Range results

[Xiph0id]

So I was at the range not long ago putting my rifle to the test and getting some real numbers.

For years, I relied on the numbers on the box to be close to accurate but never really considered shooting past 250 yards or so due to not knowing for sure.

While at CHAS range I noticed the following.

Shooting a Weatherby Vanguard 2 chambered in 257 wby mag.
Using Nosler 110 brand ammo accubonds 110 gr bullets.

Fired several at each of the 100, 200 and 300 benches.

Zeroed at 200

Box says I should be 1" high at 100 and 5.1" low at 300
Actual is 1" high at 100 and 10" low at 300


Now I know you can never rely on on published data and the only way to know 100% is to shoot at a range but is this normal variance from box data?

Also, side note, grouping at 300 is tough! I can do 1" groups at 100 most of the time, but at 300 is tough. To the guys that shoot 1/4" - 1/2" MOA, congrats.

Thanks.

[DiabeticKripple]

Box data is usually hyped up IME.

You shoot quite a bit slower than the published velocity.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Xiph0id

So I was at the range not long ago putting my rifle to the test and getting some real numbers.

For years, I relied on the numbers on the box to be close to accurate but never really considered shooting past 250 yards or so due to not knowing for sure.

While at CHAS range I noticed the following.

Shooting a Weatherby Vanguard 2 chambered in 257 wby mag.
Using Nosler 110 brand ammo accubonds 110 gr bullets.

Fired several at each of the 100, 200 and 300 benches.

Zeroed at 200

Box says I should be 1" high at 100 and 5.1" low at 300
Actual is 1" high at 100 and 10" low at 300


Now I know you can never rely on on published data and the only way to know 100% is to shoot at a range but is this normal variance from box data?

Also, side note, grouping at 300 is tough! I can do 1" groups at 100 most of the time, but at 300 is tough. To the guys that shoot 1/4" - 1/2" MOA, congrats.

Thanks.

What's the barrel length? Just curious ..... as my Vangaurd, also in 257 WBY does not drop that much - I sighted in 2" high at 100 and at 300 I'm less than 6" drop ...... same factory round .......... strange

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by EZM

What's the barrel length? Just curious ..... as my Vangaurd, also in 257 WBY does not drop that much - I sighted in 2" high at 100 and at 300 I'm less than 6" drop ...... same factory round .......... strange

I’m wondering if there is a difference in speed between their different lines of ammo?

[fps plus]

Thing vary depending on how high your scope is over the bore compared to their test gun.

[NinjaHunter]

Velocities on reloading books and ammo box cannot be trusted to do numerous condition. Which is all fall under internal ballistics of your barrel.

The barrel the reloading manuals and ammo boxes' uses is different from your barrel.

That's why chronographs are very important tools, especially if you're long range shooting. regardless if it is ammo box velocities or published reloading data book.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by EZM

What's the barrel length? Just curious ..... as my Vangaurd, also in 257 WBY does not drop that much - I sighted in 2" high at 100 and at 300 I'm less than 6" drop ...... same factory round .......... strange

Not strange at all. The OP is sighted 1" high at 100 and you are sighted 2" high at 100.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Not strange at all. The OP is sighted 1" high at 100 and you are sighted 2" high at 100.

A one inch difference at 100 - correct.

But the 4" inch difference on paper still equals 3" "total net" difference at 300.

Vanguards come in 24" and 26" tubes ..... not sure if the maybe, I'm guessing, ~100 fps advantage would contribute anything nearly that much. I have not chronographed the difference, or this round, so I don't know exactly.

I have a 26" tube. Most Vanguards have a 24" and I do know the 257 came in both lengths.

[Xiph0id]

Originally Posted by EZM

What's the barrel length? Just curious ..... as my Vangaurd, also in 257 WBY does not drop that much - I sighted in 2" high at 100 and at 300 I'm less than 6" drop ...... same factory round .......... strange

Just the standard 24" barrel I imagine.

[Xiph0id]

Originally Posted by fps plus

Thing vary depending on how high your scope is over the bore compared to their test gun.

Net drop should not be dependent on scope height.
Only impact location.

[fps plus]

The scope height doesn’t change change the net drop but it does change where the bullet crosses the line of sight and therefore the point of impact

[duceman]

Originally Posted by fps plus

The scope height doesn’t change change the net drop but it does change where the bullet crosses the line of sight and therefore the point of impact

you got your work cut out for you here, better off trying to explain the meaning of life on this one. scope height, sight in elevations, none of this matters to a flat shooting weatherby................

[Xiph0id]

Originally Posted by duceman

you got your work cut out for you here, better off trying to explain the meaning of life on this one. scope height, sight in elevations, none of this matters to a flat shooting weatherby................

What are you trying to say?

If my bullet goes from 1" high at 100 yards to 10" low at 300 yards being a 9" difference, how would anything else change that 9"

And I'm taking realistic conditions, not being at sea level or shooting at 30 degree up angle and such

Under my normal hunting conditions.

[Xiph0id]

Originally Posted by fps plus

The scope height doesn’t change change the net drop but it does change where the bullet crosses the line of sight and therefore the point of impact

I understand this 100%
I have a 42mm objective lenses and it's just about touching.
Maybe 1/8 clearance before the caps are on.
About 3-4 paper thicknesses after.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by duceman

you got your work cut out for you here, better off trying to explain the meaning of life on this one. scope height, sight in elevations, none of this matters to a flat shooting weatherby................

Or a 303.....just slide the front sight to the marking you want to be on....increments of 100 yards....end of the day shoot your rifle bullet selection to see what is really happening at different yardage etc....if not your winking at a hot chick in a dark room....bad outcome

[dave99]

Chrony would help to solve your question. It certainly can happen that a MV as tested in a chrony is 100-150fps slower than the manufacturers claim. However, at 300yd, this velocity discrepancy would only account for about 0.6” difference in POI.

As stated above, the height of scope mounting above bore will affect POI at 300yd, but I think that the most likely reason for the discrepancy is in your zero.

You listed that you are zeroing at 200yd. When shooting groups to zero, are you taking 5 consecutive shots? 3? 1? If you are basing your zero on 3 or fewer shots fired, I think that you are getting too limited a sample size to call your zero credible, even if the group size is good, say 3” inch or less at 200yds. What is your group size at 200yds?






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[Dubious]

some factory ammo will be right on with what the box says and some will be off being above or below published speeds. I’ve tested lots with my Labradar, price point of the ammo dosnt always dictate a more honest print on the box I take all that as marketing and just a rough guide the only way to know for sure will be to crono it and there will be variations in lot to lot boxes as well as external and internal ballistics with the test rifles and the test range locations.

[lyallpeder]

I would agree the data on the box is worth nothing. If a person is using the ammo for hunting the least they can do is fire a few at 50, 100, 200 and out to wherever they feel comfortable shooting at.

I take my hunting rifle out a couple times a year, but every October I take it out and shoot 3 at 50, 100,200 and 300 just to remind myself show I shouldn’t shoot past 200 kneeling and remind myself where it’ll hit.

[Xiph0id]

So basically box is a very rough guideline and I know where my rifle shoots at 100, 200 and 300 from shooting several groups at the range.

That's all I need.

[duceman]

Originally Posted by Xiph0id

So basically box is a very rough guideline and I know where my rifle shoots at 100, 200 and 300 from shooting several groups at the range.

That's all I need.

and bingo was his name-o

[Flight01]

Originally Posted by lyallpeder

I would agree the data on the box is worth nothing. If a person is using the ammo for hunting the least they can do is fire a few at 50, 100, 200 and out to wherever they feel comfortable shooting at.

I take my hunting rifle out a couple times a year, but every October I take it out and shoot 3 at 50, 100,200 and 300 just to remind myself show I shouldn’t shoot past 200 kneeling and remind myself where it’ll hit.

Just did this with my 270 and threw in a shot from the 308 too
Attached picture is 270win at 100,225,315,364 yards. Randomly pretended to see a deer and did a field repeatable position. I sat on my back pack, and rested the stock on my trigger stick tripod , with my elbow on my knee. Range and dial up, squeeze off a shot.
The one I’m pointing at is the single shot I did with my 308win at 225 yards. I am still carrying it until bear season is over. Then the 270 is here for deer season .
We were impressed with the 270... factory ammo , plane Jane rifle, target 8x10” looks a bit distorted in picture

[SakoShooter]

Okay, I haven't read the posts so someone may have said this already.

Your rifle is not zeroed at 200 if it is dropping 10" at 300.

I would re-zero carefully with a 5 shot group, then again to confirm that the centre of those groups are impacting at zero at 200.
You won't have 10 inches of drop between 200 and 300 yards with factory 257 weatherby. Unless it's special reduced velocity or something, which makes little sense for that particular cartridge as it is marketed for velocity.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Xiph0id

So basically box is a very rough guideline and I know where my rifle shoots at 100, 200 and 300 from shooting several groups at the range.

That's all I need.

Yup....even if you reload too.

Way too many variables involved to ensure point of impacted at various ranges...so it's range time!