Long and Extreme Long Range Day with LRH members

ccsykes

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2004
Messages
198
Location
North Carolina
On 06/05/2013, Boom drove up from South Carolina to meet me and do a little long range shooting. We had been planning for a while to try to meet up and shoot since it is hard to find many people around Eastern NC that shoot long range. I know this is the Extreme Long Range forum, but I will get there I promise. The weather was beautiful for shooting, clearing skies, light wind at most, and temps in the low 70s to mid 80s. The sand pit is now a 7 acre pond so the scene is quite picturesque to shoot over.

I met Boom and we drove out to meet up with two guys that are just getting interested in long range shooting and hunting who graciously allowed us access to their land. Earlier in the morning they had grated a shooting area since the pit is surrounded by a 6 foot berm so that we would have a level shooting platform. We put out eight pieces of steel at ranges from 355 yards to 738 yards (yes I know we haven't got to the Extreme Range yet, just wait).



Now to the weapon platforms that we would be shooting today. Included is another member's rifle (special delivery) that we would meet up with later in the day for the Extreme Range portion.

The specs of the rifles are as follows from top to bottom:

Wolf Precision BAT Tactical 260 Rem
Manners T4A with adjustable cheekpiece, paint job by Custom Gun Coatings
Bartlein MTU with surefire suppressor
Schmidt and Bender 5-25x56

SAC Alpha 11 260 Rem
McMillan A-5 Custom Rhino Camo
Brux MTU snake fluting with surefire suppressor
Schmidt and Bender 12-50x56

DCGS Stiller TAC300 left handed 7-300wsm
Manners MCS with adjustable cheekpiece
Brux MTU interrupted fluting
Nightforce 5.5-22x56

We started the day off shooting great, hit after hit and even got the new guys hitting targets at all ranges. We had some workers from the sand company come over and put some rounds on target. What was better than hitting the targets ourselves was watching these guys shoot their first long range shots making hits at distances they had never imagined were possible. We spent 5 hours shooting at this location before deciding it was time to move to our next shooting spot and stretch these rifle out and see how they would really perform. We packed all of the targets up and headed an hour north to meet up with special delivery and another land owner that had allowed us to shoot on his land.


In this location, we had access to numerous adjacent fields and set targets out ranging from 650 yards out to over 1300 yards. We set the farthest target at about 1350-1375 yards, we had difficulty ranging the long target, but putting lead on target, the 260s were shooting with a range solution of about 1375 yards while the solution for the 7-300 was closer to the 1350 yard range.


The two 65% IPSC targets on the left were at 1090 and proved to be quiet elusive to hit, while the square target in the middle was the farthest target and was consistently hit. Those little buggers just knew exactly how to dodge bullets, but we did happen to capture a hit through the spotting scope on video. [ame=http://youtu.be/jwcl4sOjcsY]1100 yard shot with 7-300wsm - YouTube[/ame] You will hear Boom say "right edge" and immediately following, you can hear the report. As I had mentioned before, the weather was perfect and the mirage was very light making the 50 power Schmidt quite nice on this day. Here is a look at the long target on 50 power.


After figuring out the wind holds in the changing winds, hits on our long target were very consistent. The wind direction, even as light as it was changed at the target frequently due to the layout of the tree lines around the field, but nevertheless we were able to put shots on target with the small 260s and the hotrod 7-300. This was a great day to be out shooting and we all enjoyed being able to get out in the field shooting long and extreme long range with fellow LRH shooters. We all had made our farthest shot, being it is so hard to find places to shoot this far in the Carolinas. As you can see from the pictures, there is enough land to stretch those shots even farther, the steel was just getting heavy to carry across the field since the crops were already planted and we could not drive to the target area. The land owner was so excited about shooting and has his own rifle being built, he is going to do some tree remodeling so we can possibly get that one mile shot on the books. I highly recommend, if given the chance, fellow LRH members get out and shoot together. This shooting day will go down in my books as one of the best days out on the range with a fantastic group of enthusiastic long range shooters; you could not have asked for a better experience.
 
Great write up! This day was a blast, the NC boys could not have been better hosts and the locations were perfect for stretching things out a bit. Chris is correct in that it is hard to find 1300+ down here. Next time, perhaps we will be testing out the 338 Express that Kirby is building for Chris, then we will have to find a longer range!!
 
CB, it really was a great day out shooting with fellow members of the forum. It allows you to put a face and name with screen names and share experiences. I am always up to having forum members come out shooting, it's such a small community of shooters, especially in this area. Chris, Kirby is building me the big 338 Allen so it may go a little further than the express. I got word from him today it shouldn't be too much longer and we will have to do some tree re-arranging on that island in the middle of the field to stretch her out to a mile or more to see it really start to shine. I don't know how that piece of steel will hold up to it though.
 
nice writeup and pictures. i now live in florida but still spend about 1/3 or more of the year in n c pa.
i drive over 77 to 81 on my trip north. once past statesville the hills start forming. by the time you get to the va line on 77 there are some very nice hills. they are continious most of the way up 81 thru va. there would be some awsome places to shoot and of coarse hunt deer long range. shooting at steep sidehills is easier than shooting on flat terrain in that hits are easy to spot. sort of like shooting at a picture hanging on a wall. it would also more
closly resemble the terrain one would encounter on a hunt for elk or mule deer
in the west.
just a thought but possibly worth investigating.
 
Enjoyed meeting you guys and having you come out to the farm. It was a lot of fun. Still waiting on that phone call from Robert Gradous which unfortunately has been quite a bit easier now that I have been at home since Tuesday, trying to pass a kidney stone. I hope you guys never have to go through this as its the most excrutiating pain that I have ever experienced. However, I have told that the worst is yet to come...

Anyway, I would like to think that I will have my rifle in the next couple of weeks and we can do it again. I am looking forward to trying out my rifle at one mile. See you soon boys.
 
Chris, I tried emailing you twice and PMing you but the emails were returned and I can't figure out how to turn my PMs on. Email me your number when you get a chance.
 
Looks like a great time guys! Having lived in NC, I'm impressed that you were able to access some good land to shoot. Take care.
 
Wow, that is some great shooting and nice looking rigs! You are correct in saying that it is hard to find a place to shoot those distances in NC and someone that is willing to let you shoot on their property. I have to venture to VA just to get 400-500yards. Awesome article and look forward to reading about you guys 1 mile attempt.
 
That looks like a great place to shoot. I am moving to the New Bern area next month and sure would appreciate any help tracking down places to shoot in Eastern NC.
 
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