Numbers don't add up

[TRG65]

I had the same questions that lance just posted as I read through.

I've gotten rid of all my SFP scopes just for the reasons cited. They are hard to "tune" the BDC lines between what you should be getting and what you really are getting. FFP with a mil reticle, easy.

 

[azarcher10x]

What i did was to shoot a distinct distance..in this case 450yards...matched it to my bottom post and when the buck showed..down he went......
So your shooting distance lines should match up at a specific selected power setting....otherwise at lowest power your gradient will be really long..and full power it will be much shorter.....
Maybe start in reverse...figure out your 500yd...then work down at same power....

That's a vote for an FFP...

 

[Laelkhunter]

You have a Vortex Razor, with 10x max, and a German #4 reticle, but have subtensions for 300, 400, 500, 600??

View attachment 205851

And he joined July 9, 2014 and only has 3 messages?? Two messages were in this thread. Where has he been since July 2014??

 

[7070yshot]

I only have a 100 yard spot to shoot. I have an Idaho elk hunt in october where the ranges are 400 + yards. I put a target at the bottom of a tall cardboard target. Using my Vortex Razor's internal bullet drop comp. I checked zero on my 300 Win Mag using 180 gr. Federal Trophy Bonded tip factory. My zero was 2' high at 100. Now using the scopes 300, 400, and 500 yard marks I aimed at my zero spot and shot at the yardage mentioned above. My 300 yard mark was right on at 6.5 inches of holdover. The 400 yard was 14.7 inches high vs Federals 19.2 inch,
THe 500 yard was for me 22.5 inches vs Federal's 38.6 inches. The Federal info came from the ballistic calculator. My rifle can't be shooting that flat so can someone explain where I went wrong

First are you using MOA or MRAD. Did you get accurate velocity readings for your ammo. Are you using same ammo?
The drop is what the drop is. Use Applied Ballistics and be done. Use the velocity and temp tables to tune in your settings.
Ensure all environmentals are correct and DOF.
get to a range and shoot.400y is a chip shot for the 300WM.
At 400y you should have a max of a 4in group.

 

[7070yshot]

And he joined July 9, 2014 and only has 3 messages?? Two messages were in this thread. Where has he been since July 2014??

Sighting in his rifle

 

[Gar Guru]

You are going to have to get another place to shoot. 100 yards tells you one thing, where your gun hits at 100 yards.

 

[arch408]

Scope height relative to the bore will change the drop tables. Also, did you chronoghraph to confirm the velocity? There are many variables that affect drop tables. Check your close zero impact and see if it is where it is supposed to be. Because of the ballistic arc, as the bullet rises, it will intersect line of sight at an intermediate range usually inside of 50 yards. Using that distance, you can predict approximate impacts at further distances.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I only have a 100 yard spot to shoot. I have an Idaho elk hunt in october where the ranges are 400 + yards. I put a target at the bottom of a tall cardboard target. Using my Vortex Razor's internal bullet drop comp. I checked zero on my 300 Win Mag using 180 gr. Federal Trophy Bonded tip factory. My zero was 2' high at 100. Now using the scopes 300, 400, and 500 yard marks I aimed at my zero spot and shot at the yardage mentioned above. My 300 yard mark was right on at 6.5 inches of holdover. The 400 yard was 14.7 inches high vs Federals 19.2 inch,
THe 500 yard was for me 22.5 inches vs Federal's 38.6 inches. The Federal info came from the ballistic calculator. My rifle can't be shooting that flat so can someone explain where I went wrong

You may have got mixed up on your actual scope configuration, make & model. Check and see what you actually have and get back with us. How far do you actually think you will need to shoot while hunting? I ask this because: more times than not, ballistic hold overs rarely match up for every yardage mark to particular ammunition. You can use an app called strelok that will help you match yardage to your ammo. But that even is guessing if you don't actually verify your velocity with a chronograph. The easiest thing to do in your situation is to limit your shot on game to say: 400 yards or maybe just 300 yards, which ever you can actually set up a target for. If it's say 400 yards, go set your target up at 400. Zero your rifle with your 400 yard hold over on the 400 yard target. Then your maximum distance hold over of 400yds will be true. Your 200 & 300 yard hold overs may have the actual bullet impact an inch or two high or low if you use them at those perspective distances of 200 & 300 yards. But that's not going to cause you to miss a coyote, deer, or elk at those distances.

 

[Euler]

If you want to take shot opportunities out to 400 yards, then you need to practice at 400 yards. Shooting a big piece of cardboard at 100 yards isn't equivalent to shooting 400 yards. I think you should try and find a different place to shoot or know that your range will be limited.

 

[BrianID]

If you really want to shoot at 300+ yards, you really need to get out and shoot your gun at the ranges you plan on attempting to kill an elk. If you don't verify your drop and practice shooting your rifle in field conditions, you are more likely to wound an elk at 400 yards than kill an elk, even if you can shoot 1/4" groups at 100 yards from a bench. See if you can find a range you can make it to in the next 2 months or you will have to it in Idaho. Once you get to Idaho there is plenty of BLM and Forest service land that you can shoot at 200, 300 or 400 yards. Take a few practice shots before your hunt and see what you are really capable of and limit your shot distance on an elk accordingly. Getting set up for a longer shot in field conditions takes guys who haven't practiced it more time than it should, so you should practice that as well.

 

[Hand Skills]

In the OP's defence, the reticle is called a G4 and pretty similar to a German #4.

I think Lance nailed it, and the question has been answered. The G4 happens to be one of my favorite SFP reticles

 

[DJ Fergus]

In the OP's defence, the reticle is called a G4 and pretty similar to a German #4.

I think Lance nailed it, and the question has been answered. The G4 happens to be one of my favorite SFP reticles

View attachment 205881

@ danblkelk My apologies for thinking you were mixed up on the scope you have. I stand corrected.

 

[lancetkenyon]

In the OP's defence, the reticle is called a G4 and pretty similar to a German #4.

I think Lance nailed it, and the question has been answered. The G4 happens to be one of my favorite SFP reticles

View attachment 205881

Awesome research. Good to have some clarity.

 

[FEENIX]

So it is a newer design ...

and the OP is "trying" to achieve a Class B configuration, hoping that a +2" @ 100Y = 0 @ 200Y ...

(SOURCE: https://vortexoptics.com/media/uploads/web_manual_reticle_G4-BDC.pdf)