Different loads for different ranges?

[Fatelvis]

Why do some people use 168`s for 200-300 yds, and 175s for 600 in thier M1as/Garands? Wouldnt it make more sense to just use the 175s, and one powder load, and know the load inside and out? Just curious to the reasoning behind that practice- Thanks-

[Swampy]

fatelvis.....

I know Steve Smith will come in on this but I'll butt in....

To answer you question in a word... it's "Recoil".


At 600 yds the Highpower shooter wants the best ballistic cooefficient he can get to fight the wind... hence the heavier bullets.

At the 200 and 300 yds rapid fire stages wind is not nearly the problem that it is at 600, and in the rapid fire shooting regimen recoil is a Major player in determining how quickly you can get back on target for the next shot. This is a critical factor in the Highpower game..

My own personal preferrence with my Match M1 is the 168 or 175 SMK at 600 (my rifle prefers the 168 over the 175) and the 150 SMK for the 200-300 stages.

Just my thoughts on the subject....... ;)

Swampy

Garands forever

[Steve Smith]

Swampy's thoughts are dead-on...but there are other factors as well. One is the fact that the heavier bullets are loaded long and the lighter ones are loaded mag length. This is a pressure issue. Another reason is cost.


If the cheaper, lighter recoiling, lower pressure round shoots REALLY WELL at the shorter distances, USE IT!!! :D

Swampy, just call me Steve, man! :)

[30Cal]

Keeping track of different 2 loads and zeros isn't all that tough. I know what I need for 168s for standing, sitting and prone rapid for 70F and I know that as temp goes up 20 degrees, I need to subtract about 1 MoA. Same for the 175's. I use that simple thumbrule at all ranges and it gets me in the black if not the 10 ring all the time for elevation. Wind doesn't generally come into play until 600. At 300 it matters some, but at that distance, one thumbrule works equally well for both bullets.

Keep decent records. Record time of day, light conditions and direction, and wind. I generally plot every shot for offhand, but for the rapids, I just draw a quick shape and location for the group (if I can separate out the two from the 1st magazine, all the better). For 600, I don't keep track of shots or group because I want to shoot quickly. I make notes on how things went (sling, elbows, grip or whatever). Shoot an entire season that way and you'll be able to gleen far more useful information than you ever will from a computer printed trajectory table.

Even at 600yds, knowing the windage corrections only really matters to me on the 1st shot or if I get held up for some reason. If the wind fishtails, I might do a sanity check of apparent wind verses what I expect the sight to be set at. If I'm not pulling the trigger or loading a round into the mag, I'm on the scope or watching the flags, gaging the change in wind since the last shot and correcting for that difference. I move the sights a lot, in real time, and it's tough to keep track of exactly where they are at at any given moment. If I'm waiting a long time for the target to come back up, I'm still moving the sight right and left to account for wind changes as they happen. The faster your pace is, the more reliable the feedback from your previous shot. Estimating the wind and correction for a specific time is far more difficult than simply keeping up withe the change since the last shot. Positioning your spotting close to your eye and focusing back a little from the target is key (i focus mine at 300yds or so).

Shoot a couple matches and write your zeros on a sticker and put it on your buttplate. Include any thumbrules that might be handy. When in doubt, keep it simple.

The 175s are also harder on the rifle. I only shoot them when they give me an obvious advantage--600yds.

[Fatelvis]

Thanks Guys. 30Cal, why are 175s harder on the rifle?