Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Sighted in my gun tc icon 300 win mag

Bought a tc icon in 300 win mag 2 years ago. Put a leupold vx3 3x10x40 on it 2 Novembers ago and finally shot it today. Shot it 10 times shot the last 4 in a group the size of a 50 cent piece at 150 yards. Using federal 180 grain soft points in the blue box. My ? Is what does 2" high at 150 yards mean for other yardages? Going to have 6 preference points going into the 2015 elk draw for area 7 in wyoming. That's the reason for the purchase plus it's just a fine rifle. Thanks in advance.

You can use ballistic software to figure it out within a couple of inches but there is nothing like really shooting all of the yardages so that
1. You get the practice that is extremely valuable
2. You actually know what the rifle will do instead of having a theory of what it will do

I'm lucky enough to have a 1,000 yard range to practice on a little drive away and we shoot out to 800 yards with our elk rifles (one is a 300WM TC) so that 400 yards in the mountains is realistic in hunting conditions. My local range is 150 yards and I don't feel like that prepares me adequately.

If you don't have access to that long range practice make a little road trip or trust the software or limit your shots to 300 Max which isn't a bad idea. Personally I am sighted about 1.75 high at 100 with a 7mm RM and 300 WBY and don't start thinking until 320+ I avoid thinking about trajectory when hunting so I don't react slowly.

Well, zero your rifle to hit spot on for 200 yards, then shoot out to 300 to 400 or so if you can, and make a little drop chart for your load. Then get off the bench and shoot some, go hunting.

people can guess at where your gun bullets will hit at longer ranges BUT�there is only one way to know for sure�shoot it yourself at those distances, and not just once or twice. Practice at longer distances and different position and different ways. Have yet to find a shooting bench while out hunting

I use a 300 WSM sighted in for 200. 1" high at 100 yds is just about right.

When hunting, I carry a single trekking pole. Besides helping with balance and climbing, with a little practice it can be a great improvised shooting stick. I've never used it alone but it can be easily made more stable by leaning it against my leg, a rock or tree, etc. One time I make a 350 yd shot by grabbing the pole and a branch of a small bush in one hand and laying the rifle over my wrist. The branch stabilized the pole to get rid of the sideways movement. It worked great.

Cool rifle I hear they're tack-drivers!

The only reliable way to know the answer to this question, as others have said, is to go out and practice.

And practice.

And practice.

Not just from the bench (which necessary for initial fact finding) but from field positions.

Good luck!

Good luck with Unit 7. That is a great area, I think it takes 8PP to secure a tag in the PP pool this year. I hope you draw it.

I sight mine in for 2" high at 100 yards, then shoot 3 shot groups at 200, 300, 400, and 500 yards. Then take a 36" elk torso and figure out where to aim. Either memorize it, or write it down, laminate and tape to rifle stock. Then go forth with range finder and rifle and enjoy.

If you don't go shoot yours at whatever distance you want an answer for, you have no business taking a guess off the internet and using it to shoot at live game.

At least thats IMHO.

With my 300 win mag, 180 g, NP zeroed in at 300 yards, my rounds hit 3.5" high at 100 yards. My MV is 2850 FT/Sec. Like the others have said, in order to know how your gun shoots the bullets you use, you must practice and find out. There are many good ballistic calculators you can put on your smart phone or computer to give you a really good idea for a start. I hope you get the draw you want.