Ernie
SPONSOR
I was able again to make it out to pop some steel, but it did involve some misses /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Started @ 392 yards and dialed in 6.25 minutes (MOA for 400 yds.) and put my 2-shots just over the red-dot I painted just under 3 inches, prone W/Bi-pod.
When I got there the Wind was at a low of about 10 mph to when I got done shooting gusting to 26 mph. I was shooting in a southerly direction and the wind was switching from a South to a SSE direction. Also the lay of the land where the target was set-up played a part in making the wind more of SE wind. After feeling okay about the sub 400 yd shots, I backed up to 850 yards. I put my target in a different place to avoid driving as much on the pasture, but this presented me with a problem of a fence and a bush @ the 5 O'Clock of my line of sight. Lasering was difficult and even with my Leupold Mark 4 the mirage was terrible @ this distance. I put 21.25 MOA in for elevation and made the windage adjustments. I had to keep fiddling with that as the wind was not cooperating /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
I fired two shots but I couldn't hear any steel clank (double hearing protection & the wind). I couldn't tell by looking because of the mirage. So I drove back to the target and sure enough-no hits /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif To make a long story short I tried two more shots @ 850 with no hits /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
I decided because of all the nice conditions I would get closer and lasered (difficult time) 625 yards. Now I was shooting into a direct headwind, most of the time. First shot connection /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif, but it was lower than I expected and so were the subsequent shots, but I was grouping good (4-shots @ 6 inches with three of them just under 3 inches). I moved over to the right side of the target and ran .75 MOA into the elevation and bingo, my vertical was where it was supposed to be, but I was dialed in now for 650 yards /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
But I turned in another three shots in just a tad over three inches.
My last shot I returned my elevation to zero and used the ART reticle and put my last shot 3" of the center of the bull @ 5 O'Clock /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
As I was driving back to the target I was still confused about the vertical issue and missing @ 850. When I got back to my target, I noticed one thing quickly. About 25 yards in front of the target There was a step-up in the terrain. I wasn't noticeable @ 850, but between the bush and the terrain it made sense why I was getting shorter distances. I had lasered 650 yards 2x's but the majority of the time it was lasering closer.
Being off by 25 yards (not to mention the switching wind could have got me) makes me 17" low @ 875 yards.
I am going to move my target in a different location next time to help avoid that problem. Of course, the wind bouncing me around didn't make lasering any easier /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
All in all it was a good time of shooting and learning. Practicing in difficult conditions teaches me a lot more than shooting in good conditions.
At the 650 yard mark the mirage had cleared up quite a bit with the help of some clouds and I was pretty much shooting straight into the wind. Now the winds as I type are South @ 26 mph with gusts to 43 MPH /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
I have pics from last weeks practice (35mm) and took pics of todays shooting (35mm-no digital) and will try to get last weeks pics posted soon.
FWIW it is a lot harder to work with the wind when you are by yourself. When you have a spotter he can call the wind to you while you are setting up so you can make adjustments easier.
Started @ 392 yards and dialed in 6.25 minutes (MOA for 400 yds.) and put my 2-shots just over the red-dot I painted just under 3 inches, prone W/Bi-pod.
When I got there the Wind was at a low of about 10 mph to when I got done shooting gusting to 26 mph. I was shooting in a southerly direction and the wind was switching from a South to a SSE direction. Also the lay of the land where the target was set-up played a part in making the wind more of SE wind. After feeling okay about the sub 400 yd shots, I backed up to 850 yards. I put my target in a different place to avoid driving as much on the pasture, but this presented me with a problem of a fence and a bush @ the 5 O'Clock of my line of sight. Lasering was difficult and even with my Leupold Mark 4 the mirage was terrible @ this distance. I put 21.25 MOA in for elevation and made the windage adjustments. I had to keep fiddling with that as the wind was not cooperating /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
I fired two shots but I couldn't hear any steel clank (double hearing protection & the wind). I couldn't tell by looking because of the mirage. So I drove back to the target and sure enough-no hits /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif To make a long story short I tried two more shots @ 850 with no hits /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
I decided because of all the nice conditions I would get closer and lasered (difficult time) 625 yards. Now I was shooting into a direct headwind, most of the time. First shot connection /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif, but it was lower than I expected and so were the subsequent shots, but I was grouping good (4-shots @ 6 inches with three of them just under 3 inches). I moved over to the right side of the target and ran .75 MOA into the elevation and bingo, my vertical was where it was supposed to be, but I was dialed in now for 650 yards /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
But I turned in another three shots in just a tad over three inches.
My last shot I returned my elevation to zero and used the ART reticle and put my last shot 3" of the center of the bull @ 5 O'Clock /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
As I was driving back to the target I was still confused about the vertical issue and missing @ 850. When I got back to my target, I noticed one thing quickly. About 25 yards in front of the target There was a step-up in the terrain. I wasn't noticeable @ 850, but between the bush and the terrain it made sense why I was getting shorter distances. I had lasered 650 yards 2x's but the majority of the time it was lasering closer.
Being off by 25 yards (not to mention the switching wind could have got me) makes me 17" low @ 875 yards.
I am going to move my target in a different location next time to help avoid that problem. Of course, the wind bouncing me around didn't make lasering any easier /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
All in all it was a good time of shooting and learning. Practicing in difficult conditions teaches me a lot more than shooting in good conditions.
At the 650 yard mark the mirage had cleared up quite a bit with the help of some clouds and I was pretty much shooting straight into the wind. Now the winds as I type are South @ 26 mph with gusts to 43 MPH /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
I have pics from last weeks practice (35mm) and took pics of todays shooting (35mm-no digital) and will try to get last weeks pics posted soon.
FWIW it is a lot harder to work with the wind when you are by yourself. When you have a spotter he can call the wind to you while you are setting up so you can make adjustments easier.
