First range session Cooper Excalibur

[elkhunter11]

I just returned home from the first range session with the Excalibur in 280AI.The temperature was 0 degrees,and it was very wet.I fired one shot at 100 yards after bore sighting,and was dead center height wise but three inches to the right.I made a scope adjustment and fired a three shot group measuring .650".I made one more fine scope adjustment,waited ten minutes for the barrel to cool, then fired a .690" group which was just under 3" high,and centered.My hands were getting cold,so I sat in the truck and warmed up before shooting a .450" group to the same point of impact,so no more scope adjustments were necessary.The average of the three groups was .597",which isn't 1/2",but given the conditions,and this being the first load tested,I am pleased with the results.I am also using a 3x9 scope,so more magnification could shrink the groups a bit.The load was the 140grTTSX ahead of IMR 4831,which is the identical load that my Jackson Hunter prefers.The fact that both guns like the same load certainly doesn't hurt either.

[elkhunter11]

Pictures added.

[double gun]

The Excaliber is a sweet rifle, and then it shoots like that.....what more can one ask for?

[NCC]

Did you chrony the loads? If not, what would you guess MV to be?

[elkhunter11]

With today's conditions,I did not have the Chrony with me.The same load produced 3150fps in my Cooper Jackson Hunter.

[shortaction]

Nice shooting.

Nice firearm

I hear lots of different methods, but what is the proper way to measure a group? Outside to Outside, Center to Center or Inside to Inside?

I have never been to a shooting range so I have never seen it done professionally. I always have done it Center to Center?

That is really nice that both firearms shoot to the same point of impact, makes life a lot simpler.

[elkhunter11]

If there are distinct holes,I measure center to center.If not,I measure outside to outside minus one bullet diameter.

[shortaction]

Thanks for the explanation.

Just looking at the targets again, conditions where poor but in each target 2 went in the same hole basically and on to the side, interesting, wonder if it will continue that pattern?

[elkhunter11]

With only three groups,I wouldn't put much emphasis on that pattern.I am quite sure that given the conditions,cold fingers and glasses fogging up,I was the limiting factor today.

[surhuntsalot]

I love my Excalibur .280 AI. I'm pushing a 140gr. Accubond with 64grs. of Reloader 22. I have had 3 shot groups under .4 at 100 when I can do my part. My girlfriend used it to take her bull elk this fall, then I filled my cow elk tag using it. It also dropped my whitetail buck a couple days ago... all one shot kills...