Long Range Shooting Problem

BRNG525

Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2015
Messages
16
Location
Florence, MT
I was wondering if anyone out there has ever experienced a similar problem whiles shooting at longer distances like the one I am going to describe. I recently purchased a long range custom rifle and have a Nightforce scope installed with a custom turret as well as a custom range finder from G-7. This set-up shoots lights out, literally half minute groups out to 1000 yards if I do my part. While shooting recently at a 943 yard target with my gun dialed to 950 yards, the corrected yardage from my G-7 rangefinder, I was hitting the 30" x 20" steel plate about 9.5"" high. I thought this was a little wacky but continued to shoot and finished with quite a nice group at that distance, roughly an 8" group but all 9-9.5" high. I started dialing my scope dial down a click at a time, firing one shot at each click and finally when I got to the 925 yard marked on my dial I was literally touching the three inch bullseye on the plate. Several shots confirmed that this was in fact where my turret had to be set in order to hit that mark. This disturbed me so I checked the distance with two other range finders that I own to verify it was in fact 943 yards and they were all within a couple of yards of each other. I thought I should check it at mid range so I set up a target at 500 yards and found I was also shooting high, roughly 5.5", at that distance as well. I went back to the two hundred target which is what my gun was originally zeroed for and the group was right on. Well needless to say this was driving me crazy so I took a buddy out the next afternoon who had purchased the identical setup as mine so I could see if it was just me. His G-7 range finder found the target to be at the same range as mine and he dialed it up and proceeded to shoot lights out, dead nuts on for elevation, at least for a new shooter to the long range world. He then asked me if I wanted to shoot his rifle, of course I said yes and dropped one in the chamber, nice smooth squeeze on the trigger and bang, 9" high, three time in a row. Someone please tell me what I am doing wrong to cause this phenomena. I make sure to adjust my parallax before every shot but I am consistently hitting high at the longer ranges. This weekend I am having my buddy shoot my setup to see if he gets the same results with it as I do. I know it is something crazy that I am probably doing but I need someone to set me on the right path before I loose my mind.gun)
 
Out of curiosity what height rings are you using? I had a similar problem and it turned out that my scope rings were too short and I wasn't looking through the center of the scope. I would hit everything to about 500 and after that I would shoot over.
 
I am guessing that it has something to do with your cheekweld, or your shooting faster than you think.
Minute changes in your cheekweld can show up when shooting long range.
 
I was wondering if anyone out there has ever experienced a similar problem whiles shooting at longer distances like the one I am going to describe. I recently purchased a long range custom rifle and have a Nightforce scope installed with a custom turret as well as a custom range finder from G-7. This set-up shoots lights out, literally half minute groups out to 1000 yards if I do my part. While shooting recently at a 943 yard target with my gun dialed to 950 yards, the corrected yardage from my G-7 rangefinder, I was hitting the 30" x 20" steel plate about 9.5"" high. I thought this was a little wacky but continued to shoot and finished with quite a nice group at that distance, roughly an 8" group but all 9-9.5" high. I started dialing my scope dial down a click at a time, firing one shot at each click and finally when I got to the 925 yard marked on my dial I was literally touching the three inch bullseye on the plate. Several shots confirmed that this was in fact where my turret had to be set in order to hit that mark. This disturbed me so I checked the distance with two other range finders that I own to verify it was in fact 943 yards and they were all within a couple of yards of each other. I thought I should check it at mid range so I set up a target at 500 yards and found I was also shooting high, roughly 5.5", at that distance as well. I went back to the two hundred target which is what my gun was originally zeroed for and the group was right on. Well needless to say this was driving me crazy so I took a buddy out the next afternoon who had purchased the identical setup as mine so I could see if it was just me. His G-7 range finder found the target to be at the same range as mine and he dialed it up and proceeded to shoot lights out, dead nuts on for elevation, at least for a new shooter to the long range world. He then asked me if I wanted to shoot his rifle, of course I said yes and dropped one in the chamber, nice smooth squeeze on the trigger and bang, 9" high, three time in a row. Someone please tell me what I am doing wrong to cause this phenomena. I make sure to adjust my parallax before every shot but I am consistently hitting high at the longer ranges. This weekend I am having my buddy shoot my setup to see if he gets the same results with it as I do. I know it is something crazy that I am probably doing but I need someone to set me on the right path before I loose my mind.gun)
What was the angle from your shooting position to the 500 and 943yds targets? Wind?

What was the terrain like?

I'm guessing you had one of these issues.

1)An upslope wind.

2)A good tail wind.

3)Failure to account for a slight downhill angle.

4)Scope height is incorrect.
 
So what you are saying is ....you are 9" high from what you "should" be with your rifle at 9xx yards. Your friend shoots the same target the next day with his own gun, uses the G7, and is dead nutz on. You slip behind HIS setup, with no changes in zero, and proceeded to shoot 9" high?
 
So what you are saying is ....you are 9" high from what you "should" be with your rifle at 9xx yards. Your friend shoots the same target the next day with his own gun, uses the G7, and is dead nutz on. You slip behind HIS setup, with no changes in zero, and proceeded to shoot 9" high?

Yep, that's what he said.....

I'm thinking he ought to lean into it harder. Too soft shoulder pressure and cheek weld will allow recoil to affect bullet elevation. That's why bench rest stocks are "bag riders".

Just chiming in....
 
My scope height is 1.75" from center of barrel.
Yes I did use the exact same rest for all of the shooting.
The 950 yard target is at an elevation of 3715, the Bench is at 3625
Wind was crossing from Left to Right at about 6-7 Miles per hour based on my Kestrel 2500
Thanks for all the great information, I am headed to the range again in the morning to try out some of your guys suggestions. Will post results on Monday. Thanks Guys!
 
My scope height is 1.75" from center of barrel.
Yes I did use the exact same rest for all of the shooting.
The 950 yard target is at an elevation of 3715, the Bench is at 3625
Wind was crossing from Left to Right at about 6-7 Miles per hour based on my Kestrel 2500
Thanks for all the great information, I am headed to the range again in the morning to try out some of your guys suggestions. Will post results on Monday. Thanks Guys!
It's really easy to get your eye/sight alignment/cheek weld off when shooting up/downhill.

Like others said earlier in the thread that's very likely your only issue.

See Roe's thread on the subject and work at it a bit and see if that helps.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/anti-cant-consistency-151181/
 
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