Thanks to everyone who responded; I'm going to run some tests with H4350, N160 and H4831sc to see which one the rifle likes best. Then, we'll take it from there. First things first, I still have the new barrel to break in. I was advised to clean the barrel after each shot for the first ten shots and then clean after every 3-4 shots for the next ten shots.
I do have one off topic question for the number crunchers; can someone tell me where my rifle will impact (inch high or low?) at fifty yards if the rifle is sighted in at 100 yards. Its my 6.5-284 shooting 30 grain bullets if that makes a difference. Years ago I read somewhere that the bullet will impact at 33 feet (possibly yards) at the same point as in shooting at 100 yards. If anyone knows the answer to these questions, I'd appreciate it.
I'll see if I can answer this question correctly. Your scope is about 2.5" above your chamber to start with. So if you are at zero @ 100yds. Your line of sight is a straight line. Your rifle is point up hill to reach your line of sight or POI the other factor is your bullet is falling from the time it leave the barrel. So your bullet it's placed into an arc. coming out your barrel to wanted POI @ 100yds. Now that bullet brakes your line of sight in two places. Once has it raises from your barrel through your line of sight somewhere in about 25+ yds and gain @ 100yds. As it's falling back to earth.
Your bullet is place into a long arc. Starting below your line of sight intersecting at some point in about 25+yds. Again at some point it fall back into line of sight.
Now you can look at the bullet going thru the air and the kill zone or area of whatever animal you are shooting. Lets say the kill zone is 10" on the animal. So your bullet hit in the middle of the kill area at hunderd yds and farther than that. Because your bullet has 5" of additional fall and stay inside the kill zone. Generaly the kill zone is bigger than that. so it just example. How the bullet weigth, BC and Velocity determines just how far it will stay in the kill zone.
Velocity and the bullet make up are about the same. The path the bullet fly. The drop is about the same caliber to caliber. Velocity has to be very close to the same with each caliber.
Most of my rifle that I use for large game the velocity are within 100fps. So the bullet path is almost the same. So I don't have to figure out in the field where to hold my rifle on the animal. That is ranges from a few yds to 500yds. Before the real days of range finders I learn how to range the animal with the duplex crosshair in the scope to determine is range.
Now days it's a different story with all the equipment out there to set up you scope to shoot at extended ranges.
Hopefully that will help. I known others can write better than me, and I may have miss a point or too.
Botton line is you need to know your BC, Velocity, and shoot it at those different ranges. Take or make notes on what your bullet is doing at those different ranges.
