New Rifle complete! Got a couple pics.

[Norwest Alta]

Originally Posted by Nyksta

Elevation clicks have never been the difficult part of long range shooting. As long as airpressure and humidity are similar, your bullet drop is nothing more than dialing in what youve dialed in previously. Wind at long range is the problem. And if you're wrong at your wind estimation when you shoot at an animal, then theres a high potential for a long lingering painful death that you wont be around for to harvest the meat. That would be a shameful waste. Maybe off your deck isnt the place you should be sniping elk from. Get your boots on and make an ethical shot.

I'm gonna differ here. My thoughts are if you're shooting off your deck chances are you've got your shooting bench and the rest of the riggin to make the shot. My thoughts are you'd be more then likely to make that long poke then the guy free hand at 300 or leaninģ on a willow branch at 300.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Norwest Alta

I'm gonna differ here. My thoughts are if you're shooting off your deck chances are you've got your shooting bench and the rest of the riggin to make the shot. My thoughts are you'd be more then likely to make that long poke then the guy free hand at 300 or leaninģ on a willow branch at 300.

I once gut shot a deer at 300yds because I refused to hold off the deer. The wind was extreme, the guy I was with is an expirienced long range shooter and called the shot. He said to aim 1 foot in front of the deer which was facing nose to the wind. I couldn’t get myself to hold on air so I put the crosshairs on its brisket (I was sitting using barbed wire fence post as a rest and had just ran about 600yds to get into position because it was nearing legal shooting light and it was overcast so it was already pretty dark). Took the shot and clipped the liver and guts. He ran about 200yds then stood hunched for about 5 minutes before walking into the bush. I found him about 100yds in the bush the next morning.

So even at 300yds the wind can play a major roll.

[Norwest Alta]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

I once gut shot a deer at 300yds because I refused to hold off the deer. The wind was extreme, the guy I was with is an expirienced long range shooter and called the shot. He said to aim 1 foot in front of the deer which was facing nose to the wind. I couldn’t get myself to hold on air so I put the crosshairs on its brisket (I was sitting using barbed wire fence post as a rest and had just ran about 600yds to get into position because it was nearing legal shooting light and it was overcast so it was already pretty dark). Took the shot and clipped the liver and guts. He ran about 200yds then stood hunched for about 5 minutes before walking into the bush. I found him about 100yds in the bush the next morning.

So even at 300yds the wind can play a major roll.

Of course the wind plays a role. Not saying it doesn't but a proper rest like your shooting bench does wonders for accuracy.

[marky_mark]

It wouldn’t be very hard to set up some flags to verify the wind a couple of times in between your deck and where the animals normally come out

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Norwest Alta

Of course the wind plays a role. Not saying it doesn't but a proper rest like your shooting bench does wonders for accuracy.

I understood your post and agree with it, I was just adding that even at 300 yds my bullet drifted nearly 18”. This was an extreme case though, I bet the winds were a sustained 50km with gusts to 90km.

[Norwest Alta]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

I understood your post and agree with it, I was just adding that even at 300 yds my bullet drifted nearly 18”. This was an extreme case though, I bet the winds were a sustained 50km with gusts to 90km.

I choose to stay inside on those days. I'm a fair weather hunter Lol. I've got to say after antelope hunting reading the wind and shooting in it consistently takes skill imo.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Norwest Alta

I choose to stay inside on those days. I'm a fair weather hunter Lol. I've got to say after antelope hunting reading the wind and shooting in it consistently takes skill imo.

High BC bullets sure help on those windy days!

[Beeman3]

A bipod and rear bag makes for an incredibly stable platform. I use “shooter” for all my longrange work. Easy to use and has been accurate for me. Use it at the range and once my load and drops are confirmed I tape drop charts in MOA to my stock. Makes for quick range and dial. Plus then I’m never tied to a custom turret for elevation or a certain load. Now if I could read the wind better!!! Looking forward to your next range trip.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Beeman3

A bipod and rear bag makes for an incredibly stable platform. I use “shooter” for all my longrange work. Easy to use and has been accurate for me. Use it at the range and once my load and drops are confirmed I tape drop charts in MOA to my stock. Makes for quick range and dial. Plus then I’m never tied to a custom turret for elevation or a certain load. Now if I could read the wind better!!! Looking forward to your next range trip.

I get a custom burnt turret included with the purchase of the rifle so I’ll get one made up for this rifle but still have the original turret that comes with the rifle. For hunting I’d rather just have the yardage on the turret.

I’m looking forward to my next trip to the cabin too!

[Beeman3]

I’ve never used a dedicated turret. I’m sure they work. Lots of guys use them. I like the flexibility of using shooter app. I’m at 1500 ft elevation here in Manitoba. Hunt elk in Alberta every year. I just make a drop chart for my elevation in Alberta. Worked good on my bull elk at 625 yds last year. Hunt Louisiana and Texas last year as well. Had guys in Louisiana hitting water bottles at 535 yds with my 6.5x47. That’s basically at sea level. I think both options work. Just gotta use what you’re comfortable with.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Beeman3

I’ve never used a dedicated turret. I’m sure they work. Lots of guys use them. I like the flexibility of using shooter app. I’m at 1500 ft elevation here in Manitoba. Hunt elk in Alberta every year. I just make a drop chart for my elevation in Alberta. Worked good on my bull elk at 625 yds last year. Hunt Louisiana and Texas last year as well. Had guys in Louisiana hitting water bottles at 535 yds with my 6.5x47. That’s basically at sea level. I think both options work. Just gotta use what you’re comfortable with.

If you travel a lot for your hunting there’s no point in having a custom turret made, I’ve hunted the same area for over 20 years, my elevation never changes. It is nice to have two turret caps though, a custom dial for my home range hunts and the original for anything else.

[lannie]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

If you travel a lot for your hunting there’s no point in having a custom turret made, I’ve hunted the same area for over 20 years, my elevation never changes. It is nice to have two turret caps though, a custom dial for my home range hunts and the original for anything else.

The conditions in your are home area are always changing. You could shoot one day and have the atmospheric conditions for exactly that physical elevation. Go out again at another time and it could have the effects on bullet flight that were 1000 feet higher. It's no different than traveling to other areas to hunt.

Congrats on the beautiful rifle.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by lannie

The conditions in your are home area are always changing. You could shoot one day and have the atmospheric conditions for exactly that physical elevation. Go out again at another time and it could have the effects on bullet flight that were 1000 feet higher. It's no different than traveling to other areas to hunt.

Congrats on the beautiful rifle.

Thank you.


Do you think the atmospheric conditions can have enough effect to changebthe poi enough on a deer sized target to matter, say out to 600 or even 800yds? It's an honest question because I have no idea.

[Norwest Alta]

I don't know about the atmospheric conditions affecting your shot but I would bet with the brake you'll be able to spot your hits and misses at distance and make the appropriate corrections.

[lannie]

If you use a program for shooting it is going to take the atmospheric conditions into the calculation. If you do shoot at 1 mile without the correction it could be enough to miss. Plug different variables into something online a check it out. I snipe or ?

When Grant Notley died in the plane crash it was because he flew into a rise in terrain because they did not do proper adjustment on altimeter to get the proper density altitude. It can easily make a pilot believe he is hundreds of feet higher than he actually is.

[marky_mark]

Temp and air pressure changes will change the velocity of your bullet. It’s just a matter of how Much. Some powders are really good, some not so much.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by lannie

If you use a program for shooting it is going to take the atmospheric conditions into the calculation. If you do shoot at 1 mile without the correction it could be enough to miss. Plug different variables into something online a check it out. I snipe or ?

When Grant Notley died in the plane crash it was because he flew into a rise in terrain because they did not do proper adjustment on altimeter to get the proper density altitude. It can easily make a pilot believe he is hundreds of feet higher than he actually is.

I just tried changing the atmospheric pressure from 29hg to 29.5hg and it changed the poi 1/4moa, which for really long range or competitive shooting I think could make a difference but not for hunting I don’t think. I’m not even sure how much the hg fluctuates, I just got those numbers off a chart.

[lannie]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

I just tried changing the atmospheric pressure from 29hg to 29.5hg and it changed the poi 1/4moa, which for really long range or competitive shooting I think could make a difference but not for hunting I don’t think. I’m not even sure how much the hg fluctuates, I just got those numbers off a chart.

It's the same thing as changing where you are hunting. If it does not make much difference to you at home it won't make much difference in Africa either.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by lannie

It's the same thing as changing where you are hunting. If it does not make much difference to you at home it won't make much difference in Africa either.

Changing from 600ft to 2000ft above sea level changed it by 2 moa at 800yds.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

Changing from 600ft to 2000ft above sea level changed it by 2 moa at 800yds.

Correction, that’s 2 clicks, 1/2 moa.

[Smokinyotes]

When I first started shooting out to 1100 I always used a ballistic app now I know with my 7 LRM if I dial 23.5 moa it gets me pretty close, within about a 1/2 moa either way. Same with the 6.5-284, 28 moa gets me in the ball park. The big variable is always the wind.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

When I first started shooting out to 1100 I always used a ballistic app now I know with my 7 LRM if I dial 23.5 moa it gets me pretty close, within about a 1/2 moa either way. Same with the 6.5-284, 28 moa gets me in the ball park. The big variable is always the wind.

Do you read the mirage? The mirage was really bad when I was shooting, like some of the worst I’ve seen. The problem it posed was being so bad it was hard to read the mirage farther out because it was so thick closer up. The wind was only about 3-5km at a diagonal that day so I only held about an inch or so off center.

[Smokinyotes]

Yes mirage is about all you can go by without any flags. When the mirage is real bad we will turn the magnification down to about 6-8x.

[Stinky Coyote]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

I just tried changing the atmospheric pressure from 29hg to 29.5hg and it changed the poi 1/4moa, which for really long range or competitive shooting I think could make a difference but not for hunting I don’t think. I’m not even sure how much the hg fluctuates, I just got those numbers off a chart.

I set up my 270wsm back in the day for long range, collected data to about 600, back calc true bc and then had turret to match for I think 5000’ at whatever pressure and temp I chose to middle most conditions. Kept data to 1000 yards and tested at 920-ish one day. Landed within 6” of point of aim. Using rules of thumb for every 1000’ elevation and or 20 degree of temp I over compensated by about 2 clicks. I was likely at least 8500’ high, temp wasn’t a factor, so just my elevation was out by two.

Moral was I should have just dialed to what I had instead of backing off two clicks for elevation as I hit low. Dead critter either way but if you set up around 5000’ and 40 degree f etc, just dial and hold to way out there. Trust the set up. Not their setup...your setup.✌️

[260 Rem]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

Yes mirage is about all you can go by without any flags. When the mirage is real bad we will turn the magnification down to about 6-8x.

No idea if this really reduces the effect as I haven’t tried it yet ... buddy loaned me a screw-in objective lenses cover with a hole drilled in the center.

[Smokinyotes]

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

No idea if this really reduces the effect as I haven’t tried it yet ... buddy loaned me a screw-in objective lenses cover with a hole drilled in the center.

I would be interested to know if that does help with mirage.
I actually prefer shooting on overcast days with no wind or in the evenings a couple hours before sunset.

A couple times last year we went to shoot mid day when it was hot and sunny and the target looked like you were shooting through a waterfall.

[Don_Parsons]

The applied ballistics books have lots of information about this.

I call it the water lines.

Nice to see,,, crap to shoot through.

Once we pick up on the drifts, lower the power,,, a home made heat shield makes a world of difference.

Lots of heat waves off the barrel in the winter months.

👍

[KCL]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

If you travel a lot for your hunting there’s no point in having a custom turret made, I’ve hunted the same area for over 20 years, my elevation never changes. It is nice to have two turret caps though, a custom dial for my home range hunts and the original for anything else.

If you travel a lot, you just need a Gunwerks BR 2500 programmed for your turret. Easy peasy.