The Long Range Precision Shooting Thread

[doc_ricketts]

Picked up a Shooting Times magazine special issue at Fred Meyers today call 'Guide to Long-Range Accuracy'. It is a bunch of frothy articles about 'sniper' type rifles, ammo tests, scope ballistics settings, etc. Also some good new gun tests and a compilation/description of currently available longe range shooting hardware. I give it about a B- in quality, but is pretty unique. The best 'article/review' was on the Sako TRG-42 (.338 Lapua) and the 'quest for cold-bore accuracy'. I recommend the publication and have learned quite a bit from the stuff inside.

[Rubber Cow]

Yeah! Another gun thread!
I shoot long range "sniper" matches in the PNW as well as tactical and 3-gun.
My current long-range rig is a Remington 700p in .308 in an Accuracy International Chasis. I'm in the process of converting this gun to a switch barrel setup with the option of going to .260. Some of the long range matches limit calibers to .223 or .308.
I occasionally get to shoot out of Helos


The rifle

I've hit 18" steel at 1135 yds with this rig.

Here are some of my vintage Brititsh sticks:

[Hay Ewe]

Originally Posted by Rubber Cow

The rifle

I've hit 18" steel at 1135 yds with this rig.

WANT and WANT to be able to do


Hay Ewe

[cms81586]

SR-25 EMC







Sako TRG-22



Wife putting rounds on steel at 1030yds.

[P B G]

Originally Posted by doc_ricketts

I guess I will put up a little 'long distance' data. I had some issues with my Savage 12 in .308 and finally figured out that it was action screw torque values and barrel harmonics.

I have a very similar Rifle, but in a Ruger.



I've had some issues with mine as well. I have it in .223, and have used a number of ammunitions, and found that the Hornady V-Max stuff is pretty good through it. Consistantly measuring 5 rounds in .6" at 100 yards.

My biggest issues with it are that it is really not that comfortable to shoot. I feel like I need to take a file and open up the thumb groove to get my wrist into a comfortable position with it on bags or a bipod.

It is also a heavy sucker, and I have found that the mojority of times I would use it, I grab my .17 HMR, quite frankly, on woodchucks I rarely get opportunities to test the ballistics of either round. And my .17 HMR is perhaps slightly better on 5 round grouping than the .223 despite its lower weight. If I had a longer range to work them out on I might get a better feel for this.

[doc_ricketts]

Originally Posted by cms81586

SR-25 EMC







Sako TRG-22



Wife putting rounds on steel at 1030yds.

You know your guns, bud. I live a few miles from where the SR-25s are made in Vero Beach, FL and played with one in the store there that stocks their stuff. I also visited the Navy Seal museum where the lifeboat from the Maersk Alabama sits with bullet holes from the Seal's SR-25s that took out the bad guys and rescued the Alabama's captain. And as mentioned I just read the review on the TRG-42 (.338 Lapua) and it seems that it is the ultimate 'cold shot' sniper rifle.

[papalobster]

I picked up a Savage Model 12 VLP DBM in .308 for the missus yesterday. I plan to, uh, take her shooting Sunday. Short range, 200 yards or so. I don't have dies for 308 (yet) and was wondering if anyone could recommend decent off the shelf ammunition for it.


We joined a local club that I found has a 600 yard range, my co-worker shoots his Garand there. I hope to see what it does atthat range, but first I'm going to need to work up a load that prints well at 1 and 200 yards.

[Rubber Cow]

Originally Posted by papalobster

I picked up a Savage Model 12 VLP DBM in .308 for the missus yesterday. I plan to, uh, take her shooting Sunday. Short range, 200 yards or so. I don't have dies for 308 (yet) and was wondering if anyone could recommend decent off the shelf ammunition for it.


We joined a local club that I found has a 600 yard range, my co-worker shoots his Garand there. I hope to see what it does atthat range, but first I'm going to need to work up a load that prints well at 1 and 200 yards.

Federal or Privi Match grade ammo with a 168 grain (Sierra) hollow point, boat tail bullet should do just fine. If you want better wind performance and for distances past 800 yds, try a match grade round with a 175 grain bullet.
These rounds aren't cheap but they will reflect the accuracy of the rifle. PM me if your interested in buying .308 dies...I just bought a used rifle that came with RCBS dies....I'll sell them for $20.

[doc_ricketts]

Originally Posted by Rubber Cow

Federal or Privi Match grade ammo with a 168 grain (Sierra) hollow point, boat tail bullet should do just fine. If you want better wind performance and for distances past 800 yds, try a match grade round with a 175 grain bullet.
These rounds aren't cheap but they will reflect the accuracy of the rifle. PM me if your interested in buying .308 dies...I just bought a used rifle that came with RCBS dies....I'll sell them for $20.

I have never shot any store ammo except Federal Match in my Savage 12 .308. And that was just to compare with my hand loads. Also, I like the Hornady 178s and Hornady 168 BTHPs. Have shot Bergers and Sierras as well, but like the Hornadys since they do just as well and are cheaper.

[papalobster]

I went to MidwayUSA and they are out of both kinds of Federal Match. After reading reviews, it seems the Hornady Z-max stuff is really thier match ammunition with clever marketing.

I'll see if I can find any Federal stuff locally I guess.

They sent me home with 2 free boxes of Grizzly zinc plated steel case stuff. I told him if he tried something like that again I wasn't going to buy any more guns there. He said I had to take it or he wouldn't sell me any more guns.

I do like buying stuff at mom n pop stores that play polka music in the background.

[Sniper X]

Oddly enough, I got a fair offer onmy Erma SR100 so went out and put three rounds thru it last evening. Cool, clear, no wind, about 74f. 1200m silhouette (mil man sized. All three rounds in about a 5in circle about 3in off the X. Too bad I have to sell it! Oh, this was the .338 LM barrel. I haven't shot that rifle in a year or two either.

[toolfan]

Originally Posted by Sniper X

Oddly enough, I got a fair offer onmy Erma SR100 so went out and put three rounds thru it last evening. Cool, clear, no wind, about 74f. 1200m silhouette (mil man sized. All three rounds in about a 5in circle about 3in off the X. Too bad I have to sell it! Oh, this was the .338 LM barrel. I haven't shot that rifle in a year or two either.

That is absolutely amazing. Is that something you can reproduce pretty faithfully, or did the stars just align for you yesterday?

[HardCase]

Originally Posted by Sniper X

Oddly enough, I got a fair offer onmy Erma SR100 so went out and put three rounds thru it last evening. Cool, clear, no wind, about 74f. 1200m silhouette (mil man sized. All three rounds in about a 5in circle about 3in off the X. Too bad I have to sell it! Oh, this was the .338 LM barrel. I haven't shot that rifle in a year or two either.

I went inside this old derelict barn on some property I own with my AK 47 the other day and cranked off three rounds. I am not sure, but think I may have hit the barn. But, like I said, I'm not 100% certain of that.

[Sniper X]

Originally Posted by toolfan

That is absolutely amazing. Is that something you can reproduce pretty faithfully, or did the stars just align for you yesterday?

Happens with this rifle all the time actually. Most accurate rifle I have ever seen and i have seen quite a few. It has been better too, when I use to actually shoot guns.

[Sniper X]

Originally Posted by HardCase

I went inside this old derelict barn on some property I own with my AK 47 the other day and cranked off three rounds. I am not sure, but think I may have hit the barn. But, like I said, I'm not 100% certain of that.

Thats an AK for you.