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Made it to 1500 yards...

esheato

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 6, 2009
98
0
So Cal
Took the 338 out to the long distance range. Wanted to see what she could do.

HS Precision HTR, 338 Lapua, left handed, urban camo stock, NF 20 MOA base, Badger rings, S&B 5-25 with P4F reticle. Load is a 285 Hornady BTHP, 83.3 H1000, 2600 FPS, OAL puts it a couple thousandths into the lands. Using fireformed and neck sized Lapua brass.

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We started at 1000 yards, connecting pretty good too. Used the SHOOTER Android app and it was working perfectly. Hardly any wind either. All in all, a good day for rifle.

Targets were a 12x20 66% IPSC target and a 12x12 piece of steel. Both are AR500. The square was hung on chains and the IPSC has a pivoting base to absorb some of the energy.

After we got bored at 1000, my shooting buddy asked me if I wanted to try farther. Well, the property only extends to 1560 yards...."Yeah, sure, let's go to 1500." Sooo, from one end of the property to the other, we set up shop. It's kinda funny actually, at the 1500+ range, cars driving by on the road can see us shooting...but they can't tell what we're shooting at.
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SHOOTER tells me to dial 17.2 mils and .6 mils of windage. I dial the knobs and line up the gun. By this time of the day, it's 11am, in W. Texas....temp was already 91 degrees. The target looked like a small wobbly colored blob (I had painted it neon pink). The edges of the target just faded into the hillside.

First two shots were a miss...but not by much. Less than a foot off the target. Hmm..ok, this is promising.

I connected on the third shot. Flight time was just a tad over 2.5 seconds. Long enough for me to reacquire my sight picture and take a breath and then watch the bullet hit.

I did a little happy dance then popped off shots 4-10. No dice. Shot 11 finally connected again.

After two hits, I decided to call it quits. Not a sniper by any means, and I'm still learning, but I can't complain. First time that gun has seen more than 200 yards.

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Lastly, 0630 setup was a bit early for the kiddo...good thing I brought his chair for him.
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Ed
 
Re: Made it to 1500 yards...

Excellent start! I've been looking to hear some feedback on the new 285's and your experience shows some real promise (I'm currently using 250gr. Scenars in mine). A question if I may: I don't have any of my reloading manuals available, but how close to max is your load with the Hodgdon?
 
Re: Made it to 1500 yards...

Hornady 8th says max is 89.6. I can shake the case and feel a bit of powder movement. IMO, velocity is a bit low for what I'd want, but performance is good enough.

Most of my groups are .5-.750 @ 100y. I did have ONE group in the .2s. For some reason I didn't have much luck with 250s or 300s. I figured the 285 was a logical next step being in the middle.
 
Re: Made it to 1500 yards...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: esheato</div><div class="ubbcode-body">IMO, velocity is a bit low for what I'd want, but performance is good enough. </div></div>

No argument there! I seem to recall H1000 could get you into the 2700-ish realm, but I've had very good luck with 4831sc and hope it translates when I start load development for the 285's. Seems odd you had troubles with the 250's and 300's. One would think that at least one of them would produce decent results. Were you using Scenars or a different brand? My best group ever was with a 250 Scenar and 90 grains of 4831sc (Sierra max load).

And congrats on having an awesome range to shoot on, my club out here is opening a 1000 yard lane this summer so at least I won't have to drive to Whittington each time
 
Re: Made it to 1500 yards...

I tried Sierra 250s, Berger Hybrid 300s and lots of Scenar 250s without much luck. My issue was consistency. One group would be a .400 CTC and the next would be a 1.2".

Powder tried so far has been RL19, H1000, Retumbo, US869, Ramshot Magnum, VV N560, VV N165, IMR 4350. Haven't tried 4831SC yet. I've got 8lbs of H1000 though...figured I might as well find a load for it.

The 285s are finally giving me consistent sub-MOA.

Yeah, H1000 can get you to mid-2700 if you push it. I don't see the need to abuse my brass when they do just fine at the lower velocity. Besides, they're a bit pricey...if I can extend the life a bit by not running on the ragged edge, all the better!
 
Re: Made it to 1500 yards...

Oh, he loves going out "into the desert to shoot". He usually sits right next to me and takes it upon himself to take out the fired case and replace it with a fresh one.

He was busting clays at 50 yards with my EOtech topped 9mm carbine last week...and he's 3.5 years old! I mean, I hold the forend and he drives/aims and pulls the trigger.
 
Re: Made it to 1500 yards...

Did it again this past weekend. Got a good solid 3 hits on the 66% silhouette. Seemed easier than last time so I'm doing something right.

Took out some of my buddies sons (20 somethings) that had never shot more than 200 yards. Put them on steel at 500, 1000 and 1500 yards. One of them had a second round hit (albeit after I shot the gun so it was already set up) on steel at 1500. He was ecstatic.

New (larger, 24x24") piece of steel due in tomorrow. Should make things a lot simpler. Shooter is working great too. No complaints at all...well, except for the cost of components.
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Re: Made it to 1500 yards...

I figure it's a positive that I'm even out trying to shoot that far. Probably further than most, so it can't be a bad thing.

Gonna try again tomorrow. Hopefully the wind plays along.

Taking the bigger piece of steel too. I think my buddy is going to run his 270 Win to 1500.
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Absolutely no plans to hunt at that distance but just put a bullet or ten on the steel.
 
Re: Made it to 1500 yards...

Did pretty good. Wind did not play along though. As the day went on it got worse (varying direction and intensity).

Put two groups on the steel that were between 8-8.5" at 1k. Put a headshot on a 66% IPSC steel target on the first attempt at that target.

I hit the 1500 target multiple times but it was chance more than anything with the wind. A lot of shots were just off the target in different places. We could only figure the wind was the cause.

My shooting buddies 243 was horrible at 1k. Couldn't connect with anything and he usually does pretty good at that distance.

On the positive side of things, he did run his 30 year old Win Model 70 with a 4-16 Vortex PST out to 1500. Using a handloaded 135 Matchking, he had to do a combination dial of 30 MOA and hold 26 MOA to get on target. Granted it took him about 10 shots too, but he put one on steel. His goal last winter was to shoot to 500 yards. We've tripled that distance and he's in awe.
 
Re: Made it to 1500 yards...

I havent shot 1500 yards as yet but will endevour to do so soon .In the weekend I shot 1100 yards at 3 targets -circle 20inch across -10inch square and a 7inch by 7 inch .Now what I have found is I can shoot these targets fairly easily on a light wind day but this day was 10-22 mphour gusting .I had my dope after a hit next minute I am 3 feet sideways -no flags on top where the targets are but only in the valley floor and no mirage .
I am in a valley with around 300 yards of wind coming through the enterance staight up my arse but then out further got wind from around a 8.30 - 9 oclock .doped for around 800 yards and got the bullet close.
Truth was after 100 rounds I had lost the battle even though I had mutiple hit on the two larger targets I couldnt hit the smaller one due to the massive changes in wind pressure buffeting the projectiles on the way down the course .New Zealand has loads of hills and the wind can be a real mission to desisphere .1500 yard no wind would be great to get out to .I wouldnt think my confidence and knowledge would grow as much compared to shooting those grissly windy days though -wind is fun!!
 
Re: Made it to 1500 yards...

ch'e,

Sounds like a seriously tough location. The wind never stops blowing around here, but it's usually fairly constant in direction and velocity. Once you figure that out, it's not to bad unless you're trying to put little 6mm bullets on steel.