Been busy this winter preparing for next rifle season. Thought I had better prepare well in advance with good gear.
First bit was the rifle and scope: Savage LRH in 300winmag with NF 3.5-15x50 NP-R2.
Decided that I would shoot the 180gr Hornady SST. After a lot of research and chatting with reloaders for the 300, I found that a lot of guys run H-1000. Bought a hundred cases, bullets and powder (1 pound does not go very far when feeding this bastard I found out). Loaded them as long as I could and still feed from the internal magazine and not jam into the lands.
Range report 1: Finding a load that groups well was easy enough. That rifle will shoot lights out (sub moa from prone/bi-pod/rear bag) all the time. Even better when I am concentrating on my skills.
So I brought out the chronograph to determine velocities, build drop chart and load a lot for field practice.
I found that loads from 78.8 to 79.2 all ran right at 2950 fps (40 degrees, 4800 elevation, 100 yard zero as range was mud from 100-400 yards) and grouped dead on and under 3/4" (5 round groups). 80 grains H-1000 is max in this rifle, but grouped for crap from 79.6 on up.
Went home with my new knowledge, loaded another 50 rounds with 79 grains H-1000. Again, the 300 is HUNGRY for powder. Waited for another decent day (not 30 mph winds gusting to 50 like we have in the past few weeks).
Range report 2: Today was a day for MY record book. My range has steel plates (6"x6") placed at varying ranges from 347-528 yards. I confirmed zero. Took a deep breath, exhaled, used my handy dandy Leica CRF-1200 to range my plates and get my distances written down.
First plate at 347. Dialed in my dope, accounted for wind (5mph from 9:00), held on, squeezed trigger. BING. Dead on.
398 yards, dialed, BING. 446 yards, dialed, BING. 528, way up the hill, farthest shot with any of my rifles EVER. Dialed, BING! I am a happy freaking camper. Guy that was out there called the plates, I dialed my elevation, squeeze and BING. No misses.
Long story short: Rifle, scope, and ammo combination is dead on to the furthest I have been able to shoot ever. I am very stoked. I have a few plans to get some plates for farther distances, and I am more confident in my equipment now than I have ever been. 500 yards is not that far for most people, but that is as far as I have ever shot.
Dialed my 100 yard zero, squeeze, dead on. Yep, I think that nothing but Nightforce scopes will ever grace any more of my rifles. I am sold.
(Side note: my snot-nosed little brat of a son stole my 308 and I walked him into that same 528 yard plate and he nailed it in two shots. Punk ass kids these days...he is almost 16 and I think I just lost another rifle to my sons. Oh well, they are into shooting and protecting our freedoms, so I say it is money well spent!)
A big THANK YOU to everyone that has posted about shooting skills and marksmanship basics. I appreciate you and all that I have learned here on the 'hide.
First bit was the rifle and scope: Savage LRH in 300winmag with NF 3.5-15x50 NP-R2.
Decided that I would shoot the 180gr Hornady SST. After a lot of research and chatting with reloaders for the 300, I found that a lot of guys run H-1000. Bought a hundred cases, bullets and powder (1 pound does not go very far when feeding this bastard I found out). Loaded them as long as I could and still feed from the internal magazine and not jam into the lands.
Range report 1: Finding a load that groups well was easy enough. That rifle will shoot lights out (sub moa from prone/bi-pod/rear bag) all the time. Even better when I am concentrating on my skills.
So I brought out the chronograph to determine velocities, build drop chart and load a lot for field practice.
I found that loads from 78.8 to 79.2 all ran right at 2950 fps (40 degrees, 4800 elevation, 100 yard zero as range was mud from 100-400 yards) and grouped dead on and under 3/4" (5 round groups). 80 grains H-1000 is max in this rifle, but grouped for crap from 79.6 on up.
Went home with my new knowledge, loaded another 50 rounds with 79 grains H-1000. Again, the 300 is HUNGRY for powder. Waited for another decent day (not 30 mph winds gusting to 50 like we have in the past few weeks).
Range report 2: Today was a day for MY record book. My range has steel plates (6"x6") placed at varying ranges from 347-528 yards. I confirmed zero. Took a deep breath, exhaled, used my handy dandy Leica CRF-1200 to range my plates and get my distances written down.
First plate at 347. Dialed in my dope, accounted for wind (5mph from 9:00), held on, squeezed trigger. BING. Dead on.
398 yards, dialed, BING. 446 yards, dialed, BING. 528, way up the hill, farthest shot with any of my rifles EVER. Dialed, BING! I am a happy freaking camper. Guy that was out there called the plates, I dialed my elevation, squeeze and BING. No misses.
Long story short: Rifle, scope, and ammo combination is dead on to the furthest I have been able to shoot ever. I am very stoked. I have a few plans to get some plates for farther distances, and I am more confident in my equipment now than I have ever been. 500 yards is not that far for most people, but that is as far as I have ever shot.
Dialed my 100 yard zero, squeeze, dead on. Yep, I think that nothing but Nightforce scopes will ever grace any more of my rifles. I am sold.
(Side note: my snot-nosed little brat of a son stole my 308 and I walked him into that same 528 yard plate and he nailed it in two shots. Punk ass kids these days...he is almost 16 and I think I just lost another rifle to my sons. Oh well, they are into shooting and protecting our freedoms, so I say it is money well spent!)
A big THANK YOU to everyone that has posted about shooting skills and marksmanship basics. I appreciate you and all that I have learned here on the 'hide.
