For those of you who have been following this evaluation from the beginning, thanks for taking the trip with me. I've decided to post my conclusion in a new thread so that anyone wanting to skip right to the end can do so easily by going directly to this post. For those of you who are doing just that, you may want to read my previous thread to see everything that went into this project. It can be found here:
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3211092&page=1
Today, I went back to the range with my AR and the TRS1. This time, I was exploring the outer limits of my effective range with this system (maximum effective range was set at 300 yards from the outset). My plan was to work my way back from 200 yards to three hundred in 25 yard increments. Thus, I set up on the 200 yard line, and added 1.5 MOA of elevation to the scope. Settling in behind the rifle, I fired a single round that impacted at 10 o'clock on a three inch target spotter in the center chest of my target. I was fortunate to fire the shot during a lull in the wind which was gusting from 10 to 15 mph and "fishtailing from 3:00 to 7:00. Most consistently, it was coming from about 5:00 (i.e. a half value wind). Still, it proved to be a challenge during my entire shooting session.
Since my first 200 yard shot confirmed the results of my last session, I didn't spend any more time or ammunition at that distance. Moving back to 225 yards, I discovered that the rise at the 200 yard firing point prevented me from seeing/engaging the target from there (I tried, unsuccessfully to use my pack to gain the necessary elevation). I encountered a similar, but less distinct problem at 250 yards. At that point, I simply gave up and moved back to the 300 yard line. There I added another 12.25 MOA to my 200 yard setting, and 1MOA of right windage. I fired two shots from 300 yards. The fist impacted the 3" spotter at 6:00. The second impacted at 12:00. Not too shabby considering the wind I was shooting in.
Since I was pressed for time, I moved up to the 100 yard line and reset my elevation knob for that distance. I also took off the 1MOA of right windage since the wind would not have as much time to influence the bullet from that distance. I then fired a three shot group. My first two shots were slightly high. I think this was my fault from moving and not quite settling into position before I started to fire. Even so, the resulting three shot group measured .7". For a look at the my target, follow the link below:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/818/img0145q.jpg/
After this, I decided to indulge myself with a few more 100 yard groups (something I've done very little of during this evaluation). Aiming at the head of the target, I fired a shot which impacted slightly high and left. Again, I think this was my fault, but a wind gust might have gotten me too. My next three rounds went into just slightly larger than a 1/2 MOA group (.559"). See image here:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/685/img0146ypq.jpg/
Next, I put a thumbtack in the abdomen of the target and used that for an aiming point. I fired three shots at the tack (but never did hit the damn thing!). That group came in at just slightly less than 1/2 MOA (.495"). The little hole just above the group is from the thumb tack. See that image here:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/189/img0147hi.jpg/
Finally, I targeted a two inch aiming spot at the bottom of the target. Since there was no specific aiming point, I just tried to quadrasect the spot. Again, my first shot was a bit high and left. The next two were touching in the target dot. Group size for these was .6". See here:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/img0148xf.jpg/
Well, there you have my final shooting test of this evaluation. The rifle system with the TRS1 is capable of precision fire to the 300 yard limit that I set as a max range at the beginning of this evaluation. Also, the average of my four final 100 yard groups (not counting the single flier in the head of the target) came in at .5885". My conclusion is to follow.
HRF
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3211092&page=1
Today, I went back to the range with my AR and the TRS1. This time, I was exploring the outer limits of my effective range with this system (maximum effective range was set at 300 yards from the outset). My plan was to work my way back from 200 yards to three hundred in 25 yard increments. Thus, I set up on the 200 yard line, and added 1.5 MOA of elevation to the scope. Settling in behind the rifle, I fired a single round that impacted at 10 o'clock on a three inch target spotter in the center chest of my target. I was fortunate to fire the shot during a lull in the wind which was gusting from 10 to 15 mph and "fishtailing from 3:00 to 7:00. Most consistently, it was coming from about 5:00 (i.e. a half value wind). Still, it proved to be a challenge during my entire shooting session.
Since my first 200 yard shot confirmed the results of my last session, I didn't spend any more time or ammunition at that distance. Moving back to 225 yards, I discovered that the rise at the 200 yard firing point prevented me from seeing/engaging the target from there (I tried, unsuccessfully to use my pack to gain the necessary elevation). I encountered a similar, but less distinct problem at 250 yards. At that point, I simply gave up and moved back to the 300 yard line. There I added another 12.25 MOA to my 200 yard setting, and 1MOA of right windage. I fired two shots from 300 yards. The fist impacted the 3" spotter at 6:00. The second impacted at 12:00. Not too shabby considering the wind I was shooting in.
Since I was pressed for time, I moved up to the 100 yard line and reset my elevation knob for that distance. I also took off the 1MOA of right windage since the wind would not have as much time to influence the bullet from that distance. I then fired a three shot group. My first two shots were slightly high. I think this was my fault from moving and not quite settling into position before I started to fire. Even so, the resulting three shot group measured .7". For a look at the my target, follow the link below:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/818/img0145q.jpg/
After this, I decided to indulge myself with a few more 100 yard groups (something I've done very little of during this evaluation). Aiming at the head of the target, I fired a shot which impacted slightly high and left. Again, I think this was my fault, but a wind gust might have gotten me too. My next three rounds went into just slightly larger than a 1/2 MOA group (.559"). See image here:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/685/img0146ypq.jpg/
Next, I put a thumbtack in the abdomen of the target and used that for an aiming point. I fired three shots at the tack (but never did hit the damn thing!). That group came in at just slightly less than 1/2 MOA (.495"). The little hole just above the group is from the thumb tack. See that image here:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/189/img0147hi.jpg/
Finally, I targeted a two inch aiming spot at the bottom of the target. Since there was no specific aiming point, I just tried to quadrasect the spot. Again, my first shot was a bit high and left. The next two were touching in the target dot. Group size for these was .6". See here:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/img0148xf.jpg/
Well, there you have my final shooting test of this evaluation. The rifle system with the TRS1 is capable of precision fire to the 300 yard limit that I set as a max range at the beginning of this evaluation. Also, the average of my four final 100 yard groups (not counting the single flier in the head of the target) came in at .5885". My conclusion is to follow.
HRF