500 yard shots

mtank

mtank

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Jan 29, 2015
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I've finally been playing with my new 7mm rem mag build. It's on a whitworth interarms action that I killed my first buck with. At first I wanted to change everything but decided on just a barrel, bedded, & trigger work. I went with a 26" finished #3 bartlein 5r 1-9 twist barrel. This thing loves 168 Berger's. I've yet to load for it because it shoots the hsm 168 Berger vld & the federal 168 Berger hybrid so well. Yesterday was my first ever attempt @ 500 yards. I ended up with just over a 5.5" group @ 500. My question is would that be considered a good group? It's not a bench gun built strictly for whitetail & elk. My phone died before I shot the 500 group but here's two groups @ 300 with the federal being the best group.
E40314DF-C03E-4B3A-92C4-39E0FDEE9761.jpeg
A80927C4-C788-41BF-833F-2448FBDAEA1F.jpeg
 
If you're not taking more than 500 yard shots, 5 inch groups are fine, they are in the vitals. I wouldn't necessarily try for a head shot at 500 shooting like that, but. . .

If you are wanting to stretch it out to 800-1000, you might want to play around and see if you can get a load that shoots tighter than that. But if you never plan to shoot over a 500 max (you could stretch that to 600 and probably be safe) you don't need to unless you feel like doing so for fun.
 
I'd be interested in knowing what you loads are
Doing over a chronograph. Also if you haven't shot a lot at any distance, what were you shooting off of? Also what
Scope was used? A lot goes into half minute groups with a hunting rifle other than just the rifle. Also some people aren't capable of great groups. Practice makes perfect.
 
YZ-80 said:
encouraging that there is not a lot of vertical dispersion
Click to expand...
Like what YZ says above. So rifle does seem to like those factory loads.
I'm thinking that you can shrink those groups with that same ammo, with a little more time behind the rifle. A little more 500 yard practice and consistency can go a long ways when shooting long range.
 
Mach 1 said:
I'd be interested in knowing what you loads are
Doing over a chronograph. Also if you haven't shot a lot at any distance, what were you shooting off of? Also what
Scope was used? A lot goes into half minute groups with a hunting rifle other than just the rifle. Also some people aren't capable of great groups. Practice makes perfect.
Click to expand...
Those shots were off a Herters deluxe shooting bench & no bags under the butt stock. This setup still has less than 35 rnds fired from it. Scope is a Leica er5 4x20x50 with ballistic magnum reticle.
 
Barrelnut said:
Like what YZ says above. So rifle does seem to like those factory loads.
I'm thinking that you can shrink those groups with that same ammo, with a little more time behind the rifle. A little more 500 yard practice and consistency can go a long ways when shooting long range.
Click to expand...
For now 500 is my max range that I would feel comfortable taking a shot @. I'm taking this rifle to Colorado for the second rifle hunt. Going to try & shoot out to 500 maybe even 600 this next weekend. I've got everything ready to work up some loads for it. Just finding the time to do it is the thing. I have the 168 vld hunter , federal 215 primers & some h1000 as well as rl-25.
 
My experience I shoot better off of sandbags than just a bench, and I especially like a bag under the buttstock. Me personally I shoot better with field expedient, pack and rolled up coat, than I do off a portable bench.
Try some sandbags or if you don't have them at least take a coat and wad it up to support the butt of the gun, that may be all you need to tighten those groups up some more.
 
mtank said:
I've finally been playing with my new 7mm rem mag build. It's on a whitworth interarms action that I killed my first buck with. At first I wanted to change everything but decided on just a barrel, bedded, & trigger work. I went with a 26" finished #3 bartlein 5r 1-9 twist barrel. This thing loves 168 Berger's. I've yet to load for it because it shoots the hsm 168 Berger vld & the federal 168 Berger hybrid so well. Yesterday was my first ever attempt @ 500 yards. I ended up with just over a 5.5" group @ 500. My question is would that be considered a good group? It's not a bench gun built strictly for whitetail & elk. My phone died before I shot the 500 group but here's two groups @ 300 with the federal being the best group. View attachment 152356View attachment 152357
Click to expand...
 
to answer your question, yes MOA is fine. Everyone wants a bug hole rifle but if you are shooting moa at 500 in field conditions, factory ammo, etc then you are in the hunt. Only caution I have is that MOA at closer ranges, can and often does, go to crap at longer ranges. Just verify before hand. IF you reload..... I generally like to shoot 500 to get a feel for the performance of my ammo and chrono at the same time. If I get low SD and good accuracy I usually settle in. I also expect 2-3" groups. I am not happy with hand loads and MOA performance in good conditions.
 
Since this can't be stressed enough, knowing your accuracy capabilities in field conditions and wind conditions is paramount to making successful long range shots
 
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