Quote Originally Posted by yorketransport View Post
The rock is a pretty big target. It's about .5 MIL by .3 MIL at 2368 yards. So that's roughly 42" x 35" at that range. That's not benchrest accuracy but it wasn't bad for the first trip to that range. We're working on building a more stable portable bench to shoot off of and we'll likely switch to using a front rest instead of bipods at this range.
Thats pretty good shooting Andrew. Thats actually not a real big target for that distance.
And your right in your assesment of your cartridges for those distances.
Im not so sure as i wouldnt go larger than a 338 for what your contemplating.
My 338 was built by Bruce Baer and is what he calls the 338 big baer. He also uses that case
for a 375 version and more recently a 35 cal version. Im using 137 gr h50bmg with a 300 gr and
velocity is about 3200 fps. According to Bruce some are using 139/140 gr with their guns.
Of coarse that can vary from gun to gun. Your case should be very similar as for capacity.
The 35 cal version is using a heavier bullet i believe of about 325 gr. Cutting Edge is producing the bullets for it.
The one guy ive met having one claims the same velocity as me. He didnt offer to shoot the gun when i met him at a nice lookout.
Maybe the plrf 10 he had wouldnt range that far lol.
My barrel is a 1 in 10 twist 1/250 and is 34" with a glue in bedding block. The gun weighs about 35#.
My barrel wont handle 300 gr cutting edge bullets, but both SMK and Berger very well.
My scope is the Nightforce 8x32 nxs with the npr1 reticle.
That scope has less elevation adjustment than the 5.5x22 nxs. So even with my cartridge, i can only
dial to about a mile. Of coarse i could add more taper or use the reticle also. But frankly for me, thats all im interested in doing as for distance.
Even that is further than most of the places we hunt although thats by choice also.
As for the bench, all long rangers in PA shoot from benches. And yes most of us know how to shoot without them lol.
We frankly have over many years perfected the fully adjustable portable bench to be as good as it gets in both light and heavy versions.
That includes the custom rests many of us use for hunting. An animal simply cannot run away from us regardless how fast, what direction,
or how far, so that when it stops were ready (right now) with a follow up shot. Try that from prone with a bipod or even bench/ bipod.
Mind you now im talking shooting from and into mountain sides and not flat land antelope type territory. Laying prone, facing downhill, on a steep hillside
and having an animal run uphill and to the right or left is an impossible situation for good follow up shots.
If your interested i could send you pictures of our setup that would possibly furnish you with ideas. I can also supply you with the name
of a guy who builds excellant benches and the rests i mentioned. The rest is a seperate thing that is optional according to individual opinion.
Also consider if you prefer kneeling, sitting, or standing next to the bench. The higher it is the more movement there will be without bracing.
That said the older we get the nicer it is to shoot standing, and especially with the heavy hitters. With an extra set of legs you could do it anyway you wish.
I would reccomend you talk with Bruce Baer and Dan Smitco at Cutting Edge if for no other reason than to pick brains before deciding on this.
Mark King would be another worth talking with for sure. But he might try to talk you into a 50. Bruce on the other hand would try to talk you out of it.