Man, am I having a devil of a time dialing in a load for this .338LM rifle! This is my first experience with these long-range specialty-type bullets. I'm getting inconsistent results from day to day. I have been doing my main load testing at 100 yds. like I normally would, but I remembered reading that these super-long bullets may take about 300 yds. to stabilize. I found it hard to believe that you could actually shoot a significantly smaller MOA at 300+ yds than you could at 100, so I asked the Sierra tech folks and they seemed to confirm that it isn't uncommon. Still, with no experience to draw from in this area, I'm wondering just how much smaller?
For instance, in a recent session, I shot three 3-shot groups at 100 yds with an overall average of 1.71 MOA - absolutely sickening, disheartening, makes me question if I forgot how to shoot, you name it. But then for the heck of it I backed off to 300 and fired another 3-shot group…0.54 MOA. Really?! Can there be that much of an improvement by increasing the range, or did I just get lucky on that last group at longer range? That was the end of my session for that day, so I came back the next day with the same load, expecting to zero the rifle at 200, then do some more experimenting at 300 and farther to see if the performance could be duplicated. Instead I ended up chasing the zero around (which has NOT been a problem at all until now). I never got past 200 yds, and fired three 3-shot groups that averaged 1.26 MOA (which is between my 100 yd avg., and my one 300 yd group). So, here's my real question:
You guys that are shooting 1/2 MOA groups using 300gr SMK out of your .338LMs (especially if it's a Savage 110 FCP or BA) - At what kind of yardage are you getting that performance? Is it consistent, or does range make that big of a difference? I'm starting to wonder if I don't need a totally different approach. Thanks!
For instance, in a recent session, I shot three 3-shot groups at 100 yds with an overall average of 1.71 MOA - absolutely sickening, disheartening, makes me question if I forgot how to shoot, you name it. But then for the heck of it I backed off to 300 and fired another 3-shot group…0.54 MOA. Really?! Can there be that much of an improvement by increasing the range, or did I just get lucky on that last group at longer range? That was the end of my session for that day, so I came back the next day with the same load, expecting to zero the rifle at 200, then do some more experimenting at 300 and farther to see if the performance could be duplicated. Instead I ended up chasing the zero around (which has NOT been a problem at all until now). I never got past 200 yds, and fired three 3-shot groups that averaged 1.26 MOA (which is between my 100 yd avg., and my one 300 yd group). So, here's my real question:
You guys that are shooting 1/2 MOA groups using 300gr SMK out of your .338LMs (especially if it's a Savage 110 FCP or BA) - At what kind of yardage are you getting that performance? Is it consistent, or does range make that big of a difference? I'm starting to wonder if I don't need a totally different approach. Thanks!
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