Range Report Help with these targets?

[orkan]

I'd like to see what someone with more knowledge than I can conclude from looking at these targets... if anything. I was shooting out my window off my dining room table, which isn't 100% stable, but I lean into it a bit which settles it down.

This is my first time on paper at 300yds with this gun.

3" target dots at 300yds. Rifle is a 308win shooting 168SMK with 42gr Varget, LC LR 07 brass, CCI BR2 primers.

I'll display the targets in the order I shot and try to explain as best I can.

Target #1
First shot, I didn't dry fire first and tossed one down in the lower right corner like a dumbass because I anticipated the trigger break. I called it and literally cussed myself for the shitty trigger work. The next three shots are the 3 beneath the target. I came up .5 minute on the gun and shot the one in the top/right of the target. I came down .25 minute and put 5 more in the target.

Target #2
I tossed the one over to the left... the rest felt good.

Target #3
All shots felt good.

Target #4
Again, all shots felt good.

I seem to have more vertical stringing than I do horizontal. Can anyone conclude anything from looking at this?

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Help with these targets?

You're target #1 with the 5 shots in the center is about .6 MOA. Not too bad! The others, not sure. The vertical stringing could be your breathing, recoiling different from shot to shot, the loose table your on, etc.

 

[orkan]

Re: Help with these targets?

I thought breathing caused vertical strings, and trigger control generally caused horizontal. Am I back asswards?

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Help with these targets?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: orkan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I thought breathing caused vertical strings, and trigger control generally caused horizontal. Am I back asswards? </div></div>
Nope, that would be me. It should have said vertical, which is what I meant. I fixed it.

 

[orkan]

Re: Help with these targets?

I think tonight I'll try losing the atlas bipod and shooting off bags. Its very possible that I'm not loading the bipod right. I catch myself shoving my shoulder into it sometimes.

Or maybe even crawling outside and getting in the dirt like I'm suppose to.

 

[LawtonMachineLLC]

Re: Help with these targets?

Vertical stringing can easily be cause by the recoil not being the same. Next time use a chrono and it tells you a bunch about what is going on. If you spreads are to much you need to adjust the charge to get them down.

 

[MitchAlsup]

Re: Help with these targets?

Just my opinion.
#1: the group lioks fine
#2: the group looks like you were excited from group #1
#3: you settled down again
#4: you ran out of concentration or your breathing got you

Overall, good shooting, now figure out how to keep your mind in the game. Nothing indicates that there was any problem with the gun or ammo. Maybe work on trigger control, how you are holding the rifle, looking through the scope, and follow through (#2, #4), breathing (#4 potential).

 

[selfbowhunter]

Re: Help with these targets?

many times vertical can be attributed to a low powder charge. if you are off max, try upping the charge a little and see if it takes some vertical out. this is what i have found with my rifles.

chuck