Hello everyone, new to long range shooting

[dstewart51]

Long time shooter (since childhood) but most of my adult life I have been a hand gun guy. Mostly big bore hand cannons used for hunting, 44Mag, 454Casull, 475Linebaugh. About 6 months ago I bought a Marlin 1895GS 45-70Gov. I love it! The short little guide gun was my first long rifle purchase. I have always been fascinated with accuracy and often times shoot my scoped handguns at 100 yards or more at the local rifle range. Once I started shooting the Marlin it was like cheating (and its not exactly what you would call a long range rifle).

Being I love a big boom and long range fascinates me I have always wanted a "real" long range rifle. For years now I had the thought of buying a Weatherby 338-378, but it never came to be. Over the past few months I have been eying the 338 Lapua. The cost of many custom 338LM rifles put me off however. Recently I became aware of the reasonably priced Savage 110FCP and I had to have one.

I called my local gun shop one day to ask about price and ETA. About a week later after not hearing back I decided to stop by and chat with the owner. I asked him if he ever got a price for me. He said "Not only do I have a price, I got the rifle in the back". Turns out another guy ordered one and when it came in he didn't want it. So I picked it up, that was about two weeks ago.

Since that time I have wasted countless hours reading and researching everything 338 Lapua and Savage 110FCP related. Spending many hours on Snipers Hide and here. So I thought I would register and say hey.

I have been reloading for handguns for years, but I'm quickly learning there is a few extra things to measure and take in to consideration with Rifles. I do not intend to hunt with the 338LM at any point in the near future, just target and learn how to shoot long range (1000+ meters).

Other than the rifle it self I have ordered and received one of the Atlas Bi-Pods and a Seekins Precision Sling Rail mounts for the HS Precision stock. Ordered a Sharp Shooters Supply Comp Trigger as well (I was never a fan of the Glock Trigger Safety). This week I have a large order to make to Midway for Redding Type S Comp dies, Lapua Brass, a pound of H-1000 and Retumbo, 300gr SMK's, Federal GM Mag primers, rifle cleaning supply's and cleaning vice and while I'm at it I pick up a few boxes of Factory 300gr Lapua 338LM ammo.

The scope I have yet to order. I decided on a NightForce NXS 5.5-22x50 MLR + NF UL Rings and a 20MOA NF base. The scope may have to wait a month before I pluck down the cash but I'm in no hurry.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[AJ Peacock]

Welcome to LRH. It definitely looks like you are well on your way to some serious long range fun.

I laughed out loud when you said that shooting your 45-70 at 100yds was like 'cheating'.

AJ

 

[dstewart51]

Haha, compared to a hand gun it is!

Forgive me but I love photos,

45-70 at 50 yards 5 shot group,

45-70 at 100 yards 3 shots group,

 

[AJ Peacock]

Nice pics, and nice target for the lowly 45-70.

Get that scope ordered and THEN post some pics

I like good target pics too, I have a picture around here somewhere of a 3shot .3" group (200 yards) from my 8lb 7mm mag (shot off the ground with bipods) Then I shot a 3 shot 4" 800yd group.

Take care,.

AJ

 

[Shootin4fun]

Nice group at 100, especially for a lever action 45-70! Anyone into guns hasta have a special place in their heart for a lever action carbine, stainless nontheless. It looks just like the one on the cover of a Hodgen Reloading Guide/Magazine I have. And a nice little collection of other toys too!

I'm guessing by now you've gotten as much good info from the folks here as I have.

 

[dstewart51]

^ Wow, this was the very first post I had made here.

Here is an updated photo of the Savage, only thing not shown in this photo, I replaced the bolt handle with a 110BA part.

Also, since then I have a few 1 mile + outings with it,

Went out to the high desert near Barstow with a two buddy's of mine a few months back. We started out at 1153 yards (laser ranged) but after making a first shot cold bore hit (and then 4 more consecutive hits following) I decided to go out further. We moved back and ranged the steel at 1535 yards but said hell, why not make it a full mile? My Bushnell Fusions 1600's where just at there edge of ranging my 3'x3' black steel plate in the mid day daylight so we had one truck drive down the road until I ranged him at just over 230 yards. That makes just over 1 mile. Out of 15 shots I made 3 solid hits. The misses where all splashed very near the target, most of them look like the elevation was on, but the down range wind was blowing them right. Even though we did not have wind at the shooting position we could see the mirage drift left to right in the scope and binos (Bushnell Fusion 1600's).

Listen carefully at the 27 second mark and you can hear the hit (about 9 seconds after the shot). Make sure you turn it down after we call hit otherwise Jay will yell at ya.

1-5 mph breeze, 2750' ele, 77deg F. 90g Retumbo pushing 300gr Scenar for 2710fps. With the 20MOA Ken Farrel Base the Nightforce 5-22x56 NXS scope was very near maxed out in elevation (19.8 mils ele).

Video link,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kn5cd-YfiM

Update, I saved the GPS cord for our shooting position and the target. Google Earth says the range was 1875 Yards.

 

[dstewart51]

And just two weeks ago,

Took a buddy of mine from Phoenix out to Barstow. Set up my 3'x 3' steel at 1802 yards. Temp was in the mid 90's breezy winds 10-15mph.

Had a hell of a time getting on target at first. Where we had placed the steel we could not spot the misses. To much brush and there was as depression behind the target. High misses where going over and out of sight. Low right/left where in the brush. After throwing 20 rounds down rage we decided to move.

We found a nice little clearing on an inclined slope. That did the trick. Fist shot we could easily see the miss, ele was close, but the splash was about 2 mils right. I was on target by the third round with 19.3 mils of ele and 2.4 mils L wind dialed in. We had about a 50% hit ratio for the next 20 rounds connecting with the steel 9 times. All the misses where very close, some going through the wood frame.

The day proved to be well worth the sun burns sustained.

Ran three difernt loads, all with 300gr Scenar's
89gr VV-N570 @ 2680fps
91gr VV-N570 @ 2720fps
89gr Retumbo @ 2700fps
all @ .015 off the lands

All shot well, not one stuck case.

Freshly painted steel

looking down range

My spotter, also watching for any dirtbike's or ATV's.

Target seen though 10x binos

Confirmed distance at 1802 yards

The aftermath

_________________________

 

[Pistol packer]

a little late.
congrats and nice shooting. learing on a pistol at long range really helps to learn the trigger pull and it shows. as well as great equipment. so, do you go for the new world record or go hunting?

doc

 

[dstewart51]

I just enjoy shooting and long range is something I have never done before. I do hunt but all of my hunting to date has been with hand guns.


Hog taken with my Gary Reeder custom 44 Mag Ruger Bisley Hunter, 300gr Hornady XTP @ 1300 fps. The hog nestled down in the tall dead corn stalk and I couldn't tell which end was the head. So I took a shot about where I figured would be just behind the ear and it turned out to be the wrong end. The dogs ran the now very agitated hog up the a small aisle where it turned to face me at 15 yards. Thats when I took the head shot and put her down. Both shots passed clean through, but did the job none the less. 240gr XTP's are my standard 44mag load for Hog's now.

Cow Elk taken with my Freedom Arms Model 83 Premier 475 Linebaugh, 400gr Hornady XTP Mag @ 1300 fps. Put three shots in the forward chest as the animal was running broadside toward me, standing position from about 40 yards. Again too much bullet and passed clean through. The 475Lin was a bit overkill for this animal. She ran about 100 yards past me, stopped and laid over.

Nicely filled freezer thanks to a pair of big boar hand guns!