quote:

Originally posted by fritz:

The Rifle area sounds like a nice change of pace. Is this a regularly scheduled match?

Monthly match, 1st Saturday of the month. Unfortunately it conflicts with Raton. Last Raton match is in Sept, I'll try to shoot the Rifle match in Oct....

Cool all the targets had names. Target by the lone cedar tree, "cedar tree", that 8" plate at 800yds in the cave, "the cave". Favorite name "two boobs". Rock formation on the canyon wall looked like a perfect set of boobs!

Guessing the canyon wall is 1000-1200' off the floor. In my field of view could not see the top even sooting at the highest target. Most of the time shooting I can see a horizon in the distance, sometimes very far distance which helps me see level, usually I'm fairly close to getting that right. Shooting against that canyon wall with the various rock layer not being level, I was way off. Without the level would have had a tough time getting on the small/far targets. Fun shooting in new places.

Flash some "boobs" and offgrid gets all excited and wins

Congrats. Impressive to go somewhere totally new and beat them. Sounds like a cool match.

what are you guys using for logbooks for your rifles, and what kind of information are you recording?

I don't have a logbook for my current rifle, but for this custom I've having built, I'd like to keep one.


Any direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:

Monthly match, 1st Saturday of the month. Unfortunately it conflicts with Raton. Last Raton match is in Sept, I'll try to shoot the Rifle match in Oct....

Cool all the targets had names. Target by the lone cedar tree, "cedar tree", that 8" plate at 800yds in the cave, "the cave". Favorite name "two boobs". Rock formation on the canyon wall looked like a perfect set of boobs!

You were shooting near Grand Teton National Park?

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:
what are you guys using for logbooks for your rifles, and what kind of information are you recording?

Logbooks are often personal preference. You likely don't know what info you want to keep until you have a little trial and error.

I started with the pre-printed books from Impact Data (the full size) and Storm Tactical (the smaller size). I don't like the smaller version from Impact Data -- it's way too small for my eyes. The zippered covers are really important if you're taking the books into the field -- they have places for pens, calculator, highlighter, and clips to keep the pages from blowing in the wind.

Many of the pages in the pre-printed versions aren't all that useful to me. I don't really plot impacts on targets anymore. The general note pages are very useful to me. The general reference pages on conversions and wind are useful. Since I use factory ammo at different density altitudes, most of my data books are JBM ballistics tables for various ammo and different DAs. My data books also include the Impact Data Books' round count book, so I can measure barrel life.

I use a little square pocket notebook from Walmart. I will record both my loading and shooting results. I have a book from Impact that Ive just logged shots and cleaning info. I can go back to any day I shot and look at the load, the conditions, and the results. I also toss general shooting notes and my progress or lack thereof.

As always I envy you guys who have the opportunity to attend these interesting matches.
They are few and far away here in Central MT. But a few of us are hoping to change that.

Already building new plate holders for the Great Falls range. They should all be in with plates, well ahead of the normal start in May to the plate shooting season. We shoot Wednesday nights from 6PM to dark. From 675 to 1260 yds.

Hoping to spice that up with some cold bore, closest to the bullseye shoots and shooting for groups as well.

The range in Townsend MT is hosting a free LR shoot monthly. Next shoot is this weekend at 1000-1400. Various plates 200 to 1K yds.

FN in MT

FN in MT, ya I'm fortunate I can shoot a LR steel match every weekend and have surrounded myself with some excellent shooter. Even more fortunate to those match directors giving their time to set up/run these matches. In a coupe years I'll pay that back and get involved in a match.

exx1976, I use something similar to the temp/DA card shown in the Pro Tip #3 video at about 13:00. Have a thermometor clipped to my pack. Can't get much simpler than that, no batteries required!

http://www.precisionrifleserie...and-events/pro-tips/

Note the difference in recoil between the rifles, braked vs supressed.

I'm just looking forward to getting out. The only opportunities Ive had to shoot this winter found me looking out the window with temps hovering around -15F. Ive got so much catching up to do, I dont even know where to start. New glass, new loads, new guns.

Im hoping to sneak up to a semi-local range Ive never been to before just to bust off the rust and get going again. It's been in the 40's up North for the past week or so, but there's a lot of thawing to be done before I can get out with the plates. Ive managed to block my work days together thru the end of April which allows equally sized blocks of days off. Its always easier than trying to pack everything into a few days here and there.

Damn...cant wait!

quote:

Originally posted by entropy:
I'm just looking forward to getting out. The only opportunities Ive had to shoot this winter found me looking out the window with temps hovering around -15F. Ive got so much catching up to do, I dont even know where to start. New glass, new loads, new guns.

Im hoping to sneak up to a semi-local range Ive never been to before just to bust off the rust and get going again. It's been in the 40's up North for the past week or so, but there's a lot of thawing to be done before I can get out with the plates. Ive managed to block my work days together thru the end of April which allows equally sized blocks of days off. Its always easier than trying to pack everything into a few days here and there.

Damn...cant wait!

Have you been able to sort out your calendar to make it to the SF shoot up here on May 2nd?

All depends on Miss Entropy's equine schedule. I dont bid my May schedule until April 1. I plan on bidding the time off, but what will be going on is the question. I think the horse event dates will be finalized soon.

After tomorrow morning I should have a good 200 yard zero on my rifle.

Where do I start to try and determine how many MOA at 300, 400 etc?

Do I look at a ballistics chart for the round and get the drop in inches, using the 1 MOA is 1 inch at 100 yards as a starting spot and then determine actuals by shooting?

quote:

Originally posted by TKO:
After tomorrow morning I should have a good 200 yard zero on my rifle.

Where do I start to try and determine how many MOA at 300, 400 etc?

Do I look at a ballistics chart for the round and get the drop in inches, using the 1 MOA is 1 inch at 100 yards as a starting spot and then determine actuals by shooting?

Get your velocity via a chrono, and then plug it into a decent ballistics calculator app like applied ballistics or similar. That will get you close.

quote:

Originally posted by TKO:
After tomorrow morning I should have a good 200 yard zero on my rifle.

Where do I start to try and determine how many MOA at 300, 400 etc?

Do I look at a ballistics chart for the round and get the drop in inches, using the 1 MOA is 1 inch at 100 yards as a starting spot and then determine actuals by shooting?

Assuming your rifle's primary purpose is for target & range, I suggest a 100 yard zero. With a 100 yard zero, all elevation holds are holdovers. With a 200 yard zero, shooting closer than 200 means a hold under. I don't recall your scope type, but if you have a zero lock function for elevation, close shooting might be an issue. Or not.

I'm guessing you don't have access to a chronograph. Muzzle velocity is key to predicting down-range ballistics. What is your barrel length and what is your primary match-grade ammo? If you hand load, we'll need help from others on estimating MV.

It sounds like you have an MOA (as opposed to mil) scope. One of the best lessons I learned in determining downrange ballistics is forgetting about inches or centimeters at the target. Transition to thinking in angular amounts (MOA or mils) to get your bullet to impact on the intended point at a given distance. Instead of thinking "my impact was about 4.5" low at 300 yards", you should be measuring the variance from aim point with your reticle, then correcting via the elevation knob. Thus, in this instance you should think, "my impact was about 1.5 MOA low, so I need to dial up 1.50 MOA and confirm elevation."

Back to the beginning, I recommend zero at 100 yards. Then go out in 100 yard increments to as far as you can. Don't worry about windage all that much -- you will be working on developing elevation.

My time is limited over the next couple of days, but if you can provide ammo type (assuming factory stuff), barrel length, and expected density altitude (or true elevation above sea level plus expected temperature), I will try to run SWAG numbers through JBM to get you a start. At least to get you on paper/steel -- then it's all up to you.

Thanks Fritz and Exx.


No chrono yet, but its on the list to get for my handloading efforts. Will be a range rifle though it may see the odd hunting trip for varmint.

Rifle has a good 100 yard zero on it now.

20in barrel with AAC Brakeout 2.0
Ammo is Corbon 175gr HPBT with an advertised MV of 2650fps.

Temp will be 80 degrees at 2150ft AGL.

Scope is a Vortex 6x24x50 Viper PST FFP.

My assumptions, plugged into JBM
- 2,630 MV, measured 1 foot from muzzle. Corbon ammo tends to be hotter than most, but a lot depends on your barrel. There's a good chance you will get a little higher MV than this.
- 2.0" scope over bore height. I forgot to ask for this measurement. You should confirm.
- 3,000' density altitude. Assuming a comfortably warm day in the Phoenix area. (1,100' ASL)
- 100 yard zero

EDIT -- I just saw your new data. DA will be closer to 4,000'. Let me recalc.

Yards / Elevation, in MOA / wind drift for 10 mph cross wind, in MOA
200 / 1.8 / 1.3
250 / 3.1 / 1.7
300 / 4.5 / 2.0
350 / 6.0 / 2.4
400 / 7.6 / 2.8
450 / 9.3 / 3.2
500 / 11.1 / 3.6
550 / 13.0 / 4.1
600 / 15.1 / 4.5
650 / 17.2 / 5.0
700 / 19.5 / 5.5
750 / 21.9 / 6.0

Start with this and see if it's anywhere near the mark.

What bc did you use, fritz?

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:
What bc did you use, fritz?

I use the Litz pre-programmed number for 175 SMK. The JBM results printout shows G7 .243

Now with 4,000' DA

Yards / Elevation, in MOA / wind drift for 10 mph cross wind, in MOA
200 / 1.8 / 1.3
250 / 3.0 / 1.6
300 / 4.4 / 1.9
350 / 5.9 / 2.3
400 / 7.5 / 2.7
450 / 9.2 / 3.1
500 / 11.0 / 3.5
550 / 12.9 / 3.9
600 / 14.9 / 4.3
650 / 17.0 / 4.8
700 / 19.2 / 5.2
750 / 21.5 / 5.7

I wanted to show the fairly small change in wind and elevation for a 1,000' DA change -- especially for shorter distances. This is in concert with my favorite concept from offgrid -- "hey starbucks, get your head out of your wind/DA/ballistics device and look around".

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:
Now with 4,000' DA

Yards / Elevation, in MOA / wind drift for 10 mph cross wind, in MOA
200 / 1.8 / 1.3
250 / 3.0 / 1.6
300 / 4.4 / 1.9
350 / 5.9 / 2.3
400 / 7.5 / 2.7
450 / 9.2 / 3.1
500 / 11.0 / 3.5
550 / 12.9 / 3.9
600 / 14.9 / 4.3
650 / 17.0 / 4.8
700 / 19.2 / 5.2
750 / 21.5 / 5.7

Thank you sir. Ill use this to check at 200 and 300 this weekend. Ill leave the zero at 100 yards.

For a 1/4MOA scope then 1click at 100 yards is 1/4MOA..

200 is 1/2MOA and so on. How do you calculate the 50 yard increments?

At 500 yards I need to dial 11 MOA. That would be 1 click = 1.25MOA... 9 clicks would be 11.25MOA?

ETA: Thank god for Google. Im thinking inches instead of just MOA. Dial the scope 11MOA, or 44 clicks...

So, for the MOA like 1.8... How do I do that? Closest I could get is 1.75 MOA, right?