I am trying to decide on what to purchase and in what order. I currently have a remington 700 aac 20in threaded barrel in a manners t4a stock topped with a adm sl qd mount with bushnell hdmr in it. I reload and am set on reloading components (70+ lbs of powder, 10k + primers, 5k+ bullets), i have a leupold 1000 tbr range finder, and most minor firearm stuff. I feel i need a good range finder (terapin), a chronograph, a kestrel, a shooting mat, and i believe thats all. I am leaning towards a terapin as my next purchase as they are no longer made and only a few left. Any advice is appreciated and if im forgetting anything please add...
equipment priority advice
- Thread starter dshag
- Start date
I would vote your next purchase to be a Kestrel. It's kinda tough measuring pressure changes without something like this. You could get something else to measure temperature. If you shoot in the same location all the time you can get a pretty good idea of altitude.
For what you have listed, my choice would be to go in this order:
-Shooting mat would be #1 for me as comfort is king for prone shooting.
-Kestrel.
-Chronographs are great if you do a lot of load development, but you can get by with a rough velocity estimate and then true your data in a ballistics app with the real world performance you're seeing. I rarely take the chrono out.
-Good spotting scope if you don't already have one.
-Terapin would be last on my list unless I was really confident that I would be doing ELR shooting in the near future. Something else may come along and fill the void in the market at some point in the near future. the range finders seem to be getting better and better so I wouldn't let that make you rush to buy a Terapin when you could apply those funds elsewhere.
-Shooting mat would be #1 for me as comfort is king for prone shooting.
-Kestrel.
-Chronographs are great if you do a lot of load development, but you can get by with a rough velocity estimate and then true your data in a ballistics app with the real world performance you're seeing. I rarely take the chrono out.
-Good spotting scope if you don't already have one.
-Terapin would be last on my list unless I was really confident that I would be doing ELR shooting in the near future. Something else may come along and fill the void in the market at some point in the near future. the range finders seem to be getting better and better so I wouldn't let that make you rush to buy a Terapin when you could apply those funds elsewhere.
Shooting mat is definitely a worthwhile investment right off the bat. I only got a Kestrel a couple months ago, and I still don't use it that often. Mostly just to get DA, but my iPhone ballistic app can get DA from a nearby weather station. Not perfect, but close enough for most things. As far as wind, I do much better reading terrain, mirage, etc. than trying to pull out my Kestrel. I also wouldn't rush to get a spotting scope. You should be able to spot your hits from behind the rifle. A first round hit is king, but a second round hit depends on being able to see your miss through your rifle scope.
My advice -- don't rush into buying more equipment just because you feel you need to buy something to improve. You have everything you need, so go shoot your rifle until you find a weakness in the system. For example, if your target ranges begin to exceed the capabilities of the rangefinder, upgrade your rangefinder. If you have a hard time figuring out atmospherics and wind from other sources, get a Kestrel. Every purchase should better the system, not just fill the crave to buy new gear.
My advice -- don't rush into buying more equipment just because you feel you need to buy something to improve. You have everything you need, so go shoot your rifle until you find a weakness in the system. For example, if your target ranges begin to exceed the capabilities of the rangefinder, upgrade your rangefinder. If you have a hard time figuring out atmospherics and wind from other sources, get a Kestrel. Every purchase should better the system, not just fill the crave to buy new gear.
do you generally shoot at the same place or range generally? if so, range flags or streamers can just about null a need for a kestrel, preset range markers null a range finder, a ballistic app on phone or ipad or such nulls a chrono, and Ive shot many a times on an old comforter. spend the money on fleshlights, tengas, and dildos
I was reading VJJ's reply and thought wow, this is solid info without anything sarcastic at all. Who is this guy? Then I got to the end... 
I was reading VJJ's reply and thought wow, this is solid info without anything sarcastic at all. Who is this guy? Then I got to the end...
It's VJJ, if there's one thing you can always bet is that once he starts he's going to finish...
Ok.....10K primers and 5K bullets is not too extreme for someone who actually shoots, but 70lbs of powder?? Come one man. In all honest, how many hand-loaded centerfire rifle rounds did you fire last year?
Anyway, it appears you have everything you "need" already. Just use what you got and get some good solid trigger time behind the rifle. I can tell you I've bought stuff in the past that I thought I needed, but after actually shooting, I realized I didn't need it at all and sometimes even realized that it was something different that I needed all together. Alot of people just want to buy what they see others buying, but just wait, especially if you are going to shoot matches.
I have a Terrapin and I rarely use it except in a match where the target distances are not given.
I have a Magnetospeed chrono and I only use it during load development.
I refuse to buy a spotting scope when I have a $3500 25X magnification optic sitting on my rifle.
Shooting mats are great at home, but I've never used one in a match.
If you got money burning a hole in your pocket, buy a new barrel blank....or 3.....you'll need it if you really plan to burn up 70lbs of powder.
Anyway, it appears you have everything you "need" already. Just use what you got and get some good solid trigger time behind the rifle. I can tell you I've bought stuff in the past that I thought I needed, but after actually shooting, I realized I didn't need it at all and sometimes even realized that it was something different that I needed all together. Alot of people just want to buy what they see others buying, but just wait, especially if you are going to shoot matches.
I have a Terrapin and I rarely use it except in a match where the target distances are not given.
I have a Magnetospeed chrono and I only use it during load development.
I refuse to buy a spotting scope when I have a $3500 25X magnification optic sitting on my rifle.
Shooting mats are great at home, but I've never used one in a match.
If you got money burning a hole in your pocket, buy a new barrel blank....or 3.....you'll need it if you really plan to burn up 70lbs of powder.
I kept finding good deals on powder and couldnt pass it up lol, plus its hard to find so im set for a long, long time. Averaged 15-20$ per lb. I bought some log books, 200 rounds of remington premier match ammo. A swarovski range finder is for sale local for 500$ and im considering getting that.
Skip the Kestrel, terrapin, and the chrono for the reasons already stated. Buy a mat. If I were to back up to where you are today, I'd buy a .22 trainer and 5K rounds of ammo once you learn what it likes. Shoot out to 250 yards till it's gone. You'll be a genius with your center fire rifle.
That changes if you plan to compete in some of the field matches. If that's the case, then I'd buy a high end binocular LRF combination. Spotting and ranging targets on the clock is very difficult, and a pair of Leica Geovids or similar make it about 100% easier.
That changes if you plan to compete in some of the field matches. If that's the case, then I'd buy a high end binocular LRF combination. Spotting and ranging targets on the clock is very difficult, and a pair of Leica Geovids or similar make it about 100% easier.
The fact that you are prioritizing makes me think you're not in a spot to go get all the things you mention at once. If so, my advice is to look at it this way: the terrapin, if you can find one, costs about what all the other items you mention combined do, depending on your taste... Do you now, or in the near future, expect to be engaging targets past the distance that the Leica/Swarvo/Zeiss crowd will range? If yes, the Terrapin would make sense. If no, then consider rounding out your other needs/wants and adding a sustitute RF. Or, just buy the Terrapin anyway - they're most excellent.
Here is my suggestion for a priority list:
-Kestrel (but with Applied Ballistics)
-Terrapin
You will not need a chronograph since the AB Kestrel (as with other ballistic solvers) will have a truing function, telling you what your velocity is anyways. Shooting mat is nice but if you have good knee and elbow pads, they are not needed. I stopped using a shooting mat a while ago.
Hope this info helps.
-Kestrel (but with Applied Ballistics)
-Terrapin
You will not need a chronograph since the AB Kestrel (as with other ballistic solvers) will have a truing function, telling you what your velocity is anyways. Shooting mat is nice but if you have good knee and elbow pads, they are not needed. I stopped using a shooting mat a while ago.
Hope this info helps.
Im supposed to get a swarovski lrf 8x30 for 450$ tomorrow and that should be good enough for awhile. I plan to start shooting 1k yards once a month atleast. Not sold on a kestrel yet, interested in a spotter or the long range camera setup.
Still considering a chrono, for long range shooting i would need to make sure my speed was very consistent, single digit spreads...
Still considering a chrono, for long range shooting i would need to make sure my speed was very consistent, single digit spreads...
Be sold on the kestrel with AB. Im running the Kestrel/Horus, and AB on my phone. Indispensable piece of gear for obtaining up-to-date firing solutions.
I don't get the snark about the 70 pounds of powder.
70 pounds = 490,000 grains = about 11-12,000 rounds of .308
He's got about 10K primers. Having powder for 11K rounds isn't outrageous.
Anyone who's been awake the last 6 years has noticed that components aren't always available. Powder won't go bad. OP, good for you.
70 pounds = 490,000 grains = about 11-12,000 rounds of .308
He's got about 10K primers. Having powder for 11K rounds isn't outrageous.
Anyone who's been awake the last 6 years has noticed that components aren't always available. Powder won't go bad. OP, good for you.
