be a good one for sure.

JD338
 
Guy Miner":1m5832v1 said:
Good looking country David.

Good test too.
It is nice country Guy. The jungle of new growth trees is so thick that you can sit on a ridge above it and cannot even see into it except itty bitty little patches. The elk will go in there and lay down for the day and be 1/2 mile from a road and you would never know they are there. In the morning or evening they will be out feeding, but there is no way you can walk through this stuff and if you do and are actually able to get close enough to one to see it, you might as well shoot from the hip!

David
 
JD338":4s9xrpvo said:
David,

Nice work. 1/4 mile recoveries are cool.
I will be testing the 338 300 gr AB at 800 yds in the next couple of weeks. That catch will be a good one for sure.

JD338
I can't wait to see what it looks like Jim. I was sure hoping I could catch that 165 gr. AccuBond out of my 30-06 but no such luck. What are you going to use for a water container? Man those gallon jugs will look awfully small at 800 yards, but with the scope you have on that thing, it should pull them right in. I would imagine you are going to need more jugs than you suspect! I think we should have a forum wager on this one. Winner is KING for the day. :shock: :lol: You might set up three rows and have them tight and touching each other and about 8 -10 deep. That way if one slips out the side, it might go into the row on either side of the jugs. I'm going to predict 7 jugs! :shock: Might even surprise me since it should not open as much and might penetrate further, but I'm sticking with 7.
David
 
David,

My buddy has farm chemical jugs saved up for me, I think they are 5 gallons each. I shot a single jug at 800 yds when we shot last and I center punched the jug at 800 yds so I know I can do it.
When we do the test, I will set them up on a plank and also put a board behind the jugs to catch a stray.
I am figuring it will look someting like this....
338300grAB1850fps.jpg

JD338
 
That's pretty impressive expansion at the fps and great performance. I am guessing you will need 2 of them if they are 5 gallon, depending on the thickness of the jug, not the plastic although that plays a part in things too. Are they shaped anything like these water tankers are?

How close am I?
 
DAvid,

As I recall, they were 18" x18" and maybe 10" thick and a heavy grade plastic. I am guessing 8 jugs.

JD338
 
You are probably closer than me on my last estimate. My first shot at 7 is probably closer. Once you get 300 grs. going, it takes a while to slow it down! I hope you have access to a video camera and can set it up a SAFE distance away and video it for us all!!
David
 
That is pretty awesome David. Great shooting! Can't wait to give that a try at longer range.. That looks like too much fun. One thing is for certain, that 100 PT is very impressive when run, even at longer range.
 
What an awful and ugly place you live in! Have you ever considered moving to somewhere "beautiful"? I don't know how you put up with such horrible scenery.

Great test though!

Todd
 
Palouser":19ncz1pk said:
What an awful and ugly place you live in! Have you ever considered moving to somewhere "beautiful"? I don't know how you put up with such horrible scenery.


Todd

Like here? :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Detroitghett2.jpg
 
Man, what hunting there must be in that place! Rats! Mice! Cretins! Oops. :oops:
 
DrMike":32t9rbl6 said:
Man, what hunting there must be in that place! Rats! Mice! Cretins! Oops. :oops:

We won't go there Mike as I may have to take assylum North of the 49th if I open my mouth.
 
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