First time at 500

[kingzero]

Finally got a chance to check dope out to 500 the other day. Found a place to set up and it ended up being 515 yards. The plan was to guess on my velocity, shoot a group and make a correction based on that group.

I put 2800fps in shooter and it told me 8.2 minutes. To my surprise, my 3 shots were spot on for elevation but the wind was blowing pretty good so they were 15-18" to the left. I dialed 3 minutes of wind and was going to shoot another group at the wood target but decided to go right to the steel.

First shot connected but the right side D ring let loose and the plate hung at an angle. It was still facing me so I sent another 4 rounds. I was hoping for atleast MOA but the wind was gusting and I think I rushed myself out of excitement.

After the 5 shots I let the rifle cool and ranged a football sized white rock on a hill side @ 460. I dialed what shooter said and hit about 3" right......the second shot hit dead center. I ranged another rock @ 415 and center punched it first try.

This pic is from the targets looking back to where I was shooting from. There is a small sliver of brown in the center to the left of the road. I shot from there prone in the bed of my truck.

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff343/otisdriftwood_86/image_zpsbccc573f.jpg (http://s538.photobucket.com/user/otisdriftwood_86/media/image_zpsbccc573f.jpg.html)

This was how the target looked after the D ring let loose.

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff343/otisdriftwood_86/image_zps09e4b74a.jpg (http://s538.photobucket.com/user/otisdriftwood_86/media/image_zps09e4b74a.jpg.html)

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff343/otisdriftwood_86/image_zps8e4e3970.jpg (http://s538.photobucket.com/user/otisdriftwood_86/media/image_zps8e4e3970.jpg.html)


Rifle is a 260 on a 110 action and I was shooting 120gr Barnes TTSX.

[mugsie]

Great shooting! Wish I had a range like that one close enough for every day shooting. I'd be there constantly!

I built my 260 on a 110 LA also. Shilen barrel and a SSS stock. It loves the 120 and 140 SMK's. now if only I could find more H4350 I'd be all set.

Good luck to you and enjoy your shooting.

[eddiesindian]

good shooting for guess work on your velocity. Id of figured there moving faster than that seeing as how there 120gr.
theres nothing better than working up a consistant/accurate load, and inputing "all" the correct input data into your ballistic,s calculator and hitting steels from 100 out to 1K. it becomes uphoric (sp) when your able to call the wind adjustments and you hit on your 1st shot.
Again....great guess work/shooting...and calculations......

[kingzero]

With the family and work schedule I was running short on time for load developmet before my deer hunt. I decided to settle on a load so I could check dope and get some practice in. It shot a .8" at 100 and 1.5" at 200 so I figured it was good enough for now. I will look for some more speed later but plan on switching to 140 Amax's when my hunts are done.

My goal is to hit 1000 yards and hope to get there before next summer.

[eddiesindian]

do u have a 20 moa base on your rig?...if not?...I can almost bet you,ll need it if those 140,s you plan on using arent pushing 2900fps for the 1k mark... unless of course your scope has over 30 moa of adj.

[sortafast]

there are a lot of guys that are really into the 260 for LR and tactical matches. I have a friend that has rung steel at a verified 1400yds and some change. Its a very capable round. I know he is shooting berger VLD's of some sort over H4350 and is using tula primers. His 300yd groups that I have seen make me cry. But his rig is also atleast $6k or better. Really though if you get a bullet with a high enough BC and push it on the hard side, I bet you could do 1k with out much effort. Just got to get a load settled on and practice the piss out of it. My goal too is to hit steel at 1000-1200yds. I am in the process of building up 3 guns to have fun doing this with, all on the cheaper side. Never had a gun that I could do that with before and I feel its about time.

[eddiesindian]

im tossing 150gr smk,s (308) from 100 out 1k easily...just figured an accurate load and did my homework on ballsitics.......so yes......its a alot easier that you think

[kingzero]

I do have a 20 MOA base on the rifle and shooter says I need 29.8 minutes to get to 1000 with this bullet/ load combo, although I won't be using 120 Barnes TTSX's for that. I hope my rifle likes the Amax's better than the SMK's and look forward to ringing more steel.

[eddiesindian]

20moa base is an extremely usefull tool especially if you find that your results from your ladder/load development shows the group tighting up at slower speeds.
Im not familiar with what equates to accurate groups in a 260, but from what Ive read, some shooters here on this forum have found that there 260,s and 140gr seem to like a slower push...I may be wrong
For me personally?.....I gave A-max-ers a try in different calibers (223-308) my results showed me that the SMK,s keep,t tighter groups more often then not.
Im not gonna sit here and dog down A-maxer,s..but they just didnt give "me' the results I was looking for.
Ive had better results from hornady 68-75gr mhpbt & varget in .223 and 150gr smk in 308 & rl-15
One things for sure....that 260 cal. has proven to be accurate but ya just gotta roll your own to find out

[kingzero]

From what I have seen and read, the average velocity for a 140 class bullet is around 2800fps for the 260. The SMK's only liked the lowest charge for H4350 and I would guess the speed at ~2500 to 2600. If the Amax's don't do better than I will go back to the Sierras but I have heard good things about the Amax's. Time will tell but unfortunately I will be short on time till the first of the year.

[homefrontsniper]

Im getting 2830 with 142 smk and can go faster. With H-4350.. 6.5 Creedmoor LRP. I Use 123 scenars 100
to 400. Going 3009 +/- .7at 400 yards. 3 shots. .6 at 300 yards! 2 in same hole and 1 opens it up to. .5 at 200. And one hole and mean one hole at 100 yards ! I heard and read if you cant shoot. .5 at 300 yards there is something wrong!! I shoot the 142s 500 t 1000.

[BoilerUP]

Try Varget with 142s...you're certain to find a node between 37-38gr.

Slower than H4350 by about 100fps, but a slow hit is better than a fast miss...right?

[kingzero]

I have a pound of Varget to try if im not satisfied with H4350.

[GaCop]

im tossing 150gr smk,s (308) from 100 out 1k easily...just figured an accurate load and did my homework on ballsitics.......so yes......its a alot easier that you think

What is yer drop at 1k with the 150gr SMK? The lightest I've used is 168 gr and 1k is a bit of a strain for them. I'm really interested in your results with the 150gr.

[oe6odd]

Nice hits!!

[eddiesindian]

What is yer drop at 1k with the 150gr SMK? The lightest I've used is 168 gr and 1k is a bit of a strain for them. I'm really interested in your results with the 150gr.

elevation is 4400ft, and the rds moving 2975. Im dialing up just under 30moa to hit at 1K
Ive developed two loads for the 150. a lighter load to go from 100 out to 800 and the one i just mentioned to reach out to 9-1K. im using 43.0 of rl-15 on the lighter load and 45.5 on the hotter load for distance. what great is that Im zero,d at 100 with the lighter load, when i worked on the load, i found that the hotter load was exactly 3moa higher, which is no problem, i simple drop down 3moa on my turret then im zero,d at 100 again...with no change in windage
while doing my r&d on load development, I tried the light 150,s on a whim. I had some 150 horn. fmj a buddy had giving me and I loaded some up...lordy-lordy....the dam things work great. I kept on with r&d with the lighter 150s , and found the 150smk,s to keep a more consistant grouping...i can reach way out with accuracy and consistancy and its not a shoulder buster....most imporatntly, i can keep a good tight view of my objective even after the shot

[Newsshooter]

I'm shooting a Savage 12 LRP in 6.5 creedmoor, pretty similar to the .260. 140 Amax and 136 Lapua Scenar, 41.7 of H4350. 8.1 mils to 1K, 200 yd zero. The amax groups better at 500 and under, the scenar's are better at 600-1000 yards. I didn't work up a load with the Scenar's yet though, so that may get better.