Set my mind at ease plz

[1984nitro]

So in my complete boredom I have been reading a lot on extreme spread and accuracy for shooting long range. This will be the first year that I will be trying to stretch my shoot over 350yds on big game. I have been shooting tons of rock chucks and ground squirrel out to 605yd and clay pidgeons out to 833yds. I have chrono'ed my loads shooting 270 win 150 hornady sst 2880fps out of a 26" pac-nor heavy varmint barrel. I have not calculated my es so this has got me thinking that my loads might not be that good. Shooting avg 1/3" at 100yds and every chuck that it points at out to 605 yds. So my question do I still need to calculate the es or does this data stand in for it?
I'm I just double guessing my result on target in field conditions?
Thanks for all the info
Eric

 

[dancoman]

If you're hitting 4'' clay pidgeons at 833 yrds, ease your mind and go have fun

 

[1984nitro]

Ok maybe your right it just seem that the big deal is to have a great ES before you can shoot long range. So if you can hit small targets out to the desired range then there is no need to find the ES and SD?

 

[Derek M.]

Numbers and calculations are excellent tools. But who the hell needs them when you repeatedly shoot those little four inch targets that far away?

 

[johnnyk]

Don't let the ES/SD numbers worry you too much. If you're shooting over a chrono you should be able to retrieve them from it. I guess most chrono's provide these numbers.
Just to ease your mind, I have developed some loads that had ES/SD's in the single digits and accuracy ran 3/4 - 1" @ 100yds. I try most of these again usually with the same results. Then again, some of the best groups I have shot have had ES/SD's in the teens and up in to the 20's. These performed well at 100yds, out to 500yds, and are very repeatable.
If you can repeatedly bust clay pigeons at 800yds - rock on - you're doing something very right! JohnnyK.

 

[retiredcpo]

1984
I get hung up on numbers vel ect
My 7mm has what I consider very low velocity
so when i get extra time on my hands i start over figuring this and start freaking out
this gun shoot great out to 1000 yards
sounds like your gun shoots do worry about the numbers shoot it and have fun

 

[4xforfun]

If you are compeating in 600 - 1000 yard comp, the, yep...worry about it. Otherwise...you are doing just fine!!!!

Have fun!!

 

[SBruce]

Ok maybe your right it just seem that the big deal is to have a great ES before you can shoot long range. So if you can hit small targets out to the desired range then there is no need to find the ES and SD?

You hit the nail right on the head there buddy! If you're hitting them consistantly, shot after shot, then the ES is low enough that it doesn't really matter what exactly it is. If you hit once, then miss low once, then hit again, then miss high the next time............you may want to check your ES.

I am glad to hear that someone's actually practicing and shooting on small targets at the distance they plan on hunting big targets before they try it....................In contrast to using the chrony and ballistic software as a substitute for it. I often wonder how many folks really put in the range time and proper "homework" before the hunt. Years ago, we didn't have rangefinders and ballistic software, so range time was the only way to do it.

 

[1984nitro]

thanks everyone for you input. It all helps I guess I need to get off the computer and back to the range and field to dial in my shooting some more.
Thanks
Eric Knight

 

[djtjr]

if it aint broke dont fix it.