115 D -TAC encounter with a steel plate at 1 mile

308 nate

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North Dakota
It started out two days ago, A friend of mine;Russ called me up and asked if I wanted to shoot to a mile on Sunday. Well, of course I wanted to shoot but didn't think it was going to work out. The only rifle I had to shoot is my .243 WSSM Rouge with the 115 D-TAC runnin' 3175...well, I just couldn't get 1 mile out of my head so I ran the numbers and here is what I came up with.

115 D-TAC, BC .587, MV 3175
1760 yds. MV 1139 FPS. 331 ft/lbs. of energy and 51 MOA up from 600yd. zero. and I kept thinking this could work, I had 45 mins. up in my 6.5-20 Leupold and I had 13.75 MOA with holding 4 mil.s over. Well, I called him back on Sat. and said count me in.

I headed out Sunday morning at a little after 5 AM and met up at Steve's house (another awesome long range hunter,otherwise known as 300win on LRH) and we headed out to Stone Butte Ranch. I had never been there before, but I'll tell you if you are ever in the Elgin,ND area you won't find a nicer place to spend a night...back to the shooting. We arrived around 8am, winds from the South 12.9 mph average(we were shooting north). We cleaned up the target and put a 2-way radio on the back side of the target and turned it on and then we went on our 1 mile drive and then we started pullin the guns out.

steve took the first go around at the steel(Steve if you read this feel free to give the specs of you load and gun.)
It was a 300 WIN and I'm pretty sure a Lilja 30" on a Winchester action, in a McMillan. Well it wasn't long before we got the report on the 2-way raidio "GONGGGG"
I think Steve ended up with 4 hits and then it was my turn /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif would my 6mm make it?? well, I settled in on the bi-pod and a rear bag and diled in 45 min.and held two mils.actual range to target was 1774(measured by GPS which comes out to 51.75 MOA) I let one fly... 3 seconds later dirt flies four min. right of the target but I don't think I touched my elevation( I sure do love those balistics programs /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif) Shot #2 somehow missed off to the left,shot #3 missed off to the right both misses seem to be within 4" of the steel and then shot #4 was in the air 3 secs later the report came on the 2-way raidio and we saw the paint chip! I then sent two more bullets down and one hit and one miss. Next Russ pulls out his 7mm sendero stock and he send out a 162 AMAX, I don't remember how many misses,I think there was 5 or6 before the first hit and he ended up with 2 hits at 1 mile with a stock Remington...pretty awesome if you ask me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif well, being the cocky kinda guy that I am I'm going to try it with just my sling in the prone position. I settled in and it wasn't long before #1 was in the air 3 sec. later the report came on the 2-way raidio a definate hit!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif well, I couldn't stop there I sent 5 down with two hits and I'll have to say I couldn't wipe the smile off my face(in fact in the picture you can see I'm still smiling by the time we get to the target /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif) OH yes, the target is 3 feet high x two feet wide.

After cleaning up the target we set up at 1040 yds. and Steve takes the first go around with his 300, I think he was on target in 2 shots or less and his 3-shot group was just under .75 MOA and then it was my turn again I came up 13 mins. from my 600yd.zero put in a min and a half of left wind and my first shot landed high right corner of our kill zone, about 7-8" square..I was excited 1 shot kill at 1040yds. and that little bullet still has 800 ft./lbs of energy! well somehow i managed to put shot #2 & #3 inside of 3 inches /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif ya just under .3 MOA at 1040. well the guys were kind enough to quite on that target so we could take a picture of me with the group.

We rotated about 35 degrees up another draw where a man sized target is located at 1160 yds. Steve gets out his 308 DPMS and after having a little trouble with his scope starts hitting the target. That thing shoots unbelievable!
He loaded up 10 rounds and was sending them down so fast the first bullet wasn't to the target before the second was in the air and I think all 10 shots hit the target inside of 1 MOA /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif VERY IMPRESSIVE!!

and then Russ drags out a .338-.378 Weatherby and he sent some down to our 1040 yd. target when that bullet hits steel it makes some noise! He had some problems with a couple of primers but hitting the steel was pretty regular. It was about a 10-12 lb. gun with a Vias brake and it still belts ya pretty hard. OH yes, Russ also shot his .280 custom hunting rifle at the 1160 man sized target and his 300 short mag. AR(I think it was an Armalite but I could be wrong on that) I also sent several at the 1160 yd. with awesome regularity. It was gettin about 1 and time to go home.It was an awesome morning with a couple of great guys that actually knew what they were talking about.

Now we are thinking about setting up a tactical competition with targets at several ranges and some tactical maneuvering.....
Well if you have read this far thanks for listening to me tell about my fun day.

308nate
Our steel target is right under the arrow in this picture.
1774-1-1.jpg

Our set up at 1 mile.
1774-2.jpg

Steel target with shots fired at 1 mile.
1774-3.jpg

My 1040 yd. group
1040-1.jpg

6br on the left.My 6mm Rouge in the middle and .308Win on the right.
wssmbrass2.jpg
 
Nice shooting Nate!! Those little 6mm bullets can really suprise a guy.

BTW, I still want one of those shooting mats /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif!!
 
Thanks for the kind words! We had a blast.


Bill Baily,
Things are coming together on the shooting mats. I bought my wife a heavy duty sewing machine and materials are on the way.It's looking like it will be around 3-4 weeks. I'll keep you updated.
308nate
 
I thought we would never speak of that 6mm making a mile! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif It was a fun day with a couple of great shooters. No matter how long you have been shooting long range it is still a rush when you can consistently hit a target at extreme range. I guess now we go to 2000 yards and beyond. It should be mentioned Russ placed 4th in the Wimbledon cup at camp Perry recently. That is quite an accomplishment when considering the competition. 308nate is also a great shooter who does some very fine work building his own equipment (self taught I might add). I am sure he is going to give me a thumping in F class one of these days. It was a fun day and I am sure we will do it again soon, maybe with some big .338's.
 
I've had some requests for more info on this cartridge so I thought I would add this to the post

so here it is....



The .243WSSM Rouge is a .243 Winchester Super Short Magnum improved 37 degrees with .009 body taper. Then the necks are turned to .270 for .272 reamer,then it is throated for 115-D-TAC's.


I'm using Winchester brass but I believe Federal also offers brass. My case prep involves sorting out cases by weight and keeping everything within 1 gr., reaming inside flash hole, reaming primer pocket,turning necks and then anealing neck and shoulder


I have not messed around with many loads.
Here is the load I am using:
Winchester brass
Federal GM 210 primer
47 grs.of reloader 22
115 D-TAC's .005 into lands
muzzle velocity 3175 fps.

reloading dies...I'm using Hornady custom dimention .243WSSM seating die and a bushing neck die made with the same reamer as the chamber was cut with and accepts Redding bushings.

As far as B.C of the bullet my program didn't have the 115 D-TAC's so I entered the B.C of the 115 Berger which is .597 and it followed all the way out to 1 mile so the B.C is at least that of what Sierra states.Visable pressure basically non-existant,primers maybe starting to flatten by the edges,but is almost unnoticable

The barrel is a Broughton 5C 1 in 7 twist and 31" in length. I believe you would see little to nothing in velocity drop at 28". The barrel is long enough to reset and rechamber twice. As far as accuracy I am consistantly shooting .330 MOA out to 600 yds. off the bi-pod (in good conditions)and have shot .330MOA out to 1040 yds. So this cartridge is showing serious promise, I just wish there was better brass available.


308nate

P.S froma 600 yd zero there is 12.5 MOA up to 1000
 
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