I need educated--probably very basic stuff

[josh1976]

I shoot my 270 and 308 at the range and are both zero'd at 200yrds. These are stricktly hunting rifels with Bushnel Elite scopes. If I were to take a shot at a deer at 3-400yards (hypothetically), how do I aim to account for the trajectory? I hear of guys taking these shots and I know they have single x-hair scopes....are they just guessing?? How do I make a confident shot? Do I need to be looking at a multiple reticle scope? I have trajectory charts for my ammo, but how does this help me?
Thanks
Josh

 

[punkrockboy]

Take the guns somewhere and practice at those ranges, that is the only way.If you have the ballistic charts for your particular ammo, if there is a 12 inch drop at 300 yards, then aim 12 inches high at 300 yards etc.....or, if you can zero your scope, mark your elevation turret for 300 yards, 400 yards etc, and if you are going to go for a longer shot, dial it in to your scope before you take the shot!Practise is definitely the best advice, especially hunting. You dont want to wound, you want to be sure of the kill!

 

[Obtunded]

use this...

www .biggameinfo.com/BalCalc.aspx

The most important variables you will need to know are the bullet's ballistic coefficient (Get that from the bullet maker's website) and the bullet's muzzle velocity. This will create a chart that will certainly be accurate enough for hunting.

Alternatively, as was already suggested, go take a 4' square chunk of plywood. Aim for the very top edge at 300 and 400 yards and simply measure the drop. Shoot with a cold bore, because presumably this is what you will be shooting when you hunt.

Try some groups at that distance to see how accurate your rifle is, one shot may not tell the whole story.

 

[t-star]

the max pbr for the 308 180 ( maximum point blank range) is 267 yards- defined as at that distance, your shot with crosshairs dead on, will be no more than 6 inches high/ low using that particular ammo and velocity- all this stuff is in the BACK OF A GOOD RELOADING MANUAL- i don't know what it is for the other cartridge, but i know that 300 yards is the "sweet spot" for the 308/180 after which it begins to drop drastically-as to multiple reticules,they're not - chances are what you've seen is a GRADUATED RETICULE with small stadia lines on the horizontal- how this works is that for a KNOWN distance, you line up the appropriate cross hair and shoot- no hold over required- you're doing the holdover yourself by using the elevation crosshair - not necessairly the one in the middle of the reticule- i have a couple that raise the horizontal as you change power- another uses a stadia line to make a box with the horizontal- fit the animal in that box, or the vital area,, read the yardage at the top of the scope in the window, figure out your bullet drop, and you're good to go
all that said THEY'RE ALL GIMMICKS- how the guys with just the crosshairs do it is they aim a certain amount of elevation above where they want to hit or they ZERO FOR THAT RANGE or dope it out with a RANGE CARD , typically either taped to the stock ,or the wrist, or some handy spot- but it all boils down to SPEND SOME TIME AT THE RANGE USING THE AMMO YOU'RE GOING TO HUNT WITH, AND SEE HOW THE GUN PERFORMS-
for instance , i know the 308/180 grain ammo ( winchester) has a MAXIMUM POINT BLANK RANGE of 267 yards at 2660 feet per second - using what i gave you before as a definition, i set my rifle to be dead on at 250 or 300 yards- typically 300- that way i KNOW my bullet will strike somewhere within that 6 inch circle at ANY RANGE UP TO AND INCLUDING 300 YARDS-

 

[Ice-Pick]

What scope/reticle do you have now??
M.