How best to practice with a limited amount of ammo

[Skimafia]

I will be going shooting this weekend with a new rifle and wanted to get some input. I have been shooting for quite a long time but its been mostly just plinking for fun. I can shoot groups that are decent but I know there is room for improvement. I have been working a lot on improving my prone shooting position and do a lot of dry firing practice at home. I have spent a lot of time at the bench and can consistently shoot moa or better. I want to go a step beyond that and get in the field and gather more useful information. Where I will be shooting will allow me to shoot all the way out to 1000 yards. I will be shooting factory 308 ammo.
I want to really make my time on the range more effective. Here is the caveat - there is a limited amount of ammo. I am going to take 60 rounds and wanted to know the best use of those 60 shots. Here is what I had planned to do. A few weeks ago I zero'd the rifle at 100 yards and everything is hunky-dory there. I have yet to check the tracking on my scope so I feel that will be the first place to start. I am going to get a 100 yard tape and set a target. I will take 1-2 shots at the target to make sure everything is on then use shots 2-10 checking the scopes tracking.
Next what I had planned in to do was set targets up at 200, 300, 400, 500 and try to dial those distances and to log that information. I am not positive the number of shots I may need to find the center at each of those distances but I guess I will find out. Beyond that I am open for suggestions.
So if you were going out with a new rifle, similar situation and have 60 rounds to burn what areas would you focus on?

 

[Birddog6424]

Skip 100 yard increments, shoot in 200 yard increments, or even more. Enter in your velocity, and your ballistic solver should get you close enough to hit 300 and 600. Using that data to true up your bullet drop in your solver will get you on target at 900 and 1000 yards. When I check my dope I usually do 300, 700, 1100. Works every time. As will 300, 600, 900. or even 300, 500, 700 if you're not ready to tackle the longer distances yet.

Ballistic apps can be had for cheap all the way to free. So make sure you have one.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

I would shoot ten rounds at 100 and get a good statistical zero. Then to 500 (10 rounds) where I would then true my velocity with actual drop.

Then stretch out to 800, if successful there, then to 1,000. Checking your drops with a ballisitic calculator of some sort along the way. If your data lines up at 100, 500, and 800 then it will line up at all points to 1000.

 

[gingerking5566]

suppose in a perfect world with unlimited funds, we would all practice with $1 per round carry ammo. However, I don't live in a perfect world and I darn sure don't have unlimited funds. If you don't reload, all you can do is find some reasonably priced practice ammo that comes close to the bullet weight, velocity, and recoil of your carry ammo. At reasonable distances, let's say under 25 yards, you should have a close point of impact to your carry load.

Many of the American ammo companies sell a fmj practice load that closely matches their carry ammo (Speer Lawman and Gold Dot is one example). My opinion is that these practice ammo lines would be the closest thing to the self-defense ammo you could get without paying for the real deal.

In the end, I would much rather shoot a few thousand rounds per year with practice ammo than limit myself to shooting a few hundred rounds of carry ammo because that's all I felt comfortable using to practice.

 

[Diver160651]

Sorry to go against the grain. I’ll assume your not a benchrester, as you’re here.

I would get a mirror or video and make sure your body is in the correct alignment. Prone is easy, but most people miss the same should be for the hips on the bench kneeling etc. The bend at the waist is missed too.

Find steel at 200 or 300 max. If you can see the moment of impact your body is mostly lined up.

2000 is far easier to cheat and re aquire the target than 200. If mechanically you can shoot tiny groups at 100, self spot the moment of impact at 200, the rest is the wind.. or gaming the setup.

The wind takes less ammo when the above is sorted out.

Then I would worry about your 6o rounds.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

Are you wanting to wring out a load, or work on technique? I might have misunderstood the point of the OP's post. If you want to learn to field shoot, then learn to call wind. Start with a 22LR at 200 yds or even 300 yds. That will get you started.

 

[texas_vet00]

Fundamentals... Dry Fire... Repeat...

 

[Skimafia]

Fundamentally I think I am pretty sound. I'm sure there are a few things I could tweak here and there and those will definitely be some of the things i will be cognizant of. A little of the back story and the reason for the post is with a prior rifle (RPR), I would head out in the desert, set up targets randomly down range and launch rounds. I placed a pumpkin at about 950 yards and threw ammo at it for about 30 minutes or so, not really getting anything out of it training wise. I want to wise up with my shooting a bit and go out and make the best use of my time and ammo. I could always buy more ammo but that's not really what I'm trying to get at. I am trying to make the best use of each shot to gather usable data to make for better and more accurate shooting going forward.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

I am trying to make the best use of each shot to gather usable data to make for better and more accurate shooting going forward.

Then you need to start plotting every shot on grid paper and recording the conditions of every shot. Only then will you have that range session to skull fuck at a later date.