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Thank You Bear Pit (no really!)

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Hello, I'm new to SH and this is my first post. I hope this is the "Bear Pit" where posts should be placed if unsure of proper forum? Assuming so, here goes:

I am somewhat new to long distance shooting though I have some understanding of the concepts and have taken a couple of courses. Prior to taking those courses, I purchased a few different types of 50BMG ammo (I had the money, but not the knowledge). I bought AP, API, Ball and what was referred to as "Solid Brass Sniper Match" ammo from 50BMGSupply.com. The ammo arrived without any ballistic info (no bullet weight, BC, etc.). At that time I was unaware of the importance of knowing those things for accuracy's sake so a lot of time has passed since I received it. I have since requested ballistic info from the online source I purchased it from but haven't received a response yet.

Can someone provide me with details as to how I can best determine the key ballistic information for each of these different rounds? I'd prefer a minimal cost approach (fewest shots fired etc), because I don't have the spare cash I had at the time I bought the ammo. If there are "low cost but only moderately accurate" and "higher cost/effort but highly accurate" ways of determining, I'd appreciate if both could be shared.

Additional info that may be helpful: I have a Barrett M107A1, and ready access to a 200 yd range (I know that is not much distance). I am also working on access to some private land that has more distance, but not yet sure how far or when I will have access. I have a Kestrel 5700 Elite, laser rangefinder, and should be able to gain access to a chronograph and appropriate scale if necessary.

Thanks for any assistance!
 
so what I’m getting at you bought a pro racing car and you are asking how to work a clutch and a manual transmission. You are in way over your head.

sell that rifle and buy something more manageable. You are wanting to play in the big leagues when you have no concept of the basics of how the sport is even played. You have to play little league before you get to MLB
I got your point. I asked a question poorly, clearly. I want to know how to determine ballistic coefficient on a supposedly custom made projectile since I have a number of them and want to become accurate with them. I have a dope sheet for them out to 1000 yards from a Barrett long distance course I took, but that is only valuable for the specific ranges and conditions I have logged. I can see that way I asked made it appear that I don’t know shit but have a high-end weapon. If it offends you that I have a certain gun but not the level of experience you feel I should have, my regrets. You got your jabs in, now how about some useful feedback, if you have any?
 
Don't lets these guys scare you off. They're just busting balls. But a 50 cal ? Son of a bitch that's s a lot of gun, have you considered 308 or 6.5 creedmore perhaps? What kind of classes did you take with a 50 ? You need to find a range with some distance, get a more suitable gun and buy Applied Ballistics by Brian Litz. Also take a basic precision rifle class. that 50 will pay for all of that. And roll with the punches your gonna take a few.
 
I got your point. I asked a question poorly, clearly. I want to know how to determine ballistic coefficient on a supposedly custom made projectile since I have a number of them and want to become accurate with them. I have a dope sheet for them out to 1000 yards from a Barrett long distance course I took, but that is only valuable for the specific ranges and conditions I have logged. I can see that way I asked made it appear that I don’t know shit but have a high-end weapon. If it offends you that I have a certain gun but not the level of experience you feel I should have, my regrets. You got your jabs in, now how about some useful feedback, if you have any?
There is actually a lot of good advice in here already. A 50 BMG as a new/introduction into long range shooting is not the best set up for you. I have a .270 & a 6.5CM that I can work a deal for you to get you out of that M107 if it helps you. It would come with ammo and instruction. Since I’m still in a holiday mood, I’ll trade you both of them.
 
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Don't lets these guys scare you off. They're just busting balls. But a 50 cal ? Son of a bitch that's s a lot of gun, have you considered 308 or 6.5 creedmore perhaps? What kind of classes did you take with a 50 ? You need to find a range with some distance, get a more suitable gun and buy Applied Ballistics by Brian Litz. Also take a basic precision rifle class. that 50 will pay for all of that. And roll with the punches your gonna take a few.
I have a 308 and others. Took Barrett’s Long Range course with the 50. The ranges in my area are either too short or don’t allow 50bmg due to damage to the terminal berms. I’ve also taken long range courses with my 308. I appreciate your real effort to provide guidance. I’m good with the punches. :)
 
I got your point. I asked a question poorly, clearly. I want to know how to determine ballistic coefficient on a supposedly custom made projectile since I have a number of them and want to become accurate with them. I have a dope sheet for them out to 1000 yards from a Barrett long distance course I took, but that is only valuable for the specific ranges and conditions I have logged. I can see that way I asked made it appear that I don’t know shit but have a high-end weapon. If it offends you that I have a certain gun but not the level of experience you feel I should have, my regrets. You got your jabs in, now how about some useful feedback, if you have any?
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And on top of stupid questions, this clown poached a thread.

what a doosh move.
That was an accident. Thanks to those who tried to be helpful (even while appropriately trashing me!). The rest of you must be some sad, sorry wanna-be "snipers". You're probably good at online shooter games.
 
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I got your point. I asked a question poorly, clearly. I want to know how to determine ballistic coefficient on a supposedly custom made projectile since I have a number of them and want to become accurate with them. I have a dope sheet for them out to 1000 yards from a Barrett long distance course I took, but that is only valuable for the specific ranges and conditions I have logged. I can see that way I asked made it appear that I don’t know shit but have a high-end weapon. If it offends you that I have a certain gun but not the level of experience you feel I should have, my regrets. You got your jabs in, now how about some useful feedback, if you have any?
Okay so now we are getting to where you should have started lol.

If you have drop data to 1000 yards it should not be too difficult to come up with your BC.

Do you have rough idea of muzzle velocity? You can plug your know muzzle velocity and grain weight of your projectile and true your BC until it matches your known drop data in your calculator.
 
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Okay so now we are getting to where you should have started lol.

If you have drop data to 1000 yards it should not be too difficult to come up with your BC.

Do you have rough idea of muzzle velocity? You can plug your know muzzle velocity and grain weight of your projectile and true your BC until it matches your known drop data in your calculator.
I only have rough MV, around 2800fps. An earlier reply indicated chronographs are not accurate...so not sure how to get more accurate there (don't have one anyway). I don't have grain weight, but will get that ASAP (no scale currently but will get one).
 
I want to know how to determine ballistic coefficient on a supposedly custom made projectile since I have a number of them and want to become accurate with them. I have a dope sheet for them out to 1000 yards from a Barrett long distance course I took, but that is only valuable for the specific ranges and conditions I have logged.
This is the info a ballistic calculator needs to give you a firing solution.

Bullet Info Needed:
1. bullet diameter.
2. bullet weight (in grains usually)
3. bullet length
4. bullet drag better known as ballistic coefficient BC (what you don't know about yours)

Rifle Info Needed:
1. Sight Height (Centerline of scope above centerline of barrel)
2. Zero Range (Usually 100yds)
3. Barrel Twist rate
4. Muzzle Velocity ft/s

Now if you have all of the above except BC you could find the BC for a similar weight bullet and plug that info into a ballistic calculator get some real world DOPE out to distance say 800-1000yds. Now you can kind of reverse into finding the correct BC for your bullet by.......

Example:

You shoot at 800 yds and the ballistic calculator calls for 7 MILS of elevation, but you actually needed 7.8 MILS of elevation the ballistic calculator (assuming all other data is correct) is either thinking your bullet is going faster than it is or your BC is greater than it is. You could adjust your input BC until the firing solution matches the actual elevation it took to be on target. The reverse of this is if you knew your BC, but not your MV you could adjust the input MV until it matched the actual elevation it took to be on target. This would be reversing into the correct MV.

Hope this makes sense I may have miscalculated your experience....LOL

This is a great place with a bunch of good guys, but you do have to get over the ballbusting at times!
 
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That was an accident. Thanks to those who tried to be helpful (even while appropriately trashing me!). The rest of you must be some sad, sorry wanna-be "snipers". You're probably good at online shooter games.
You need to watch yourself with those kind of remarks. There are some really solid dudes in this thread alone that have done some pretty damn amazing things. You don’t have a clue who they are. So, if you read between the lines and stick around long enough to get to know some of them, these so called “want to be snipers” may just shed some light on how much of a bad ass they were before you came on here asking questions that quite frankly don’t belong in the bear pit, let alone piggybacked on a 9 month old thread...
 
This is the info a ballistic calculator needs to give you a firing solution.

Bullet Info Needed:
1. bullet diameter.
2. bullet weight (in grains usually)
3. bullet length
4. bullet drag better known as ballistic coefficient BC (what you don't know about yours)

Rifle Info Needed:
1. Sight Height (Centerline of scope above centerline of barrel)
2. Zero Range (Usually 100yds)
3. Barrel Twist rate
4. Muzzle Velocity ft/s

Now if you have all of the above except BC you could find the BC for a similar weight bullet and plug that info into a ballistic calculator get some real world DOPE out to distance say 800-1000yds. Now you can kind of reverse into finding the correct BC for your bullet by.......

Example:

You shoot at 800 yds and the ballistic calculator calls for 7 MILS of elevation, but you actually needed 7.8 MILS of elevation the ballistic calculator (assuming all other data is correct) is either thinking your bullet is going faster than it is or your BC is greater than it is. You could adjust your input BC until the firing solution matches the actual elevation it took to be on target. The reverse of this is if you knew your BC, but not your MV you could adjust the input MV until it matched the actual elevation it took to be on target. This would be reversing into the correct MV.

Hope this makes sense I may have miscalculated your experience....LOL

This is a great place with a bunch of good guys, but you do have to get over the ballbusting at times!
Thanks, that is helpful. I do understand what you are saying. I have everything but the MV, weight (which I will get shortly), and BC. I'll borrow a friend's chronograph to get the best MV I can, and think I can work with your feedback to get the BC. I appreciate it!
 
Well guys, I have to say I'm very disappointed. I'm pretty think skinned, and knew I'd need to be even if I were asking an "intelligent" question. But for a shooting web site in which knowledgable shooters are supposed to have and provide insight/feedback/etc., I have received hazing (which is fine, even funny and welcome), but no actual assistance. If "you can't get there from here" is considered a worthy reply to nubies, then feedback thus far has been right on track.
The problem is you didn't tell us how much you could bench or how long you've been working concrete
 
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Wow. Not what I expected.
And just so you know the bear pit is not where you want to ask for actual information as this is what it will devolve into 100% of the time. Asking for into in the bear pit is guaranteed to get trolled in every way possible. The actual marksmanship forums will have this to a much lesser extent unless you earn it. Asking questions in the bear pit, in another persons 9 month old thread, with horribly worded questions and you got what you deserved lol.

There is a ton a knowledgeable guys on this site and great amounts of information to be learned. Also epic levels of trolling. Sorry you grabbed the mic at karaoke night and begged for it today.


Edit- take this on the chin, and move on, welcome to the hide.
 
And just so you know the bear pit is not where you want to ask for actual information as this is what it will devolve into 100% of the time. Asking for into in the bear pit is guaranteed to get trolled in every way possible. The actual marksmanship forums will have this to a much lesser extent unless you earn it. Asking questions in the bear pit, in another persons 9 month old thread, with horribly worded questions and you got what you deserved lol.

There is a ton a knowledgeable guys on this site and great amounts of information to be learned. Also epic levels of trolling. Sorry you grabbed the mic at karaoke night and begged for it today.
I understand. I read the "read this first" info when I signed up, and unless I misread it, it said the Bear Pit is where I should ask questions if I wasn't sure where to. Lesson learned there! Also, as just noted above, I clearly was not concise enough. I am certain there are a lot of good, knowledgable folks here.
 
Well guys, I have to say I'm very disappointed. I'm pretty think skinned, and knew I'd need to be even if I were asking an "intelligent" question. But for a shooting web site in which knowledgable shooters are supposed to have and provide insight/feedback/etc., I have received hazing (which is fine, even funny and welcome), but no actual assistance. If "you can't get there from here" is considered a worthy reply to nubies, then feedback thus far has been right on track.
honestly, you are asking questions above your pay grade.

unless you are wearing a silver american snipers org bracelet, you are not operator enough to know certain information.
 
That was an accident. Thanks to those who tried to be helpful (even while appropriately trashing me!). The rest of you must be some sad, sorry wanna-be "snipers". You're probably good at online shooter games.

Do you see the irony that you not only posted your first introductory post in a the wrong section but highjacked the one thread thanking people of that section for being ruthless entertaining savages. Not only that but a noob question about.50 BMG. Not exactly a beginner rifle. Its almost too ironic.