How do you practice

[Hand Skills]

It is up and down only. Actually depends on how things were when you zeroed, I guess. Surveying vid says the bend is always down and from their perspective, I can see why. Litz says it is only up and down, but he was probably starting his observations from somewhere in the middle. They actually put a video camera on a scope positioned on a distant target and recorded the results through out the day.

Indeed, under the 'wrong' conditions, the effects are pretty easy to see even at 200-300yd. Just shoot a group at first light, with the sun at your back (a common hunting situation) and then shoot another at high noon. My POI moves around the most on cold sunny days. I can't say it's all due to refraction, but with snow on the ground I've had shifts approaching 2moa in -20C/-5F.

It was very frustrating chasing my zero around. I spent a lot of time and resources re-zeroing my scope and freaking out thermal expansion coefficients. Different stocks, bedding, scope mounts.... until someone keeping more disciplined records than I suggested optical phenomenon. Now I just do my best to zero under diffuse lighting (overcast conditions) and am very reluctant to change my zero without multiple data points.

 

[Hand Skills]

600 yards? 15 shots all in one enlarged hole?

If so, that's some funny lookin steel...

 

[gohring3006]

600 yards? 15 shots all in one enlarged hole?

600 yards? 15 shots all in one enlarged hole?

No just 100 yards. 15 shots in that hole. I did some scope swapping last week, and was zeroing all of them, I shot a three shot group into basically one hole, so I decided to see how many I could put into that hole. I shot it over the course of about a hour. I would shoot one, then shoot another rifle, allowing it to cool completely. Then I would shoot another round. They kept going in there, I never usually get that many shots without a least one flier, but like I said I attribute that to being relaxed and not worried about recoil.

 

[Pdvdh]

I cant give you an exact number because it doesnt seem to work that way. But I have seen it move .75-1 moa pretty regular.

Good to know there's an explanation for the subtle changes in POI I experience when I take my rifles out at different times over a period of 3-4 months. I just came to expect slight shifts in POI over time, with all of my rifles. Generally not more than 1-2 clicks on the turret. Or 1/4 to 1/2 moa.
I'm about to the point where I don't even re-zero for these slight adjustments. Because over time, my scope adjustments simply end up going back and forth one or two clicks within the same settings. Endless repetitions of fine scope adjustments.

 

[Canhunter35]

600 yards? 15 shots all in one enlarged hole?

He hangs his steel at 600, lol pretty sure those 15 are at 100 or I'm dumbfounded

 

[gohring3006]

He hangs his steel at 600, lol pretty sure those 15 are at 100 or I'm dumbfounded

You're right Canhunter. Lol
100 yards.

 

[trhall]

I thought this would make a good topic. Post how you guys practice with the focus on building your skill. What are you doing to become better at reading wind, cold bore shots, trigger control. If anyone has a local club shooting NRA service rifle matches, I highly recommend that style of shooting as almost a perfect training tool for hunting situations. I find in my own personal experience, that I almost never find a nice comfortable prone position off a bipod like we do at the range. I remember being told at some point that you should learn something from every shot, and thats stuck with me.

I really enjoy going out in the hills and mountains here in Utah and "hunting" rocks. I also enjoy shooting clay pigeons at 600 yards from various positions which has helped me tremendously develop very good habits on trigger control, breathing, and quickly setting up for shots.

 

[Pdvdh]

You're right Canhunter. Lol
100 yards.

Hah...
I was seriously considering the need for additional practice! Still am, as that's great grouping even at 100yds.

 

[gohring3006]

Hah...
I was seriously considering the need for additional practice! Still am, as that's great grouping even at 100yds.

I'm running hex coated 285 ELDs at 2700fps. That's a little slow, but I'm afraid to mess with it. They shoot where I point them all the way out to 1500 yards. Lol

 

[Canhunter35]

I'm running hex coated 285 ELDs at 2700fps. That's a little slow, but I'm afraid to mess with it. They shoot where I point them all the way out to 1500 yards. Lol

There's a lot of things that are coming together, don't change any of them lol. I was just thinking how expensive that hole is.