First time shooting my .308 at 300, 400, and 475 yards

[Redneck with a 40]

I took my .308 out today for some first time medium range shooting. I've been shooting this rifle at 100 and 200 yards and doing pretty well with it, I decided its time to stretch the legs a little.

The Rifle: Remington 700 SPS Tactical with bipod and Nikon 3-9x40 scope.

My Handload's: Nosler 168 grain HPBT, 44.5 grains IMR 4895, Wolf LR Primer, Remington Case, at 2.830" OAL.

I fired 30 rounds today, wind was variable, 5-10 mph crosswind, about 40 degrees. The barrel got warm, but not hot.

Now for the targets.

I had a 300 yard group at 2.75", 4.5", and 5.25". I think the wind was messing with me a little bit.

My two 400 yard groups measured 6" and 3.25".

My last group at 475 yards blew up to 8". Not sure what happened here, my hold was good, it could be the 168 grain bullets gettin' wobbly at that range.

All in all, for my first time out at these ranges, I think I did pretty darn good.

 

[Geno]

Not bad at all! Especially considering this is your first time, and seeing as you're "testing" what does and doesn't work.

When I lived in northern Michigan, I lived 50 feet from a gravel pit, that was about 3/4 mile long. Since my hunting shots ranged from 300 yards to 500 yards, that is what I always shot: 300, 400 or 500 yards.

I used a Leupold 3.5-10X40AO, and a Redfield AccuTrac 6-18 AO for my distance shooting. The extra magnification does help. Now, I use a 36X for working up loads so I can eliminate as much sight error as I can.

At the 500 to 525 yard shots, I didn't usually use paper targets. I sat out 2-liter bottles filled with water. I did that because the shape and size resembled a woodchuck standing on hind legs, or a deer's vital zone. However, I also fired with a bi-pod, and a sandbag under the buttstock.

When my Nightforce 5.5-22X56 scope arrives and I get it mounted on my own SPS Tactical .308, I'll see what she can do. One thought is that if you made adjustments in the field, many scopes do not take the adjustment until they come under recoil, then the internals actually or fully move. You may have been very consistent, but your scope may have experienced "adjustment lag".

Edit to add: a 168 grain isn't going to wabble to 500 yards. It is still very supersonic. I suspect adjustment lag, or more difficulty in acquiring a clear picture. Do you have a fixed or adjustable objective lens? Fixed (so it looks). So, add the possibility of parallax. Your scope is set "P"-free at 150 yards, but you are firing at 475.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I also need to add that the 5.25" 300 yard group is a cold bore group, so throw that one out.

The scope is also fixed parallax, the group went downhill in a hurry after 400 yards, lol.

 

[Geno]

I have an extra Warne steel, picatinny rail w/ 0 MOA offset, and a set of Leupold rings that match. If you're interested in them, I could sell them to you for say $50.00 shipped. They sell for about $120.00. Your scope and ring set-up is okay, but you should have something as secure as you can get. I only removed it because I wanted 100% Ferrill bases, because I switch 3 scopes across 3 rifles. If you want them, send me a PM of where to ship them. They are about 4 months old. I bought them for the Nov 2009 deer season.

Warne base $82.00
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=992681

Leupold rings: $43.00
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=384184

Geno

 

[taliv]

nice shooting! sounds like fun.

your 168g bullets should be solid to at least twice that range.

reading the wind can be tricky, but there seems to be more vertical dispersion

were you adjusting your scope between groups?

 

[Blasphemous]

A 6" group still isn't anything to shake a stick at. I might win a match shoot, but that's a vital area hit on a white tail.

 

[blitzen]

I think yo did fine for a breezy day and the glass you have. A little more glass helps when you get out a ways. I'm guessing your handloads and rifle shoot very well at 100 yds? If so, back to the range!
well done.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

No scope adjustment, I'm pretty sure my charge weight's are consistent. I check and re-check my scale zero twice before charging and I make sure its right on the mark before I dump it into the case. So the vertical stringing is baffling.

This very same load 2 month's ago, shot 1.7", 1.6", and 1.2" at 200 yards in calm winds. I'm not inclined to mess with the load, I think its a good one.

I'm going to start shooting at 300 and 400 yards on a regular basis now, see what kind of trend I end up with. I'm totally happy with 3" at 300 yards, so if they stay in that neighborhood, then I'll call it good.

I was also wondering if the 168 hpbt's can perform at 500 yards, apparently they can.

 

[taliv]

charge weight is usually pretty forgiving... probably more likely to be something like neck tension or concentricity. spend some time in the reloading forum

168g are usually good to 900 yrd or so. at least, that's where mine fall over.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I use a Lee collet neck sizing die, once my brass is fire formed for my chamber, so far, the accuracy seems to be good.

 

[BAS402]

I think you did pretty darn good for your first time! and I hope I will be able to do the same I just purchased a savage 10 BAS 308 and mounted a Mark 4 6.5-20 x 50mm LR/T & bypod on it and sighted in 30 rds with fed 168 SMK, .5 moa @100 and 20 rds.75moa @200. Reloaded 20 rds with S/B primers 168 SMK 42 gr RL15 OAL 2.81 and groups were .85 moa @ 200. I to am ready to strtch out and I hope I can do that good on my fist time out! My son's and I goal is to reach 10" plates 800 yd. It's only an opinion but like mentioned above from what I've read and listen to some L/R shooters it boils down to mounts and glass and a lot of practice!!! but like I said I'm new at L/R as well. I hope you keep us posted on your findings and trials as I will be greatly interested!

GooD Luck

 

[MGD 45]

I was also wondering if the 168 hpbt's can perform at 500 yards, apparently they can.

Yeah......they perform just fine....!

 

[Redneck with a 40]

500 yards may very well be the limit with the scope I've got, I'm ok with that. I bought this rifle with the scope already mounted and zero'd, off the used rack, for $500 out the door. I'm not gonna dish out $300-400 for a good long range scope. If 500 yards is it for me, I'm ok with that.

 

[MGD 45]

For $500 ya got a setup that will hit the kill zone on any decent size game further out than you'll probably ever shoot one at........ya got a great deal!

 

[Redneck with a 40]

Would it be worth it to order some 175 gr hpbt's to try at 500 yards, or is the performance gain from the 168's small at that range? Would the 175's shrink my 500 yard group any?

 

[blitzen]

I use 175gr SMKs on top of 42 grns IMR 4064 and they do shoot sweet although I've only shot out to 600 yds. (it's hard to find a place without trees around here).
My book shows that at 500 yds with a 10 mph full value wind the 175s are pushed 18 inches, the 168s 19 inches. At 600 yds, same wind, 175s 26 inches and the 168s 29 inches. Not enough to worry about at these ranges. But still.

 

[C-grunt]

I think 400 yards is a long way to see with a 9 power scope. Could very well be that you were not aiming at the exact spot every time.

Its plenty of scope for hunting or what not. But trying to shoot small groups at that range, Id think a higher power scope might help out.

 

[MGD 45]

It ain't the bullets. The 168's are just fine for 400 & 500 yards.....heck, I'm still getting 1/2 minutes groups with them at 700 yards, & have shot a 10 inch group at 1000 yards with them. It ain't the bullet.

However, the comment about your scope could be on the mark.....if you aren't aiming at the exact same spot each time, your group will open up....try this, make a target that is 1 MOA in size for the distance your going to shoot at. I make a red circle on a piece of computer paper that's 4 inches for 400 yards, 5 inches for 500 yds.....etc...

With a 3-9X scope the reticle should just barely fit inside the MOA circle......this will really help you maintain the same Point of Aim when your shooting.....

 

[Bart B.]

Try full length sizing your fired cases. Use a .3080" diameter expander ball; polish down a .311" expander ball to that dimension. Don't set the fired case shoulder back more than 2 thousandths. You may well be very pleased.

 

[Walkalong]

That is a great start.....Those bullets were not getting "wobbly"....Bart gave some very good advise....More power would help tighten groups a little, but 9X is adequate....A little gust you "miss" can really open groups up.

charge weight is usually pretty forgiving... probably more likely to be something like neck tension or concentricity.

Agreed.

Overall though, you did well. It will only get better.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

Since I've got (500) 168 grain Nosler 168 hpbt's on hand, I'll keep practicing with those. Come hell or high water, I'll get those 400 yard groups down to 4".

 

[Blasphemous]

Practice makes perfect

 

[52grain]

I've never shot at those ranges (plan to this summer though). I think that the comment about aiming at the same spot is good. I gave up using targets that do not have a bulls-eye that is colored differently from the rest of the target. The targets that I have been using have a red bull and black 6, 7, 8, and 9 rings. It makes it much easier to aim at the same spot.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I was using the duct tape strip as an aiming point at 300 and 400 yards, that was actually pretty easy to see and I could tell where the center line was. I as actually surprised, at 400 yards with 9x, I had a pretty good image of the target, better than I expected.

If I try for 500 yards, I'm gonna need a tall peice of cardboard, 50" of drop, lol.

Besides, at 400 yards, it doesn't matter what color the target is anyway, the aim point is completely off the target.

 

[adobewalls]

Great Shooting!

Also the farther out you get, the more critical it becomes to read the wind. So the groups are good. More shooting and they will get better.

I have a load for the 168's and IMR4895 that I have shot to 600 yds and I really like - 43.6gr.

I love being able to shoot and then watch the impact through the scope 3/4 of a second later.