A Rifle For the Long Shots the 6mm Dasher
It was just a few months later when Eddie sent an email that included an attached photo. The email simply read, "This is a 3 shot, 100 yard group." The photo showed a target that had one hole, dead-center in the bulls-eye. Needless to say I was soon on the way to Boones Mill to pick up the Dasher, and then head home and back to the range.
Eddie Webster's target.
The next batch of test rounds had already been loaded, two three-shot groups with each of five RL-15 powder weights: 31.0 grains, 31.5 grains, 32.0 grains, 32.5 grains and 33.0 grains. Upon arriving at the range a bench was selected and the front rest was put in place. The rear rest was added and the rifle snuggled into the arrangement. It was time to settle down and see what the new chambering had to offer.
The targets normally used for 300 yards are designed for 100 yard use and are somewhat small, with six bulls-eyes on a standard sheet of paper. But the supply had been depleted and the only targets available had one bull on each page… a very large diamond shape rhombus. After the targets were hung at 300 yards I moseyed back to the bench and settled down to shoot.
When I took a look through the Nightforce scope one word came to mind... "Wow!" That big rhombus target allowed my ageing eyes to precisely place the crosshair exactly where it belongs. This allowed me to adjust the crosshairs much more precisely than the smaller targets I had been using, and perhaps to shoot the rifle more accurately.
First group at 300 yards with new chambering.
It felt good to be behind the butt plate of the Dasher again, looking through that clear Nightforce glass. With a light breeze and no mirage the shooting began, and when the dust had settled the two groups with 31.0 grains of powder averaged 0.745-inches (the first group was .288-inches). The others, in ascending order were 0.849-inches, 0.764-inches, 2.466 inches, and 1.543-inches. This was quite a pleasant surprise, one that had not been expected. The first three loadings had bested the goal of an inch group at 300 yards.
The primary requirement for making a very long shot on a varmint was now in hand… a rifle capable of doing the job. Now the long-range practice begins, followed by a trip to somewhere with wide open spaces and roaming varmints. The wheels are in motion.
Glenn at the bench with the 6mm Dasher.
Hogtown note: Madison Heights, Virginia lies just across the James River from Lynchburg. In the early part of the last century it was illegal to raise pigs in Lynchburg, so the folks in Madison Heights took up the chore. For their effort the area was awarded the stigma of 'Hogtown'. Many years later a gun club situated just outside of Madison Heights held Cowboy Action matches, and the shooter with the fastest times with a six shooter, lever action rifle and double barrel shotgun was awarded a plaque noting the deed.
(Neither the writer nor the publication accepts any responsibility for the safety of loads mentioned herein in other firearms. They were safe in the firearms mentioned and on the day of their firing. Start with minimum safe loads and work slowly up.)
Contacts
Don Lahr, Precision Ballistics LLC (bullets)
360 E. Paradise Hills Dr.
Henderson, NV 89002
Phone (702) 331-1337
www.precisionballisticsllc.com
Eddie Webster (gunsmith)
W&M Gun Repair
3607 Alean Road
Boones Mill, VA 24065
Phone: (540) 420-0795
Email: [email protected]
Graf & Sons, Inc. (Lapua Products)
4050 South Clark
Mexico, MO 65265
Phone: (800) 531-2666
www.grafs.com
Hornady Manufacturing Co. (Dies and bullets)
Box 1848
Grand Island, NE
Phone (800) 338-3220
www.hornady.com
Krieger Barrels, Inc. (Cut-rifled barrels)
2024 Mayfield Rd
Richfield WI, 53076
Phone (262) 628-8558
www.kriegerbarrels.com
Mark Penrod - Penrod Precision
312 College Avenue
N. Manchester, IN 46962
Phone (260) 982-8385
Email: [email protected]
Nightforce Optics, Inc.
336 Hazen Lane
Orofino, ID 83544
Phone (208) 476-9814
www.nightforceoptics.com
Pacific Tool & Gauge, Inc. (Reamers and gauges)
598 Avenue C
White City, OR 97503-1031
Phone: 541-826-5808
www.pacifictoolandgauge.com
Sinclair International (Shooting supplies)
200 South Front Street
Montezuma, Iowa 50171
Phone: (800) 717-8211
E-mail: [email protected]
www.sinclairintl.com
Glenn Burroughs is a retired computer systems manager with a lifelong love of guns. His main areas of interest are accurate rifles, wildcat cartridges, reloading and bench shooting. He also enjoys an occasional trip out west to the prairie dog country. Glenn was a columnist for Precision Shooting magazine and also wrote articles for Varmint Hunter magazine. He resides in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Eddie Webster's target.
The next batch of test rounds had already been loaded, two three-shot groups with each of five RL-15 powder weights: 31.0 grains, 31.5 grains, 32.0 grains, 32.5 grains and 33.0 grains. Upon arriving at the range a bench was selected and the front rest was put in place. The rear rest was added and the rifle snuggled into the arrangement. It was time to settle down and see what the new chambering had to offer.
The targets normally used for 300 yards are designed for 100 yard use and are somewhat small, with six bulls-eyes on a standard sheet of paper. But the supply had been depleted and the only targets available had one bull on each page… a very large diamond shape rhombus. After the targets were hung at 300 yards I moseyed back to the bench and settled down to shoot.
When I took a look through the Nightforce scope one word came to mind... "Wow!" That big rhombus target allowed my ageing eyes to precisely place the crosshair exactly where it belongs. This allowed me to adjust the crosshairs much more precisely than the smaller targets I had been using, and perhaps to shoot the rifle more accurately.
First group at 300 yards with new chambering.
It felt good to be behind the butt plate of the Dasher again, looking through that clear Nightforce glass. With a light breeze and no mirage the shooting began, and when the dust had settled the two groups with 31.0 grains of powder averaged 0.745-inches (the first group was .288-inches). The others, in ascending order were 0.849-inches, 0.764-inches, 2.466 inches, and 1.543-inches. This was quite a pleasant surprise, one that had not been expected. The first three loadings had bested the goal of an inch group at 300 yards.
The primary requirement for making a very long shot on a varmint was now in hand… a rifle capable of doing the job. Now the long-range practice begins, followed by a trip to somewhere with wide open spaces and roaming varmints. The wheels are in motion.
Glenn at the bench with the 6mm Dasher.
Hogtown note: Madison Heights, Virginia lies just across the James River from Lynchburg. In the early part of the last century it was illegal to raise pigs in Lynchburg, so the folks in Madison Heights took up the chore. For their effort the area was awarded the stigma of 'Hogtown'. Many years later a gun club situated just outside of Madison Heights held Cowboy Action matches, and the shooter with the fastest times with a six shooter, lever action rifle and double barrel shotgun was awarded a plaque noting the deed.
(Neither the writer nor the publication accepts any responsibility for the safety of loads mentioned herein in other firearms. They were safe in the firearms mentioned and on the day of their firing. Start with minimum safe loads and work slowly up.)
Contacts
Don Lahr, Precision Ballistics LLC (bullets)
360 E. Paradise Hills Dr.
Henderson, NV 89002
Phone (702) 331-1337
www.precisionballisticsllc.com
Eddie Webster (gunsmith)
W&M Gun Repair
3607 Alean Road
Boones Mill, VA 24065
Phone: (540) 420-0795
Email: [email protected]
Graf & Sons, Inc. (Lapua Products)
4050 South Clark
Mexico, MO 65265
Phone: (800) 531-2666
www.grafs.com
Hornady Manufacturing Co. (Dies and bullets)
Box 1848
Grand Island, NE
Phone (800) 338-3220
www.hornady.com
Krieger Barrels, Inc. (Cut-rifled barrels)
2024 Mayfield Rd
Richfield WI, 53076
Phone (262) 628-8558
www.kriegerbarrels.com
Mark Penrod - Penrod Precision
312 College Avenue
N. Manchester, IN 46962
Phone (260) 982-8385
Email: [email protected]
Nightforce Optics, Inc.
336 Hazen Lane
Orofino, ID 83544
Phone (208) 476-9814
www.nightforceoptics.com
Pacific Tool & Gauge, Inc. (Reamers and gauges)
598 Avenue C
White City, OR 97503-1031
Phone: 541-826-5808
www.pacifictoolandgauge.com
Sinclair International (Shooting supplies)
200 South Front Street
Montezuma, Iowa 50171
Phone: (800) 717-8211
E-mail: [email protected]
www.sinclairintl.com
Glenn Burroughs is a retired computer systems manager with a lifelong love of guns. His main areas of interest are accurate rifles, wildcat cartridges, reloading and bench shooting. He also enjoys an occasional trip out west to the prairie dog country. Glenn was a columnist for Precision Shooting magazine and also wrote articles for Varmint Hunter magazine. He resides in Lynchburg, Virginia.
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