Looking for some Kestrel tips

[LennyITI]

Been shooting this set up for 6 years or so off and on. It is a 6.5 CM surgeon rifle with schmitt bender 5X20. 140 Berger at 2770 fps. Ive shot 1000 yards comfortably and 830 alot since that is as far as I can shoot at my place. This past week end I got with my nieghbor and now I can shoot 1 mile. It was windy 3-7 mph winds changing often,Iam shooting across 3 valleys. I only had 12 loads . 1 hit, 5 hit the trees off target to both sides. I was good on elevation but didnt hold correct for wind. Just learning the kestrel. I put in 326 degree but my dumb question is do you switch back to weather from ballistic when checking wind? I just ordered the wind vane kit. Gotta admit the wind kicked my butt pretty bad. I learned I only thought I was good.. LOL

 

[milo-2]

Been shooting this set up for 6 years or so off and on. It is a 6.5 CM surgeon rifle with schmitt bender 5X20. 140 Berger at 2770 fps. Ive shot 1000 yards comfortably and 830 alot since that is as far as I can shoot at my place. This past week end I got with my nieghbor and now I can shoot 1 mile. It was windy 3-7 mph winds changing often,Iam shooting across 3 valleys. I only had 12 loads . 1 hit, 5 hit the trees off target to both sides. I was good on elevation but didnt hold correct for wind. Just learning the kestrel. I put in 326 degree but my dumb question is do you switch back to weather from ballistic when checking wind? I just ordered the wind vane kit. Gotta admit the wind kicked my butt pretty bad. I learned I only thought I was good.. LOL

The upper left button is the back or exit key, it will back you out of anything you get into.
Friendly advice, get that target out in the open more, see a miss better. And 7mph wind days are mild out here in the west, lol

 

[milo-2]

Ok, spoke too soon, hit top left button, now toggle sideways arrows, you have Ballistics, Easy, and Weather

 

[LennyITI]

Does it factor in direction that you have it sitting? I didnt see any where to input wind direction? Im Adding sides to target to see the hits.

 

[milo-2]

I wish I could tell you the manual would walk you through all this, or better yet have you beside me. Friends walked me through it, and I am not good at this as you can see, took 2 posts for a simple question, lol
First, unless you really want to know, no reason to be in weather mode, the unit updates itself all the time, and corrects any ballistics it gives you.
This is the ballistics screen, you can see target and wind populated, use scroll down arrow to access wind.

Ok, scroll down one to wind, hit center button, not sure what that button is called, but it activates your selection, now this screen should pop up.

Using your scrolling keys, navigate through this, side arrows change position and wind speeds.

Feel free to pm me, we could chat on phone, but trust me, there are guys that could simplify this more than myself, lol

 

[LennyITI]

Thank you, I was doing that. Just didnt know if I was missing something. I only used it before in weather mode, I just added my gun profile to use the ballistic. I got me a Target vision camera coming and I am adding width to my target till I learn what the heck Im doing at this distance. The kestrel is so easy to use I guess I was over thinking it. Thought I was missing something. Does the coriolis effect at 1760 and 3.2 seconds of flight time move that much?

 

[milo-2]

Thank you, I was doing that. Just didnt know if I was missing something. I only used it before in weather mode, I just added my gun profile to use the ballistic. I got me a Target vision camera coming and I am adding width to my target till I learn what the heck Im doing at this distance. The kestrel is so easy to use I guess I was over thinking it. Thought I was missing something. Does the coriolis effect at 1760 and 3.2 seconds of flight time move that much?

Let me say this first, you are shooting a 6.5 creed at a mile, it is not a mile gun. Will you get hits, of coarse, that does not mean that you are going to learn a ton doing so. I can shoot a 22LR to 500 yards, and can dial almost all of it, does not mean anything I do with a 22 converts over to a centerfire rifle.
I myself do not mess with Coriolis, too many other factors involved in making a shot that far off. I am not saying it is not a player though, just not for me. I do utilize spin drift in apps, and think the kestrel figures it automatically. but make sure at certain distances it is not over compensating.
With the velocity of your rd, you would be so much better off trying to figure things out in the 12-1300 yard range than a mile, but we learn, or can learn from every shot taken. But learning on the trailing edge of ballistics, may not really be learning. Does this make sense?

 

[yobuck]

Your doing well at the distances youve been shooting because its within the capability aspects of the cartridge your using. However the 1 mile distance is well beyond that, at least for consistent accuracy results.
About the same as throwing a hail mary pass, where you can only hope for good results.
As for the Kestrel, again i think your expecting more than it is capable of doing.
You actually got the best information possible by firing the first shot.
Assuming of coarse you or someone watching you shoot saw the hit.
Sight corrections could and should be made off that information.
The fact that the shots were widely scattered proves my point that the distance is beyond the capability of the cartridge, and has no bearing on anything else.

 

[LennyITI]

Point well taken. I have several targets out to 830 yards at my place. I have to travel away to get to 1000. The mile shot was just on my bucket list. May have to invest in another gun because I can probably get up to 2500 yards at the same target. It has been a while since shooting was a hard challange

 

[yobuck]

Point well taken. I have several targets out to 830 yards at my place. I have to travel away to get to 1000. The mile shot was just on my bucket list. May have to invest in another gun because I can probably get up to 2500 yards at the same target. It has been a while since shooting was a hard challange

Well if you intend to continue shooting at those type of distances, then a larger cartridge should be given some serious thought.
Now that could open another can of worms also, as to (which) cartridge would be best suited.
The cost of the build of the gun wont vary much from one to the other, assuming you use similar parts.
Brass and other loading cost can differ however as well as the possibility of needing different loading equipment for the larger ones.
But again, all 338s arent created equal when it comes to sending them to the types of distances your interested in.
Yes you can buy a factory version 338 lapua and it will do a better job for you than what you have.
But i doubt very much if you will be happy very long.
For sure dont go for the build one like mine comments you will get lots of.
You are fortunate enough to live in an area that has some of the best gunsmiths in the country for building long range guns. Id advise taking your time and talking to a few of them before going further.
Bruce Baer would be a good place to start.

 

[LennyITI]

I was looking at Cadex 375 Enabelr Pros/cons?

 

[yobuck]

Id personally be thinking bench, and big as in both cartridge and weight.
Browse around at Bob Whites Shooters Corner website for awhile.
Used custom guns arent always easy to sell, and a new barrel isnt all that costly.

 

[entoptics]

To further the "not enough gun" comments, a 140 VLD at 2770 fps hits the sound barrier at about 1500 yds, and begins the transition around 1250 yds. If there's even a little disturbance in its flight, that disturbance will be propagated for another 250-500 yds before arriving at 1760 yds.

If you are interested in dabbling at ELR, without diving into a monster bore custom, something to consider is the "sleeper" 7mm Rem Mag (or STW, 28 Nosler). My 26", 1:8 will keep a ~0.75 G1 bullet (180 ELD-M, 195 Berger, 190 A-Tip, etc) supersonic well past a mile. Slap a 28" tube on there, and you could probably get a ~0.7 G1 bullet to stay supersonic near enough a mile.

 

[LennyITI]

I have a best of the west 7 mag but it is my hunting rifle and not enough scope to shoot that far, Im looking at getting a 375 cheytac or Enablr