The Long Range Precision Shooting Thread

My groups weren't too bad once I got it sighted, but at 200ft the front sight was larger than the target so that being precise was difficult. I was always told how the 8mm rifle was a great long distance shot but with the peep sights on it I don't see how you could be accurate at over 100 yards with anything smaller than a buffalo! I'll try to get some video up later.

Oy vey!

just shoot buffalo!

You'd be surprised at some of the groups that, say, NRA High Power shooters are capable of achieving at 300-600 yards with iron sights. The bullseye of a target at those distances might appear a mere speck, but is actually fairly large when viewed up close. They have to learn where the bullet is going and what sort of a sight-picture they need to get those groups. It can be done.

I'm sure those who put thousands of rounds thru guns over years get that good. Best I was able to do was center the front in the rear and then try to center the front on the target. I did think about sighting the gun so the center was actually on top of the front site instead of behind it.

When shooting at a circular black bull, it's best to use a 6 o'clock hold and "dot the i". But that means the shots might be a little high for other targets. But I still think it's the best way to go. And don't forget, and I hope I'm not sounding like a broken record here, simply look through the rear sight and don't bother trying to center anything, your eye will do that for you automatically. Just focus on the front and, to a slightly lesser extent, the target.

On both my Marlin 1895 and M1 carbine, I added a little piece of tru-glo to the front sight which makes me focus on that and automatically just center the rear peep, but I don't try to hold the front sight at the 6 oclock in the rear peep. However, I do hold the front sight on the 6 oclock of the target inner bull, which just works better for me.

That's what I meant, don't worry about the rear peep, just use a 6 o'clock hold on the bull. Just look through the rear sight and forget it.

A little video of shooting and sighting in the 6mm with some shots of the peep site at the end.
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I use that same rear sight on my air rifle, and have not been able to discern a whole heck of a lot of difference between the small apature, the large apature, and using the rear ring and no apature in function.

Behing that I don't do lots of bench work with anything, just having an open ring functions well enough to blast what I'm looking at.

My now deceased dad was a big believer in peep or receiver sights. For hunting purposes he'd unscrew the aperture and just use the rear ring without it, sort of a "ghost ring" almost, and we could never tell much difference in the size of the groups, plus it was lots faster in hunting situations.

Also better in low light to use a big aperture. Hard to see much through a tiny one at dusk.

Took my other (first) Savage (12 BVSS .308) out to the range today after I got in some more Hornady 168 BTHP bullets in. The thing has been a slight mystery, but after putting a harmonic killer and getting the action screw torques right, I thought I had it consistently good. However, my final test today shows that the thing will shoot best when you clean every 3 round group and do not let the barrel get too hot. If I could place my hand on the barrel and it felt nice and warm, it gave .25 minute groups at 100 yds. If I let it get too hot to hold my hand on, then the groups would start opening up. But I was satisfied today and will continue to shoot it that way with the original Savage fluted barrel. I was shooting next to a Hewlett Packard exec with a $4000 Desert Tactical SRS in .308 (with a $3400 Schmidt and Bender scope) so the lil Savage was really trying hard. By the way, the HP exec was letting his associates shoot the expensive sniper rifle and their groups were about 2-3 minutes at 100 yds. Just goes to show ya.....

Ever shoot 1/4 inch steel plate with Russian 7.62X54? Is this what happened to you also?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQxL7VFXQ9I
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Not to worry, all damage is easily repaired. :)

What powder are you using? I have a 112BT that won't really perform until I feed it loads using IMR 4064, with others I have tried, accuracy has been fair to poor, but any load I've tried using 4064 shoots 1/2 or less.

I have been using 40 gr H4895 for most of the time. This is a light load but seems to be as accurate as any. I just the other day tried 43 gr H4895 to be sure I was homed in. I also tried some Varget at 40 and 43 gr this week and it shoots about the same as H4895, but the 4895 granules are slightly smaller, so I like it better. H4895 is supposed to be one of the most temperature insensitive powders, so that is a plus. I have also tried RL-15 and it shoots about the same, but 4895 seems the best. I personally think that barrel/action temperature effects (along with barrel 'cleanliness') and vibration have more to do with consistency than the actual powders (for a good set of powders). Also, OAL has a lot to do with accuracy, especially with Savages.

Seems as though I just read that recently but I don't recall where. Best guess would be that it was in one of the Precision Shooting back issues that I pull out when I run out of current reading material but...

Weather permitting, I need to pull my 700VS out of storage and run some rounds through it this week. Next Sunday is the club's annual Lemon Shoot. Haven't tried it for a number of years now and never have hit the Lemon at 500 yds, just need to try it again.


Bruce

thank you. It answered a question that I had never thought to ask - why certain bullets are called 'ball', and general history too

I was impressed by the accuracy from so long ago and the range too

Hay Ewe

Two firsts today for me by total accident. Went to the range to put in some cleanup work with the crew and met one of the guys who shoots Palma guns on the 600 yd range. He let me shoot his Tubb 2000 in 6XC and certified me on the range, as required by club bylaws. I then shot my Savage 10 .308 on the range without changing the scope zero at 200 by holding on minute of tree branch above the target. Got a few in the 6 ring, so not bad for my first time. But I won't be doing this extra long distance stuff too much because it is mucho trouble. Here is a Tubb 2000:

Buehler, Buehler, .......??