First season with the 6.5 Sherman

[bigngreen]

That is quite good performance for a non-extreme magnum.

Quite the effective cartridge.

One of these times we otta sneak out and shoot something worth shootin'.

I'll mozy up that way and wonder around. You shoot the woofs and I'll shoot the yotes.

A 200 yard zero would put it at 19.1 MOA at a 1000 yards. That data was at 5612 ft elevation on that day as well.

I think we're going to all hit the shoots in Townsend, if your in the neighborhood let me know, there are some good targets of opportunity around gun)

 

[elkaholic]

That is quite good performance for a non-extreme magnum.

Quite the effective cartridge.

One of these times we otta sneak out and shoot something worth shootin'.

I'll mozy up that way and wonder around. You shoot the woofs and I'll shoot the yotes.

Roy....a .270 would do that too.......Rich

 

[CliffM]

Rich,
The range is located about 2-3 miles to the west of Dillon.
We have been in the process of upgrading the range, new firing lines and benches. Could possibly get the target frames up for the 1000yd this next year.
I have used the original Scirocco's in the '06 and 30-338 and they shot well, did a good job on the animals too, may have to give the new ones a run.
I have never really had a serious thought about hunting any where very far away from home, but things change and seeing new country and meeting new people is starting to have a certain appeal to it.
I'll get some more pics down range tomorrow.
gun)Cliff

 

[elkaholic]

Thanks Cliff for the update! I think the Scirrocos are one of the best "all around" hunting bullets out there. They do everything quite well, providing they group.....Rich

 

[bigngreen]

Roy....a .270 would do that too.......Rich

The ballistics are very similar to my 270 WSM loaded with 165 Matrix, there's not enough difference to count really unless I shoot the 175 Matrix which gives me a slight edge. In close you can see the advantage to the larger bullet when it impacts game though but for straight ballistics I guess I'm going to up my game I guess that's what the 338's are for, the 300 gr Bergers leave an impression gun)

Going to light up some rock banditos tomorrow, well beyond what my range finder will shoot in one set up. I need a Terrapin so bad it hurts, only ranging 1200 yards is lame

 

[royinidaho]

I fully intent on being at the first Townsend shoot and most probably some subsequent ones also.

I'd spend some time at that Dillon range also.

Shooting with experienced LRHrs is something that raises the tide for all the boats.

After an 18 month lay-off I'm pretty rusty but have been rehabilitated from my cannon and tinker itus.

From this point on any and all shots will count for something.

Plus, being as I have no LRF a Terrapin is in order. However, I will wait to see Broz's PLRF before jumping in the deep end.

I intend to take the shot at any somewhat reasonable opportunity and range, that I can a trusted range, on any woof that shows itself. I figger if its far enough away and I miss I won't be educating 'em.

PS: 19.1 moa @ 1k is only 2 moa difference from a 270 AM with the same zero range. Figuring economics and efficiency the Sherman in either 6.5 or 277 wins. But hey, I already have the 270 AM plus a new replacement bbl when the long in the tooth one finally gives up the ghost.

 

[CliffM]

Here is some pics from this morning's shooting
Wind was about 10-12mph, snowing off and on.


When it was clear enough to see the target at 1030, dialed in 21moa elevation 6moa wind and got a start on this fall.gun)

No, the two in the leg are not bad shots, .the dust made it look like it was hitting high so I held down at the belly line.
The ones in the neck......well it's good to know where your limits are I guess.

 

[elkaholic]

Cliff, given those conditions and a 10-12 mph wind, I am pretty impressed! I would venture to say that the neck shots were a direct result of the 10-12 mph wind. Sometimes 10, and sometimes 12
What was the wind direction (angle) How much did you correct for elev. given a R or L wind?.
Was this your 62 gr. load of H1000 and 140 Berger? What mv do you get with that load?
Sorry for the 1000 questions!..........Rich

 

[CliffM]

Rich
today's loads:
63gr Retumbo 3150fps e.s. 10
60gr H1000 3050fps e.s. 2
F210
140 Berger & 140 A-Max .010 into
The Berger and A-Max POI were within .5" @ 100 and close to 1 moa to 1300.
No elevation correction for wind speed, unless Rhian had it in there and didn't mention it.
Wind I think was 7-9 o'clock, 62 grH1000 gives 3133 e.s. 15
Those on the antelope were 60 H1000. 5 shots aimed behind shoulder. The dust on the berm was in the same spot every shot so I put the next 5 in the neck. The fog and snow didn't give a very good sight picture
I could see the horn ok so I held some where around the black patch on the neck, not a very consistent aim point. I figured that was the vertical spread. I was surprised to see that many hits all things considered.
I'm thinking that we are going to need to make up a number of those targets of various critters for practice.Cliff

 

[elkaholic]

Thanks Cliff.....that is some pretty good shooting all things considered! Are you almost ready to use that reamer again? I had so much fun with mine I was afraid I was going to burn the barrel out the first year For the velocity these things attain, the barrel life is pretty darn good though....rich

 

[CliffM]

I would hope it would take a couple of years before this one is used up and then do a couple at the same time.Would like to do one with a 30" medium or heavy palma contour in a good stock like the BC Medalist.
I have never shot a barrel out yet, but I was thinking that tracking the oal to the lands would give me an idea of how fast things were progressing if that is any kind of reliable indicator.
Did I mention that I reeaallyy like shooting this rifle
BTW thinking back, the come up was 22 not 21 for the 60gr load.
I don't care much for shooting in nasty weather, but it is very good practice for hunting season....Cliff

 

[elkaholic]

I would hope it would take a couple of years before this one is used up and then do a couple at the same time.Would like to do one with a 30" medium or heavy palma contour in a good stock like the BC Medalist.
I have never shot a barrel out yet, but I was thinking that tracking the oal to the lands would give me an idea of how fast things were progressing if that is any kind of reliable indicator.
Did I mention that I reeaallyy like shooting this rifle
BTW thinking back, the come up was 22 not 21 for the 60gr load.
I don't care much for shooting in nasty weather, but it is very good practice for hunting season....Cliff

It will be interesting to see how many rounds it will take? I am going to have mine bore scoped pretty soon and see how it looks. I have around 1300 rounds thru it and it still shoots well. I may have the barrel set back and then send it in for melonite treatment when I do my 30/375 S.I..........Rich

 

[bigngreen]

The correction included spin drift and Coriolis other than that just the normal stuff using Loadbase 3.0, my Kestrel is laying on a fence line under 4 ft of snow right now so the enviro data is very close but not dead on, after a summer of rock busting not much is going to be safe. gun)

I'm betting the throat on that barrel looks like a nucular test site in a year, we'll know how the 6.5 Sherman does in a full auto configuration

 

[elkaholic]

The correction included spin drift and Coriolis other than that just the normal stuff using Loadbase 3.0, my Kestrel is laying on a fence line under 4 ft of snow right now so the enviro data is very close but not dead on, after a summer of rock busting not much is going to be safe. gun)

I'm betting the throat on that barrel looks like a nucular test site in a year, we'll know how the 6.5 Sherman does in a full auto configuration

A NUCULAR throat usually means a dangerous shooter!.....Rich