Thinking about getting into long range shooting again

[MilesTeg]

So between reading through @Podmonkey 's thread and getting out to shoot my "long range" gun the other weekend, the spark has been lit again. When I was doing this before I was in college/right after college so money was tight, so somethings were cobbed together. Also because I had the time I was shooting often and had a lot of the dopes memorized.

Currently I'm using a Savage 110 FP ( I will have to double check model when I get home) chambered in 308. This is topped with a millet 4-16 second focal plane scope. I have a cheap bypod, cheek riser and rear bag.

Ammo is hand loads that I can get the exact recipe if needed. The highlights are:

• CCI primers
• Winchester brass
• Varget Powder
• Sierra game kings 165gr or 168gr

Available range info. I have 100 yards maybe 300 yards at my house if I do some work. I have a family farm that has an established 500 yards and 850 yards shot from a platform. this will be available to me whenever I want to shoot depending of field work being done on it. The one deficiency with it is I didn't do the work to build it so I don't have much of a say which they said they are OK with me using it. The big issue is they

So I really do understand a lot of my woes from the other day are my lack of time behind a rifle recently and secondly my lack of notes. To me those are both straight forward problems that can be remedied going forward.

I really am hoping to discuss what I'm lack for equipment and or what equipment needs to improved upon or scrapped. I'm not opposed to discussing training, but I probably wont follow through because there are some other class that would come first.

So I think one of my first items to hash out is some of the rifle improvements. The scope is mounted WAY too high and worse yet with a 2 piece mount. I understand I should replace the scope but I had no problem seeing the 850yds targets. So I would like to keep that for now.

I also know I haven't picked the best components to accomplish this task. So I'm open to suggestions there as well.

 

[Edwardteach72]

Following

 

[MilesTeg]

Well I should tap in the resident expert @meketrefe . I thought I should add the picture from the last shoot.

I was talking with the guys from the shoot about getting back into the game. They instantly hoped on my ammo. Although I agree there's room for improvement that wasn't going to be first on my list. Considering my SD numbers were pretty good I know my reloading practices are good. I would also like to not that ammo was a few years old and has been on a few hunts with me getting knocked around. Ive killed 4 deer with that lot. I really thought the rifle needed work. I was ready to send it off the get reworked bu an expert and start the chassis/stock deliema. Honestly idk where this is going right now.

 

[meketrefe]

Well I should tap in the resident expert @meketrefe . I thought I should add the picture from the last shoot.

I was talking with the guys from the shoot about getting back into the game. They instantly hoped on my ammo. Although I agree there's room for improvement that wasn't going to be first on my list. Considering my SD numbers were pretty good I know my reloading practices are good. I would also like to not that ammo was a few years old and has been on a few hunts with me getting knocked around. Ive killed 4 deer with that lot. I really thought the rifle needed work. I was ready to send it off the get reworked bu an expert and start the chassis/stock deliema. Honestly idk where this is going right now. View attachment 48842 View attachment 48843 View attachment 48844 View attachment 48845

If you tried to hit that car and missed then you need to go back to the whiteboard! lol
Speed spreads look great!
At what distance are those steel ringers?

 

[MilesTeg]

If you tried to hit that car and missed then you need to go back to the whiteboard! lol
Speed spreads look great!
At what distance are those steel ringers?

Those targets were at 500. I wasn't the only one shooting the steel so it's hard to tell the groups. It took a little for me to get them dialed in. And I chased the bullseye for the second half because I wanted to hit one of the 4" hanging targets. I never got it sadly. I didn't do terrible but there was a noticeable difference between thier gear/shooting and mine.

More or less I feel the need to improve but I really don't have the money or urge to buy another bench gun. So I would rather improve what I have and maybe buy some more accessories or learn how to use my equipment better. Like I said above I do believe the scope mounting is a big issue. I think the stock is an issue but the people I was shooting with thought it was a mute issue.

 

[meketrefe]

Those targets were at 500. I wasn't the only one shooting the steel so it's hard to tell the groups. It took a little for me to get them dialed in. And I chased the bullseye for the second half because I wanted to hit one of the 4" hanging targets. I never got it sadly. I didn't do terrible but there was a noticeable difference between thier gear/shooting and mine.

More or less I feel the need to improve but I really don't have the money or urge to buy another bench gun. So I would rather improve what I have and maybe buy some more accessories or learn how to use my equipment better. Like I said above I do believe the scope mounting is a big issue. I think the stock is an issue but the people I was shooting with thought it was a mute issue.

You forgot to mention YOU! lol

 

[northny]

Does your savage have the accutrigger in it? How heavy is trigger pull?

What length barrel do you have? I run 26” which gets more FPS than a shorter barrel. I run about 2700 FPS out of 26” barrel with 168 grain.

What type of groups can you shoot at 100 or 300?

The Sierra game king is good choice for hunting but I have no idea how it is for long distance. I shoot 168 Hornady HPBT match which I find as good as the ELD.

The savage is a good platform. Easy to swap barrel ( but if your going to swap for more accuracy, or longer barrel for more speed you could change to 6.5 creedmore)

Sorry for so many questions but not enough info from you to suggest what to do for cost effective ( low buck) way to get you to 850. Its a big jump from 500 to 850 yards.

 

[MilesTeg]

You forgot to mention YOU! lol

I've acknowledge I'm probably to blame for 90% of my woes. Between being rusty at that type of shooting and my lack of notes. There was definitely a self induced struggle. I'm also thinking about some sort of ballistics program for my phone. The idea is I will feel like I will actually use it and it will be the media I use to take notes.

 

[MilesTeg]

Does your savage have the accutrigger in it? How heavy is trigger pull?

What length barrel do you have? I run 26” which gets more FPS than a shorter barrel. I run about 2700 FPS out of 26” barrel with 168 grain.

What type of groups can you shoot at 100 or 300?

The Sierra game king is good choice for hunting but I have no idea how it is for long distance. I shoot 168 Hornady HPBT match which I find as good as the ELD.

The savage is a good platform. Easy to swap barrel ( but if your going to swap for more accuracy, or longer barrel for more speed you could change to 6.5 creedmore)

Sorry for so many questions but not enough info from you to suggest what to do for cost effective ( low buck) way to get you to 850. Its a big jump from 500 to 850 yards.

All great questions that I probably should have provided the information. I'm not sure on barrel length I will try to get that tonight. Yes this model has an acutrigger, I probably should dial it down a hair but it's not too bad right now. Ya I didn't even attempt the longer targets. I was ringing steel almost every shot after I got the dope correct. Other than the 4" targets.

I haven't done much with grouping in a while with that gun. It's really been about 3 years since I've had it out. But when I use to shoot it all the time most 100 yard groups were ragged holes, 300 use to be sub 3" most of the time in 2" range if the wind was good. I use to know the cold bore shot so well I could center punch the 300 target most times out. I use to have pictures of all of this but lost them when I accidentally factory reset my phone.

I really think the scope mounting is an issue, it's sky high. I don't think it hurt me much when I was shooting from a bench but in prone was difficult. But also it could have just been my rustiness.

 

[meketrefe]

I've acknowledge I'm probably to blame for 90% of my woes. Between being rusty at that type of shooting and my lack of notes. There was definitely a self induced struggle. I'm also thinking about some sort of ballistics program for my phone. The idea is I will feel like I will actually use it and it will be the media I use to take notes.

My advice is look for professional training. If you can get a 1 on 1 with a good instructor after a nice class then that is the most important one single investment that people often miss.
From there you will have some crucial knowledge on what to work on, next rifle, etc...

 

[MilesTeg]

My advice is look for professional training. If you can get a 1 on 1 with a good instructor after a nice class then that is the most important one single investment that people often miss.
From there you will have some crucial knowledge on what to work on, next rifle, etc...

I will play your game who and where!? Being in gulag makes finding instruction for that a little difficult for someone that new to the sport.

 

[MilesTeg]

I should take a side picture of the scope so everyone can understand why I think it's a problem that needs to be addressed ASAP.

 

[meketrefe]

I should take a side picture of the scope so everyone can understand why I think it's a problem that needs to be addressed ASAP.

Pics or video go so far. This requires a sit down session