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SS10x42 / .308 / 1500yd testing.

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Sniper6 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sniper6 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: SS10x42 / .308 / 1500yd testing.
    Posted: February/25/2006 at 20:12

 

I have been upgrading my .308 to shoot 1500 yards and wanted to tell you about it.

I got a Model 70 Stealth .308 about 6 years ago and had a small 2.5-10X44 Mil-Dot Tasco scope and 20 moa base on it that did very well out to 1000 yards, It had problems fogging up when it sat out in the frost or rain and the target turrets were the sort of mushy, off the hash mark type, the scope served well and took a beating because I really didn’t care about it much .As I started shooting beyond 1000 with my big guns witch are a lot more suitable for this, I kept thinking why cant I do this with my .308 ? I would dial up to the 1000 yd setting and then hold over using the mils to reach 1500.

About 3 month ago I decided to upgrade the .308 with a 25moa base that I made from a weaver gunsmith bar stock , Burris XTR low rings SS10X42 rear focus and a new paint job with the gripping surfaces covered with black wrinkle paint. I set the trigger at 2 pounds, installed a oversized bolt knob and put a nice recoil pad on .

This gun is not anything special, it is the Model 70 Stealth .308 and it has the factory 1-12 twist 26” heavy barrel. I paid about 650 dollars for the gun and about 1100 for the total set up.

I knew I needed around 75moa adjustment from the 100yd zero to reach 1500yds.

When I say moa I am talking in inches not the 1.047”.

The SS 10X has almost that when centered but with a 25moa base it would keep the internal springs from being compressed too far.

The ammo I am using is reloaded 168gr Amax bullets with CCI BR primers, 44gr of Varget, Winchester brass at just

 

 

at just over 2700 fps.

Even though I have had many ˝ “ groups , this gun typically shoots around ľ” to 7/8” groups at 100 so as you can see it is about average with most off the shelf heavy barrel 308 rifles.

The target I built is about 4 foot by 5 foot tall cardboard with a big 18” red dot painted on it.

I have to shoot early in the morning as the sun is coming up because the air is very calm almost stagnant until about 8am after that the 168 is effected by the wind too much to make accurate hits.

I have found that it is kind of hard to find a good place to shoot 1500yds .

Currently trips to the range have been cold and muddy, Just walking around I sink a couple of inches into the mud and the little road around the range that I use to get to the 1500 mark is in very bad condition so I have to use 4 wheel drive just to set up the target.

During my first 1500yd test with the new scope I shot 10 rounds with the elevation set up 70moa, all of the bullets hit in the mud about 10 feet in front of the target. I decided to call it a day and try 74 moa next trip out.

My second trip out, I set the SS up 74 moa and fired 12 rounds at the target, 5 of them I aimed low at the bottom of the target and the rest I aimed directly at the top of the big red dot. Out of the 12 fired 5 of them hit just right of the 18”dot and 3 of the low ones hit in front of the target and ricocheted into the target sideways.

As I continue my testing or make changes I will post my updates .

What a great hobby!
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Dale Clifford View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/26/2006 at 08:59
Nice article! Yes, keep us informed. It's amazing how universal the 165gr. load and 44 gr. of Varget is.
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cheaptrick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/26/2006 at 09:28

Originally posted by Dale Clifford Dale Clifford wrote:

Nice article! Yes, keep us informed. It's amazing how universal the 165gr. load and 44 gr. of Varget is.

 

Outstanding article, as Dale already mentioned!!

 

Yes, Varget is the "go to" .308 powder!!

At least with 168gr. AMAX's!!



Edited by cheaptrick
If at first you don't secede...try..try again.
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Sniper6 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sniper6 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/09/2006 at 11:57

Testing has been tough lately due to the small snow storms and all the high winds but I did make it out for some more testing this morning. I got out their about 5:45am, Their was a pretty good wind between 15-35 depending on gust and a couple inches of new snow that was drifting across the road, my trucks temperature reading showed it to be 22 degrees.

I had to duct tape the target to a near by cedar post at 1470yds just to keep it from blowing down.

The air was kind of hazy with snow but I could still see the target when I got back to the bench and the gusting had settled to about 10-15 mph during shooting.

I set the SS up 74moa even though I had moved back the target 30yds because most of the wind was coming toward me with a slight leftward push.

I fired my first shot and waited the what seems like two point something seconds it takes for the bullet to get their and to my surprise I could see the snow/dirt kick up high and about 1.5 mils left of my target.

I fired 3 more rounds in the same place just to make sure I had my wind and elevation estimated correctly.

I dialed down to 72.5 moa , held 1.5 moa right of the target and fired 10 shots as steadily as I could.

When I fired the 10 rounds I could not see any snow/dirt kick up so I thought I was right on target but when I drove over to check it out I could see that only 1 bullet hit the target breaking the top of the wooden tripod leg off, the rest hit in a cluster about ˝ mil left of the target. If I would have held 2 mils into the wind I probably would have had at least 8 on target instead of in the snow. I will have to continue testing on better days.

I updated this new pic at 1500yds so you can get an idea of how big the target looks through the scope.

What a great hobby!
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Sniper6 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sniper6 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/13/2006 at 22:32

This may be interesting to some of you! During my testing I dug up a bullet that had impacted in soft dirt/mud at about 1512yds. I weighed them on my Lyman DPS , I got 168.3gr on the new bullet and 166.5gr on the fired bullet. Other than dings all that seems to be missing is the little red point.

What a great hobby!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fourinone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/14/2006 at 19:34
Thanks for sharing....I've never had a chance to try even 1K NOT LESS 1.5K. I do hope to be able to find a spot not too far away from my home.
Can you see me now...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fusionstar916 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/14/2006 at 23:34
maybe you need a 20x ss :D i can barely see the target as it is and i wonder how you can even shoot at it with 10x. i have a custom rem 700 308 toped with a Mark 4 and shoots .4" moa consistantly with hand loads and .5" match ammo and have only had the chance to shoot out to 500 yards. My father owns 700 acres of farm land in west texas so i will try to shoot 1000 and 1500 yards. I have tried to shoot out to 1500 yards with a 50 BMG rental but only shot 15 rounds. The rounds were so damn expensive...  And no i didnt hit the car(target).

Ps Keep us posted.. We Love High Resolution Pictures : )


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Sniper6 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sniper6 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/17/2006 at 19:18

I have learned and developed my shooting skills with a 10X for so long that I am use to using 10X and a 20X would allow me to see the target better at 1500 but most of my actual critter hunting is done within 500 yards and for me 10X is plenty even out to 1000 yds.

I have a SS16X on my .50BMG that does good even at 2000 yds and the XOTIC I have on my .338rum is set on 10X almost all the time, It is just my preference.

I may try the XOTIC on this gun just to see if group size improves but if I make the change I will keep you all informed.

 

fusionstar916
That rem 700 308 with a Mark 4 sounds like it is a great gun to shoot.

What MK4 is it ?

What a great hobby!
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