Sighting in scope with 165 and 180gr bullets?

H

huntingfish

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
9   0   0
Location
Quebec City
Howdy!
I have a serious problem. There seems to be a shortage of 30-06 180gr in Quebec City's Canadian Tires. I was able to find 2 boxes of it in Trois-Rivières (about 100km from here), but that's it.

There does seem to be plenty of 150 and 165gr though available.

I'm going to sight in my scope this weekend and I wanted to use the opportunity to get a bit of practice with the rifle (I know, it's a bit late, but with the new addition to the family, time has been scarce) as well as bring a friend. I bought the rifle earlier this year and I just scoped it. The scope hasn't been signted in yet and this will be my first time sighting in a rifle, so I figured I could use a couple of extra bullets just in case...

I was wondering if I could use 165gr and 180gr bullets somewhat interchangeably? I wouldn't alternate 165/180/165/180/..., I'd use my 165gr for sighting in, then use a box of 180gr for practice and keep the final box of 180gr for hunting purposes, but if I sight in at 100 yards, the point of impact for 165 and 180 bullets shouldn't differ THAT much, is that correct?

Also, what do you guys recommend as far as point of impact at 100 yards? I'd like to sight in so that even if an animal comes out at 200 yards or so, the bullet could hit within the vital area. Example: 2" high at 100 yard so that at 200, I'd be 4 inches low (or something like that).

Cheers!

Fish
 
It really depends on the ballistics of the ammo. If you rifle is sighted in with 1 type of ammo, try to stick with it.
And really depends what you are after for the grain of bullet.
You just gotta try them all out. But first atlease use one type to sight it in first, and try the other 2 to see the difference.
 
I've done what you are suggesting for years before I started reloading. I'd practice with cheap 150 gr FMJ ammo in my 308 and then rezero the scope with hunting ammo just before going. They were fairly close anyway.

I also sight in 1-1.5 inches high at 100, to be right on to 1" low at 200. You need to practice at 200 yards as well though, don't just trust the ballistic tables.

I don't know what you plan to hunt but the performance difference between 180 gr bullets and 165 or 150 in a 3006 is minimal (depending on bullet construction). Since I started reloading for 308 I have actually gone from 180gr bullets to a better constructed bullet (TSX and Bonded) in 150 and 165gr.
 
It depends on your rifle, they are all different. The solid rule is to sight in with the bullet weight you are going to use.
A well bedded rifle will often shoot 180 and 165 into the same group.
Here is a little trick. Carefully sight in, say the 180 weight. Mark the holes on the target, then carefully fire three of the 165 weight. Mark in your little book what the difference is between the two, including how much you have to change the scope between the two.
After that, to change from one weight to the other, just refer to your notes.
 
Personally unless you're hunting moose only I would stick with the 165 grain stuff. In a .30 cal. it is the most ballistically efficient bullet weight.
Check the ballistic tables, a 150 grain bullet in a .30/06 starts out faster but at 300 yards the 165 grain has a higher velocity.
A couple inches high at 100 yards enables you to hold dead on out to almost 275 yards which despite what some would have you believe is a long shot under field conditions. Most of us can't drag a benchrest and sandbags around the woods with us.
I wouldn't mix bullet weights.
 
I would suggest using the same box of ammo you sight in your rifle with, for hunting as well. Unless it's from the same lot #, it could shoot to a slightly different impact.

I'm not sure if I'm being clear enough.:redface: Have it sighted in and figured out for whatever you're going to use, and before the hunt, try a group from a dedicated box of same ammunition. Maybe it's voodoo but it couldn't hurt.
 
Mike Webb said:
Personally unless you're hunting moose only I would stick with the 165 grain stuff. In a .30 cal. it is the most ballistically efficient bullet weight.
Check the ballistic tables, a 150 grain bullet in a .30/06 starts out faster but at 300 yards the 165 grain has a higher velocity.
A couple inches high at 100 yards enables you to hold dead on out to almost 275 yards which despite what some would have you believe is a long shot under field conditions. Most of us can't drag a benchrest and sandbags around the woods with us.
I wouldn't mix bullet weights.
Click to expand...

Hi guys,
Yup, going moose hunting. That's why I got 180's. I'm also going deer hunting afterwards. I wouldn't mind using 180gr bullets for deer as well though. A tad over powerful, but not as bad as people using bigger calibers.

Thanks for all the advice.

Fish
 
huntingfish said:
Hi guys,
Yup, going moose hunting. That's why I got 180's. I'm also going deer hunting afterwards. I wouldn't mind using 180gr bullets for deer as well though. A tad over powerful, but not as bad as people using bigger calibers.

Thanks for all the advice.

Fish
Click to expand...

180gr isn't more powerful, just slightly heavier and slower. I would stick to one or the other. A well placed 165gr from a .30-06 will kill any moose in Quebec...

Also, you could try buying it somewhere other than Canadian Tire. There must be a gun shop or sporting goods store in QC...
 
This quote, ---- "Also, you could try buying it somewhere other than Canadian Tire. There must be a gun shop or sporting goods store in QC..."
__________________

Just absolutely floors me!
How can anyone believe that the mainline ammo makers, you know, the ones who have been around for a century or more, would make up cheap/inferrior ammunition to sell in Canadain Tire???
 
True true, they are for sale somewhere else. They are just more expensive if I recall correctly.

Anyways, it might be simpler to just spend a bit more and get the same bullets.

Fish
 
huntingfish said:
True true, they are for sale somewhere else. They are just more expensive if I recall correctly.

Anyways, it might be simpler to just spend a bit more and get the same bullets.

Fish
Click to expand...

Yes, $5 or $10 more won't mean anything when you're staring down a bull...;)
 
H4831 said:
This quote, ---- "Also, you could try buying it somewhere other than Canadian Tire. There must be a gun shop or sporting goods store in QC..."
__________________

Just absolutely floors me!
How can anyone believe that the mainline ammo makers, you know, the ones who have been around for a century or more, would make up cheap/inferrior ammunition to sell in Canadain Tire???
Click to expand...

what he meant was the selection of different types of ammo will be alot larger at a smaller hunting shop, than it will be at a Canadian Tire or Walmart, which only stocks the less expensive Winchester Super X or Federal Power Shock soft points.




If it was me I would hunt with the same ammo as I was hunting with. 165gr is plenty of bullet weight to get the job done even on moose, assuming the bullet is placed in the right spot.
 
H4831 said:
This quote, ---- "Also, you could try buying it somewhere other than Canadian Tire. There must be a gun shop or sporting goods store in QC..."
__________________

Just absolutely floors me!
How can anyone believe that the mainline ammo makers, you know, the ones who have been around for a century or more, would make up cheap/inferrior ammunition to sell in Canadain Tire???
Click to expand...


It doesn't take much to floor you.:rolleyes: Who said anything about about inferior? I read Blargon's post as better selection and stock in a gun store than CT.
 
Hey guys, do you know how large a moose vital is?

If we're talking about hunting and not target shooting, why bother with + or - 1 in at 100 yds? My opinion, take both ammo, watch the difference but you don't even have to touch the scope.
 
Dogleg said:
It doesn't take much to floor you.:rolleyes: Who said anything about about inferior? I read Blargon's post as better selection and stock in a gun store than CT.
Click to expand...

I hope H4831's post was in jest, but he forgot the smilie...:)

(that's the way I took it, that people need to look beyond CT...)

Am I right H4831? ;)
 
The entire posting has been about the difference between 165 and 180 grain bullets, and sighting in with two weights.
He states there is a shortage of 180 grain.
Not a word from anyone is about quality of bullets. There is this about price,

quote---"True true, they are for sale somewhere else. They are just more expensive if I recall correctly.

Anyways, it might be simpler to just spend a bit more and get the same bullets."

Fish

Pay more and get the same bullets.
Where was better quality mentioned, or inferred?
You guys must have a better crystal ball than me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom