Desert Trip II (Picture Heavy)

**LoneWolf** · 05-23-2016, 09:28 PM

Beautiful view from our Shooting position!

Couple of impacts at 1500yds. Plate is 36" tall by 11" wide. so only 3/4MOA across. I had 5 Mils of wind dialed and made the rest of the adjustments with the reticle. Wind continuously varied from .2 Mils to 1 Mil shifts. Made this a very difficult target to hit. I got on target in 8 shots then it took another 10 or so for the next impact.

The following pictures are views around the area.

The last picture is what was left of a 115DTAC at 1500yds. This one was found about 10" in front of a Milk Jug I was attempting to hit in 10rds or less for the Long Range Shooters of UTAH Milk Jug Challenge. We thought I hit it, but found out after going down to the taretsit was only fragged. Pretty close though at that range. I had completed the 1000yds challenge earlier in the day in just 2 shots.

My buddy is working on getting the video together from the weekend. Once it's ready I'll get it up on my Youtube channel and share it here in a comment within this thread.

**hafejd30** · 05-23-2016, 09:43 PM

Nice shooting LW

**LoneWolf** · 05-23-2016, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by hafejd30

Nice shooting LW

Thanks Hafe! The 6mm has been very good to me and shooting the 115DTACs it didn't give up anything, but energy to the 300WM that was out there this weekend.

**hafejd30** · 05-23-2016, 10:00 PM

I did some shooting the other day with some 142 smk in my 260. 1792 yards. Only had 6 rounds but was able to get on target in 3. Then graze the steel target with one round, hit the target stand with another and shoot just under the steel with another. Truly amazing how some of these smaller guns can hold their own. Did some reloading tonight and will get back out and make the hit when weather permits.

Also had my lapua with 6 rounds. Did some load testing and loaded the last 6 brass that were to see what this thing could do. Unfortunately where I live is trees and grass so my area around my target would only give me dust if I came within a couple feet of the plate. Took the first 5 shots just to get to that area, kept guessing on the impacts off target.

Plate is 11" X 20" including head (2/3 silhouette).

**LoneWolf** · 05-23-2016, 10:05 PM

Nice job! Wind was definitely challenging this weekend Varying between 10-30mph. I'm confident if the conditions were a little moreconsistent I could have held on the plate pretty consistently.

**rjtfroggy** · 05-24-2016, 06:47 AM

Very nice shooting area, come to the "left coast" and shooting like that will be a thing of the past.
That is why many of us shot or at least try to shoot that 1/16th" dot at 100 or the 1/8th dot at 200, not quite the same but a challenge just the same.

**LoneWolf** · 05-24-2016, 07:42 AM

I've got a few places and locations mapped out and on my list to hit for this type of practice. I like to do this longer range work simply to make the shorter range work feel that much easier!

Most of my shooting is done between 200 and 800yds for the matches I shoot.

LongRange · 05-24-2016, 08:04 AM

nice LW...i need to get out and stretch things out a little...i havent shot past 850 in a long time...maybe this weekend since its a 3 day-er.

**yobuck** · 05-24-2016, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by rjtfroggy

Very nice shooting area, come to the "left coast" and shooting like that will be a thing of the past.
That is why many of us shot or at least try to shoot that 1/16th" dot at 100 or the 1/8th dot at 200, not quite the same but a challenge just the same.

Froggy, you need to get out and about more lol.
Thruout the east where hills exist there are numerous places to shoot long range.
From our yard in PA we can shoot to more than 2 miles if we chose to shoot that far. But then our yard didn't just grow that way.
From Maine to the southern part of Georgia the same mountain chain offers lots of shooting opurtunities.
Granted, private property can be an issue, but there would still be possibilities if they are cultivated.
For those who want it its there, but it wont just jump out at you and say hey friend come shoot, it takes some effort.

GrumpyGuns · 05-25-2016, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by yobuck

Froggy, you need to get out and about more lol.
Thruout the east where hills exist there are numerous places to shoot long range.
From our yard in PA we can shoot to more than 2 miles if we chose to shoot that far. But then our yard didn't just grow that way.
From Maine to the southern part of Georgia the same mountain chain offers lots of shooting opurtunities.
Granted, private property can be an issue, but there would still be possibilities if they are cultivated.
For those who want it its there, but it wont just jump out at you and say hey friend come shoot, it takes some effort.

In North Carolina it is hard to find enough open legal land big enough to shoot 500 yards on much less 1000. Most property that isnt farms is cultivated pine forest.
There is a range that goes to 1000 but unless you live in the Raleigh it is a drive to get too. You used to be able to shoot in the Croatan National Forest but slobs and unsafe shooters have brought an end to that. Down here around MCAS Cherry Point the longest range is 500 yards.

**yobuck** · 05-28-2016, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by GrumpyGuns

In North Carolina it is hard to find enough open legal land big enough to shoot 500 yards on much less 1000. Most property that isnt farms is cultivated pine forest.
There is a range that goes to 1000 but unless you live in the Raleigh it is a drive to get too. You used to be able to shoot in the Croatan National Forest but slobs and unsafe shooters have brought an end to that. Down here around MCAS Cherry Point the longest range is 500 yards.

Fact is N C has an awfull lot of very good places where long range shooting can be done.
Fact also is there must be the desire and initative to pursue it or it wont happen.
Hawks Ridge rifle club in Ferguson N C is a very active 1000 yd club for example.
Id be willing to bet many shooters living in that state aren't aware it even exists.

**LoneWolf** · 05-28-2016, 02:08 PM

never mind. I found the website and location once I had the full address. There's still 2 ranges with that type of distance that are half the drive time away from where I'll be at.

**rjtfroggy** · 05-24-2016, 11:29 AM

Yobuck I live in Ct. read anti gun anything. Even the state police can't build a new range on state property, they have been trying for 4 years. The one they use now gets flooded big time at certain times of the year ( it is in a flood plain)
The closest 600-1000 yard range is just outside of Albany N.Y. and is about 3.5 hours from me and it is only open for those ranges a couple of times a month, and from what I've been told it gets pretty crowded.
I do know a guy that has 1500 yard horse pasture but he only shoots it in the winter months if the snow isn't too deep.
Other than that there are no places that will even consider letting someone on their property let alone shoot on it.
I just need to pack up and move south.

**LoneWolf** · 05-24-2016, 12:23 PM

This location was a 4hrs drive and there were people that were camped out in our regular spot, so we had to go a little further into the desert to get situated and set up a safe place to shoot. Things went real well once we reworked our plan. I also regularly drive anywhere from 40min to 2hrs on a monthly basis for matches here. I will be doing the same in NC.

The point of this post is if you want to do it than you have to suck it up and do it. I have goals I want to accomplish in the shooting world. Therefore I'm willing to step out and go make these things happens. If I have to plan a road trip to do it, then that's what I'll do even if I have to go out alone. Eventually, you make some buddies that want to go too! Had I not stepped out on my own, I'd still be spinning my wheels trying to become a better long range shooter. I've cut out most other hobbies of mine and focus everything on developing my shooting skills. It's still not cheap or anything believe me, I just balance my finances in order to make events like this one possible!

**yobuck** · 05-24-2016, 01:09 PM

Well I am aware that some of the n e states are not friendly places for gun owners.
My response was with regard to your implication of no places to shoot l/r in the east.
Keep in mind that long range hunting had its beginnings in n c pa and spread to other places.
Also the worlds first 1000 yd (benchrest) club was started there and others later followed.
As for places to shoot long range, PA has several million acres of public land much of it in mountanous isolated areas
where shooting can be done. In that regard pa is fortunate as not all states have that much open public land.
A few weeks ago on the (competitive shooting) forum I posted a video entitled other ways to compete.
Aperently nobody read or saw it, but it would be a good idea for those in the east having an interest in long range shooting to go back and look at it.
That club, (Ridgeway) is open for members every day there isn't a match. Shooters travel long distances to shoot/compete there as they do also
at the Williamsport/Bodine range.

**wbm** · 05-24-2016, 04:38 PM

Sent you a PM

GrumpyGuns · 05-25-2016, 07:41 PM

Nice shooting. Will be so nice to get back out west to be able to shoot in the desert again.

Are you going to Cherry Point or Lejeune?

**LoneWolf** · 05-25-2016, 07:43 PM

In the area lol. I don't usually disclose exact locations on open forums lol... Big base or not!

GrumpyGuns · 05-25-2016, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by LoneWolf

In the area lol. I don't usually disclose exact locations on open forums lol... Big base or not!

Gotcha :) Well regardless enjoy. We are headed west next month now that I am retired there is no reason for us to hang around down here. Back to a whole lot less rain and wide open spaces.

200 will be great with small steel. Was out last weekend with the familly at the range shooting 5" steel out to 300 yrds. You should look into Sure Shoot range to see if it is close enough for you. They have steel starting at 200 and going out to 500.

**LoneWolf** · 05-25-2016, 07:51 PM

I'll have about 200yds in my back yard once settled in. That's plenty for practice if using 3-6" targets.

**LoneWolf** · 05-25-2016, 08:00 PM

I've been looking hard at Frontline Defense and Woody's. About 2 hours, but they go out to 1100.

GrumpyGuns · 05-25-2016, 08:38 PM

Nice haven't been to either one

**scooterf79** · 05-28-2016, 10:39 AM

Nice shooting LW!
I agree with you about if you want to do it you just have to do it! I drove 4hrs to the savageshooters shoot last month, had a blast. That was the first time I'd ever shot 1k. Last weekend I drove 2+ hrs down to my in-laws and shot. There's a lot of effort to doing it but I love it!
Scooter

**LoneWolf** · 05-28-2016, 10:43 AM

Thanks Scooter! By the end of next week I should have the 1k milk jug challenge video fully edited and in HD. I received a rough cut yesterday, but it isn't quite ready for posting.

So, the question is, how many shots do you think it took to hit a milk jug at 1k?

**hafejd30** · 05-28-2016, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by LoneWolf

Thanks Scooter! By the end of next week I should have the 1k milk jug challenge video fully edited and in HD. I received a rough cut yesterday, but it isn't quite ready for posting.

So, the question is, how many shots do you think it took to hit a milk jug at 1k?

I'll guess 2 lol based on your first post