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long range shooting

IAM CURIOUS ABOUT DOING SOME LONG RANGE SHOOTING 400-600 YDS WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD CALIBER TO USE IAM NOT A RELOADER I WAS THINKING 22 250 OR A 6MM GIVE ME SOME IDEAS

Comments

  • 44 shotdoctor44 shotdoctor Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    So currently I am shooting a 7mm-08 at 100yds with great groupings. I am loading a 168grain hpbt matchking with 760 powder at 40grains and getting 1/2 to 3/4 groupings. My question is I want to push this gun out to 400 yds. Is there a better load or combination of components to get groupings out this far?? Such as a different weight of bullet or type or different powders that work to longer ranges?? With reasonable success or should I just stick with what I am currently using??
  • WayneShawWayneShaw Member Posts: 40 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    A 7-08 is a great hunting round. If you want to get serious about long range accuracy, you will probably want to get into a 30 caliber or maybe 6.5mm. The reason is quality bullets. Very few 1000 yard benchrest shooters use a 7mm, simply because of bullet selection. The 6.5's have taken over the "less than 30" crowd for the most part, altho many still use the 6mm. The 30 caliber still has probably more wins to it's name than any other caliber, when speaking of long range.

    I look at this as an accuracy standpoint, since that is my game. However, for informal shooting, the 7mm will do fine.
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390
    edited November -1
    Hello ShotDoctor. If you are getting 1/2 -3/4 inch groups at 100 yards you are on your way to good groups at 400 yards. There is no one load that will shoot better at 400 yards the bullet you are useing is as good as any factory bullet you can buy . if you try different powder charges at 100 yards and see improvement in group size then this same improvement will be there at 400 yards. The big difference in shooting at 400 yards is being able to "READ THE WIND" because of the time of flight of the bullet is longer and wind is seldom constant wind drift is a BIG POINT in long range shooting . The other BIG change is the sights you are using . It takes skill if using IRON sights and Good GLASS if using a scope to see slight errors in the relationship of cross hairs to target at 400 yards.
  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    44 shotdoctor,

    "My question is I want to push this gun out to 400 yds."

    What do you want to accomplish, are you target shooting, hunting or just plinking?

    Your load of Win. 760 and the 168 gr. HPBT MatchKing is below even the starting load recommended by Hodgdon's website. They have a Starting load of 44 gr. of W-760 and a Maximum load of 46 gr.

    This is the link to their Reloading Center:

    http://www.hodgdon.com/

    I just went back through some of my notes from last year's development projects and the combinations that a hunting rifle set up liked was:

    139 gr. Hornady InterBond with AA-XMR-2495

    162 gr. Hornady AMAX with Ramshot Big Game

    For plain old successful hunting there is nothing wrong with the Speer Spitzer bullets or any of the Nosler products.

    More information as to what you want to do will help us get you better information.

    Best.
  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    you need a good 85% load density,..so choose a powder that will accomplish this. Next,..good glass. Then, good bullets for LR shooting. Then practice practice practice.

    The 7mm-08 was DEVELOPED as a silhouette (sp) round for competition shooting. The 7mm offers slightly better BC's than comparable 30cals until you get up in the 200gr+ range. It can make a superb 1000yd cartridge with a long enough barrel and heavy pills. You may consider having it reamed to 7mm08 Ackely Improved to pick up just a bit of powder capacity for launching the 168-180gr VLD pills.
  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    44shotdoctor,

    Personally, I would be looking at using H4350x for your weight bullet. My best load in my 7x57 which is very comparable is 46 gr. of VV N160 out of a 26" barrel. This gives me a velocity of 2660 up here in Minnesota in standard temps. In cold weather the speed drops maybe 100 fps or so.
  • HighballHighball Member Posts: 15,755
    edited November -1
    Recently worked with a 7/08 in a Stevens 200.

    The rifle will shoot 5 inch groups at 600 yards.

    175 Gr. Sierras;
    Varget powder. Using just under max load. Seated .030 off the rifling...cannot feed thru the magazine loaded the way I like...just off the rifling.
  • 44 shotdoctor44 shotdoctor Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well to answer some of your questions.
    The 40g load of 760 when using the 168 HPBT gives better groupings than the recommended min charge. When increasing the load the groupings spread. This gun was my fathers and he did a lot precison shooting and found this worked best for this gun. I am just taking this gun to the next level. As for the other questions I am currently using for optics is a Leupold 6.5x20. Will this work for these longer ranges? Or is there something better? Thanks for the reponses. 44shotdoctor.
  • bgjohnbgjohn Member Posts: 2,275 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When shooting long range I just aim higher.
    JM[;)]
  • Jim the PA HunterJim the PA Hunter Member Posts: 87 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Nothing wrong with the Leupold 6.5x20, A friend had one on his Rem. 700 22/250 and he took several groundhogs at ranges of 300 or so. I use a 6x24 B&L on a 220 swift and a 6x24 Burris Signature on a 6mm Rem. for chucks and target shooting. I prefer the Leupold's though. [8D]

    One thing I did not see asked is what is the twist rate of your barrel? Before you go heavier on the pills make sure your barrel is capable of spinning them right.

    One combo you might try is IMR 4064 and a high end 140gr. bullet.

    [:D]
  • CryptoChiefCryptoChief Member Posts: 100 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    44shotdoctor,

    To say that there is one combination that can be recommended that you can use in your rifle that would work perfectly would be a statement that is a step or two away from reality. Fact is the only way you can obtain your objective, or make progress towards, is to try various options as far as bullets, powders, primers and so on. I know, this sounds a bit broad. But finding what's the best has not, nor will not, come without some trial and error.

    Here are several things I have observed, agree with and/or recommend after reading the responses and relying on my personal experience:

    - you are obviously not using your current load for hunting or you would not be using the Sierra Match King bullet.

    - 7mm loadings have good bullet selection with hi ballistic coefficients but are limited to some degree in the "match" department. Some folks may disagree but I have found Berger makes a very fine 168 and even 180 grain bullets that are capable of very fine accuracy. I shoot 115 molys in my 6XC out to 500 yards and have recorded groups, on my good days, as small as 5/8 inch for a three shot group. I shoot 190 molys in my 308 Ackley and at 100 yards can cover three shots with half a dime. All shooting was done off a very stable "hard" platform. Have not had the opportunity to stretch out the 308 as of yet. Just some food for thought.

    - I agree with JustC in the option of "improving" your chambering to the 7-08 Ackley Improved. This is a simple procedure which is less than the cost of a new rifle. Also load density is important. I find my best target loads come from loads with high load densities but not necessarily compressed loads. Hi load densities give more uniform burning of the powder as it lays in the case during firing.

    - Have the thoat checked for excessive wear. You mentioned that the rifle was used a lot in the past. Have this checked out. If you have the chamber rechambered to 7-08 Ackley the smith can check for errosion and set the barrel back, rechamber and eliminate all or most of the any errosion that may be present.

    - PerryShooter is right on concerning external ballistics. Wind can be a killer if you don't know how to read it and adjust accordingly. Of course there are many other "conditions" that come into play when shooting long range such as lighting, temperature, mirage, humidity, and others that I won't get into. These conditions will have some effect out at 400 yards, depending on the degree of the condition, but can/will increase significantly beyond that range (600 to 1000 yards).

    - If you don't have a chronograph, buy one. Checking your loads for standard deviation and extreme spread shot to shot can speak volumns concerning what your loads are doing coming out of the barrel and ultimately how your bullets print on the target. Load density, again, can be important factor.

    There's more I could go into here but for the sake of brevity I'll leave it as it is. I have only just started getting involved in the forum, but from what I have seen there is a wealth of information that is provided from shooters and loaders with infinitely more wisdom and knowledge than I possess. I can only hope to add to anyting they may have recommended.

    Vic
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