400 Yards with a Ruger Mk III Tgt./2X Nikon

[sscoyote]

#1 01-19-2013, 07:19 PM
sscoyote

Join Date: Jul 2008
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Some Fun Long-Range Plinkin' to 400 Yds.

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Went out with my buddy couple weeks ago coyote hunting. After the 1st stand i wanted to check the long range dope i have with my Ruger Mk III/2x Nikon setup for long range plinkin'. The Nikon has a plex reticle that subtends 20 MOA from reticle's center axis. We shot at 100, 150, 175, 200, 300, 350 and finally 400 yds. and it's just amazing what can be accomplished with a decent 2x optic at longer ranges with a 22 pistol. The Nikon has 120 MOA rated in the turret [the most turret travel of any LER optic that i know of] and this rig nets me 140 with Burris *** align rings and a total of 60 MOA forward tilt in the rings [shimmed]. From 50-yd. zero I used the reticle out to 175 calcd. at--

75=10%
100=30%
125=50
150=75
175- plex post tip

I knew that 50 gets me about 300 and ~90 to 400, and it was very close to that dope for all ranges out to 400. A couple of the shots were dead nuts very close to the aiming points [mostly cow pies]. I could actually see the pie plate sized gray cow pie 400 yd. target no problem against a light prairie grass background, and could also spot my hits from the small dust cloud impact signatures fairly well. Was quite surprised how easy it was to consistently interpolate between 20 MOA stadia points along the plex reticle out to 175 yds. as noted above. 5-7 mph winds from 6 o'clock. Don't have any field pics but here's the rig i use--

 

[sscoyote]

For any interested, I just switched the old 2X Barska back to this rig, and with .013 credit card shim in the rear ring with +/- 40 in the offset inserts i now have 150 MOA of useable up out of this system checked with a Bushnell Grid Boresighter, and returns to zero no problem--

This pic is an old one and the Burris Signature rings are now in place as in the above picture. Switched back to this optic since it's smaller--

 

[sscoyote]

Went out today and shot some in a 15 mph avg. x-wind at 200 yds. and hit this 15" diameter cowpie 4 out of 10 shots. using 34 MOA up [from 50-yd. zero] and about 90% of the plex reticle's 15 MOA subtension for windage--

This is 4 shots at 50-yds. 2 before adding 34 MOA of up for 200 yds. and then back down to zero for 2 more. Not a bad return to zero for an el cheapo Barska--

 

[ba19500]

Most if my shooting is long range with a .22 rifle.
Do you have a bubble level on the nikon?

I was interested in getting a fast fire 3 for a HS but since I end up shooting handguns LR I will reconsider using a scope instead.

 

[sscoyote]

No BA this is really a plinker setup more than anything. I have not gone to those lengths yet. I now have a 3X Nikon AR scope on a Browning Buckmark Varmint that is my go-to walk around prairie dog pistol. That optic has a ballistic reticle and about 150 MOA of erector adjustment in it. Have it mounted in shimmed Burris *** Aign rings that nets me more than 100 MOA of Up from a 50-yd. zero. It's a hoot to shoot at long-range. Have shot several prairie dogs beyond 200 yds. with it. It's a load of fun. Had to customize my tall bipod to get it to work with it.