matemike
Well-Known Member
Just thought I could share a joyful experience.
I recently loaded my first batch of 7mm Rem Mag ammo and headed to the 300 yard range. My intent is to work my way up to 600, 800 and 1000 yards, but I need permission to use 600+ ranges on my shooting club property. So I planned to meet the RSO and long range marksman the following day to prove my ability at the 600 yard line if all went well at the 300 yard line.
I'm shooting an all factory Browning Medallion A-bolt in 7mm Rem Mag with a Swarovski 1" tube 2.5-12X50 scope. I'm shooting strictly 168 gr. Berger VLD's with a BC of 0.617 in this scenario. Results from the 300 yard line are below. I shot 2 x 3 shot groups with four different kinds of powders. My best single 3 shot group was with 59 gr of Reloader 19 making a 1.058" (0.35 MOA) group. My best 2 x 3 shot group average was with 65 gr. of Reloader 25 making a 1.82" group (0.61 MOA) average.
And for what it's worth, here is a group of 160 gr Federal factory ammo. 6" ~ 2MOA group.
The next day I met with the RSO/ LR Coach and fired at 300 again. I went with the RL 19 because that's what I had the most of remaining in my reloaded stores. I shot another 2 or 2.5" (0.8 MOA) 5 shot group at 300 yards which he was happy with. So he said let's go to 1,000. Hesitantly I said I needed to start at 600. He shrugged and asked why I liked wasting ammo; we'll shoot at 1,000 and you'll do fine. All he told me was to come up 29 MOA and "Coach" will have suggestions once we start to see where we're hitting. My three ballistic charts said to come up 22 to 25 MOA. I shared this info with him and he agreed to start there. Largest problem was that my scope, with the BT, pretty much ran out of elevation as the turret basically spun off the scope. I wasn't too happy with that part, but I did feel 100 positive clicks and was ready to do this. Wind was luckily at our backs at 5-10 mph. I held directly on target. 1st shot was 10" low and to the right of the X. 2nd shot was 11" directly under the X. Coach said to come up another 1/2 MOA. 3rd and 4th shots were 4" directly under the X. He was good with that and I was incredibly impressed that my first ever firing at 1,000 yards was a success. I got my stamp and pass and thanked him for not letting me "waste" ammo at 600 yards. Although I would still not call that wasting ammo. Plenty of practice will be done on windier and cross wind days.
All I have to say to people who want to shoot at 1,000 is to just go do it if you have the opportunity. I had no clue that my inexperience with a factory rifle and rolled up towels as my rests was capable of such a thing. With good direction and a little bit of studying on your bullet drops, shooting 1,000 is a world of fun.
Thank you for all the knowledge gained here on LRH as well. My hats off to you guys.
I recently loaded my first batch of 7mm Rem Mag ammo and headed to the 300 yard range. My intent is to work my way up to 600, 800 and 1000 yards, but I need permission to use 600+ ranges on my shooting club property. So I planned to meet the RSO and long range marksman the following day to prove my ability at the 600 yard line if all went well at the 300 yard line.
I'm shooting an all factory Browning Medallion A-bolt in 7mm Rem Mag with a Swarovski 1" tube 2.5-12X50 scope. I'm shooting strictly 168 gr. Berger VLD's with a BC of 0.617 in this scenario. Results from the 300 yard line are below. I shot 2 x 3 shot groups with four different kinds of powders. My best single 3 shot group was with 59 gr of Reloader 19 making a 1.058" (0.35 MOA) group. My best 2 x 3 shot group average was with 65 gr. of Reloader 25 making a 1.82" group (0.61 MOA) average.
And for what it's worth, here is a group of 160 gr Federal factory ammo. 6" ~ 2MOA group.
The next day I met with the RSO/ LR Coach and fired at 300 again. I went with the RL 19 because that's what I had the most of remaining in my reloaded stores. I shot another 2 or 2.5" (0.8 MOA) 5 shot group at 300 yards which he was happy with. So he said let's go to 1,000. Hesitantly I said I needed to start at 600. He shrugged and asked why I liked wasting ammo; we'll shoot at 1,000 and you'll do fine. All he told me was to come up 29 MOA and "Coach" will have suggestions once we start to see where we're hitting. My three ballistic charts said to come up 22 to 25 MOA. I shared this info with him and he agreed to start there. Largest problem was that my scope, with the BT, pretty much ran out of elevation as the turret basically spun off the scope. I wasn't too happy with that part, but I did feel 100 positive clicks and was ready to do this. Wind was luckily at our backs at 5-10 mph. I held directly on target. 1st shot was 10" low and to the right of the X. 2nd shot was 11" directly under the X. Coach said to come up another 1/2 MOA. 3rd and 4th shots were 4" directly under the X. He was good with that and I was incredibly impressed that my first ever firing at 1,000 yards was a success. I got my stamp and pass and thanked him for not letting me "waste" ammo at 600 yards. Although I would still not call that wasting ammo. Plenty of practice will be done on windier and cross wind days.
All I have to say to people who want to shoot at 1,000 is to just go do it if you have the opportunity. I had no clue that my inexperience with a factory rifle and rolled up towels as my rests was capable of such a thing. With good direction and a little bit of studying on your bullet drops, shooting 1,000 is a world of fun.
Thank you for all the knowledge gained here on LRH as well. My hats off to you guys.
