Accuracy & Power at Long Range?

[trader388]

Does this exist?

I am looking for accuracy and power at long range. Should I stay away from belted cartridges? I would like to be able to take a grizzly at 100 yards yet take a prarie dog at 1000-1500 yards. Am I asking for too much? [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Suggestions please.

[STL_Shooter]

Questions like this have come up a few times around here...

Let's say you build a super-accurate heavy varmint or benchrest rifle chambered in our super-duper 30 caliber of choice. 15-20 pounds or so. I own an excellent example of this type of rifle so I have some experience here...

Now you've got a stick that in your hands will hold 1/3 MOA from 100-600 yards, and like .5 - .75 MOA at 1000. Honestly, what you've got is a rifle that'll kill the big stuff way out there. But what about a prarie dog?

First off, a 3 inch wide target like a prairie dog is near impossible at 1000 and unimaginable at 1500. Except in the early morning, I am unable to even see a prarie dog size target beyond 500 yards due to wind and mirage. No way to hit what you can't see.

Oh, you may hit 3% of the dogs 1000 yards from your barrel because conditions were perfect, a perfect wind call, a perfect shot, etc... Do you wanna build a rifle for the purpose of hitting 3% of your targets?

Now about that grizzly... I'm no expert - but common sense tells me if I'm hunting in close quarters for dangerous game, my 18 pound, 55 inch long, high-magnification scoped super-tactical-whizbang is not what I wanna be carrying!

I think you're looking at two rifles, one of which (the 1000-1500 yard pdog rifle) really doesn't exist...

[Michael Eichele]

I think a happy medium might be the 300 wsm or even the 300 RUM. Both have LR accuracy and power. There is no reason a 300 wsm cant kill a grizzly, or hit 600-700 yard PDs.

You have described a caliber that can be decided on but a "rifle configuration" that cannto and doesn't exist.. I sus[ect that money is the limitation here and understandably so...

I don't agree with STL and many of the people I have helped take PD's at 1K and over would disagree too.. while mirage is brutal you can shoot for several hours in the a.m. and with a little work you can shoot through mirage past 1500 yards.. just my opinion. Albeit there are days when it is impossible..

I have experience with Ole Griz as well and you don't want a "lr accurate rifle" in that situation you want a 6-8 lbs short barreled rifle with a scope that has a wide field of view( 2-7X ). the 300WSM would work the 300 RUM would work and several/many others...

like I said.. calibers would be easy.. the rifle configuration .. well 2 completely different ones!

[trader388]

STL - there is an article in http://www.precisionshooting.com/ Oct 03 issue. Guy is using a 7RUM with 180 VLDs. Great article on shooting PDs at 1500 yards.

[ 02-13-2004: Message edited by: trader388 ]

[trader388]

Could you guys give me your thoughts on belted cases pertaining to accuracy?

[Mark_in_utah]

Belted cases are not the problem, it's the lack of headspace on the shoulder. Many top-notch gunsmiths will adjust the chamber so that the cartridge headspaces on both the shoulder AND the belt at the same time. Tight chambers work good whether it's a belted case or not.

The .300 WM is known as a pretty accurate cartridge. I adjust the dies on my 7 RM to give me a slightly snug close on the bolt. Accuracy improves.

Unbelted has more potential for accuracy, but that's not to say you can't have a very accurate belted rifle.

Mark in Utah