Help getting my LTR past 600 yards

lapadat

lapadat

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Gentleman,

Sometime ago, I met a guy at a lower mainland rifle range and got to talking.....2 weeks later I was watching a Match at the Volkes Range in Chilliwack. When the shoot was done, one of the competitors let me send a couple of 308 rounds down the 600 meter range. Since that day, I knew I had been bitten by the long range bug.

To date I've got myself set up with an LTR/Mark 4 and in the past 2 months have been fumbling away with the first few batches of handloads with relatively good success.

I generally shoot 5 shot groups and measure 4 of 5 rounds.....I am not a benchrest shooter and I feel that with my inexperience I should get at least one mulligan for each batch:)....for now anyway.

Here are my results.

168 gr SMK with Varget my best batches ranged from .417" to .832"
175 gr SMK with Varget: .667" to .902"
155 gr HPBT with Varget (Palma Match: 2155) .657" to .782"
**with a few groups over an inch**

I was pleased with the 168's so I loaded up another batch and shot 4 rounds into 1.55" at 300 yards.....not so bad I think....

Moving along....I then put a 5 shot group out to 500 yards that measured 6.26"

A second 5 shot group of 175 SMK's at 500 measured 8.00"

This was a bit concerning as these loads were always performing sub-MOA at close range and suddenly they opened up a fair bit.....of course, there was some wind messing about so maybe that was impacting my shooting as well :confused:

Now its on to bigger and better things...IE. mid-long range....I want to get out to 6-800 yards.

I've been reading about how at longer ranges, slower bullets will begin to tumble or otherwise lose thier ballistic edge. Therefore, I would assume that I need something moving at high speed to get anywhere near a Minute at 6-800 yards. My reloading data thus far shows that my LTR shoots the SMK's better at the lowest (near minimum) powder charge: Rookie Translation: my gun shoots tighter groups with slower bullets!!!!. I don't have a chrono so I don't know what velocities I'm achieveing, however, I'm going to speculate that I won't have the speed to keep my bullets stabilized at longer ranges.....right or wrong??

My questions to the pros is this; what are the pros/cons to shooting 155, 168 or 175 match bullets past the 600 yard mark? Which is likely to preform better? Do I want a fast light bullet or heavier slower bullet? Will there be a major difference from one gun to the next?

Secondly, is it possible to have a load shoot excellent at close to mid range and not so good at 500+ and then have another round shoot WAY better at long range than close?

Help a wanna-be out.

lap

BTW: specs on the rifle are:
LTR with Timney trigger (thanks Mystic)
Nightforce 1 piece 20moa base
Nightforce rings
Leupold Mark 4 PR 4.5-14
Aside from the trigger the rifle hasn't been touched

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Stuff 46 gr of Varget into a case with 155 SMK and you will be good to 1000 yards. If you are shooting in the wind and are not sure how to read the wind, don't worry about how wide the groups is worry about how big it is vertically. The will give you a better indication of how will your load is working. A bedding job will do wonders to reduce your groups.
 
Bed that action. I can help.

Count ALL your shots as some of those flyers may be why your group is opening up alot.

Consistent good groups at 200yds indicate that the load is working and will be good as far as you want to shoot or until the bullet does silly things.

168grMK are known for doing silly things after or just before they go subsonic. Much further then you are shooting.

All three of your bullets can work just fine at 600m.

If you are finding that the flyer is always one of the last shots, shoot less. Take a break and do more small number groups. Say 4 3rds groups as opposed to 2 5rds. As a beginner, shooter fatigue can affect your accuracy/consistency. Also, factory barrels tend to warp as they get hot and this may cause your groups to open up ALOT.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/precision-reloading.php
http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/setting-up-scope.php

These two articles should help you get on your way.

To answer your question about wind, YES, YES, YES wind will bounce your shots and must be taken into account. Shoot with wind flags, learn to read mirage, adjust your shot as conditions dictate.

The last time I was out, winds were nasty and switching constantly. I was aiming on either side of the target through a 5 shot string. Missed a couple of tail wind gusts which tossed me high.

This at 350yds with a bullet that drifts about 1/2 what you are shooting. Run your load through a ballistics program and see what the winds will do to you at 600m if you don't adjust. 2" at 600m is a mere gust :)

So do your tuning at 200yds on calm days. Feel confident that the loads have little vertical and are consistently sub MOA.

to shoot further, just dial up the scope and lean into the winds.... Distance is the easy part.

Jerry
 
It is minor

but also remove all unnecesary items off of your rifle when load developing. IE swivel studs and any shell holders off of the stock. Any off those items can contribute to the odd flyer as well.
 
Shooting at longer ranges will magnify any inconsistency in your setup or technique: hold, trigger control and release, OAL of your loads, differences in brass... the whole shebang.

How close to the lands are you loading?

Also, a more stable front rest may help; the setup you're using looks like it could be a bit wobbly?

The 'issue' if you want to call it that, with the 168gr SMK, is that as it slows down, the BC changes quite drastically. With the other bullets you mention, this change is more gradual. That's what mystic is referring to (if I may assume?)
 
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