Fiftydriver
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Jerry,
I would agree that the 200 gr ULD 7mm bullet is going to change the way we look at long range shooting. Just a few years ago it was a big 338 magnum with a 300 gr SMK as the end all of extreme range shooting.
Like you say, it takes a great deal of a round to get 300 gr of bullet up to speed. Not that it doesn't take a large 7mm to get a 200 gr ULD up to speed but recoil is much less.
Plus top velocity potential with the 7mm is much higher then even the largest conventional 338 magnums.
The 338 does have an advantage in Sectional Density but the 200 gr ULD still has a very high SD for great penetration on anything on this side of the ponds at .354.
I am very curious to see how my 338 Allen Mag performs this winter. Still, I suspect it will not offer alot more if any ballistically then the 7mm AM. Terminally, thats a different story.
I just took my 7mm AM out for its initial long range drop chart test. Used the following data for the drop chart with a 300 yard zero:
3100 fps
40 degrees F
29.92" BP
3000 ft alt.
.925 BC
Headed out to my shooting area and after the 4" of snow last night we are now getting warm temps and alot of wind, that equals a freakin MESS as its about 8 miles of dirt road to my favorite shooting spot.
Needless to say the truck is BROWN from top to bottom!!!
The wind was quartering from my 8:00 position. I found a quality target rock on the hill side and ranged it at 842 yards. On the drop chart this range lists -3.6 mils for a hold. I was not concerned about wind drift at this point, just wanted to get the vertical dialed in first.
Let the first shot go and she landed roughly a foot high and a foot or so to the right. Took a bit out of the elevation and sent another 200 gr toward the rock. Again I was not correcting for wind at this point. This second shot was again roughly a foot to the right but only an inch or two high of the center line of my aiming point.
Took another shot with the same hold and mud slattered from the same hole.
Next to test the drop chart out I found a smaller rock in the stubble field, roughly 6" thick. Ranged it at 374 yards. On the drop chart, the hold is listed as -0.4 mil.
I held the .5 hash line on the bottom edge of the rock and at the break of the trigger the rock simply disappeared into fine gravel.
This made me feel good. This shot was taken with the wind directly at my back. Now it was clear that the drop chart was very close to actual bullet flight from the muzzle to 375 yards to 840 yards.
I then found a rock at 693 yards, This was a very small rock laying in the middle of a dirt slide so it would give me a good bullet impact splash. -2.5 mils was the correct hold for 690 yards so I out that line on the top of the 3" white rock. It was a miss but a very close miss. I had held 0.5 mil into the wind as the chart listed 0.8 mil for a 90 degree 10 mph wind. The shot landed about 2" high and just an inch or so off the rock. Certainly a dead deer at that range easily.
I let the rifle cool for a bit while I fireformed some brass for my 257 AM which is also going on the hunt in a back up role.
Then decided I wanted to really test the drop chart which went to 1010 yards. I found a nice black rock sitting on the snow covered hill side. The range was 988 yards. Looked her up and the hold was -4.8 mils for a 990 yard range. The rock was roughly 8" tall by 12" long. I allowed 3/4 mil into the wind and bracketed the rock between the -4.5 hash and the bottom post.
Again, not a hit but dead on vertically and only a couple inches to the right, again, on the front shoulders of a 300 lb whitetail, IN THE TRUCK.
I am not 100% ready though. I want to get some calm shooting conditions and verify the horizontal zero. It seems to be very close but just want to make sure. Have a few day so this should not be a problem. As she sits now though I would take a 700 yard shot with no second guesses at all.
The big 200 gr ULD really spoils you as far as limited wind drift. At a full 1000 yards, its only 1.0 mil hold for a 10 mph 90 degree crosswind.
Recoil wise, its on line with a 243 varmint rifle, if that much. Most do not believe me about this but those that have shot them really will back me up on this, there is simply nothing as far as recoil to worry about.
One last thing, getting the 3.5-15x 50mm NXS was the best decision I have made in several years. Flat out awsome in every way and the smaller 50mm objective is perfect for getting that scope down for a comfortable shooting postion.
This rifle may become my go to rifle VERY QUICKLY!!
Kirby Allen(50)
I would agree that the 200 gr ULD 7mm bullet is going to change the way we look at long range shooting. Just a few years ago it was a big 338 magnum with a 300 gr SMK as the end all of extreme range shooting.
Like you say, it takes a great deal of a round to get 300 gr of bullet up to speed. Not that it doesn't take a large 7mm to get a 200 gr ULD up to speed but recoil is much less.
Plus top velocity potential with the 7mm is much higher then even the largest conventional 338 magnums.
The 338 does have an advantage in Sectional Density but the 200 gr ULD still has a very high SD for great penetration on anything on this side of the ponds at .354.
I am very curious to see how my 338 Allen Mag performs this winter. Still, I suspect it will not offer alot more if any ballistically then the 7mm AM. Terminally, thats a different story.
I just took my 7mm AM out for its initial long range drop chart test. Used the following data for the drop chart with a 300 yard zero:
3100 fps
40 degrees F
29.92" BP
3000 ft alt.
.925 BC
Headed out to my shooting area and after the 4" of snow last night we are now getting warm temps and alot of wind, that equals a freakin MESS as its about 8 miles of dirt road to my favorite shooting spot.
Needless to say the truck is BROWN from top to bottom!!!
The wind was quartering from my 8:00 position. I found a quality target rock on the hill side and ranged it at 842 yards. On the drop chart this range lists -3.6 mils for a hold. I was not concerned about wind drift at this point, just wanted to get the vertical dialed in first.
Let the first shot go and she landed roughly a foot high and a foot or so to the right. Took a bit out of the elevation and sent another 200 gr toward the rock. Again I was not correcting for wind at this point. This second shot was again roughly a foot to the right but only an inch or two high of the center line of my aiming point.
Took another shot with the same hold and mud slattered from the same hole.
Next to test the drop chart out I found a smaller rock in the stubble field, roughly 6" thick. Ranged it at 374 yards. On the drop chart, the hold is listed as -0.4 mil.
I held the .5 hash line on the bottom edge of the rock and at the break of the trigger the rock simply disappeared into fine gravel.
This made me feel good. This shot was taken with the wind directly at my back. Now it was clear that the drop chart was very close to actual bullet flight from the muzzle to 375 yards to 840 yards.
I then found a rock at 693 yards, This was a very small rock laying in the middle of a dirt slide so it would give me a good bullet impact splash. -2.5 mils was the correct hold for 690 yards so I out that line on the top of the 3" white rock. It was a miss but a very close miss. I had held 0.5 mil into the wind as the chart listed 0.8 mil for a 90 degree 10 mph wind. The shot landed about 2" high and just an inch or so off the rock. Certainly a dead deer at that range easily.
I let the rifle cool for a bit while I fireformed some brass for my 257 AM which is also going on the hunt in a back up role.
Then decided I wanted to really test the drop chart which went to 1010 yards. I found a nice black rock sitting on the snow covered hill side. The range was 988 yards. Looked her up and the hold was -4.8 mils for a 990 yard range. The rock was roughly 8" tall by 12" long. I allowed 3/4 mil into the wind and bracketed the rock between the -4.5 hash and the bottom post.
Again, not a hit but dead on vertically and only a couple inches to the right, again, on the front shoulders of a 300 lb whitetail, IN THE TRUCK.
I am not 100% ready though. I want to get some calm shooting conditions and verify the horizontal zero. It seems to be very close but just want to make sure. Have a few day so this should not be a problem. As she sits now though I would take a 700 yard shot with no second guesses at all.
The big 200 gr ULD really spoils you as far as limited wind drift. At a full 1000 yards, its only 1.0 mil hold for a 10 mph 90 degree crosswind.
Recoil wise, its on line with a 243 varmint rifle, if that much. Most do not believe me about this but those that have shot them really will back me up on this, there is simply nothing as far as recoil to worry about.
One last thing, getting the 3.5-15x 50mm NXS was the best decision I have made in several years. Flat out awsome in every way and the smaller 50mm objective is perfect for getting that scope down for a comfortable shooting postion.
This rifle may become my go to rifle VERY QUICKLY!!
Kirby Allen(50)
