Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Competitive Shooting First 1000 YD BR Match Results

To review, last Sun I was talked into coming out and shooting a 1000 yd BR match at a range near Tucson. The match was held yesterday, so I only had one day and six evenings to get ready.

The only rifle I had that would remotely do the job was a 6mm Rem with a #5, 27", 1x8 Pac-Nor barrel, built on a 700 long action, bedded in an old HS Sendero stock, and wearing a Leupold 4.5x14x50. I had a load using 107 grain Matchkings mostly worked up, but I was still using new brass. I had always envisioned this as my long range varmint rifle, though I hadn't used it much.

Over the week I managed to tweak the load a bit, installed a 2oz trigger, added some Stony Pt target turrets to the scope, and loaded up some ammo.

Being new brass, the concentricity sucked--I had 43 rounds under .003, and another 30ish at .004, and the rest were really bad. (The goal is to only use those that are .002 or better.) The only thing right about the brass was the necks all varied by .001" or less in thickness. Also--because of lack of time--I had to throw all the powder charges with my Harrell powder measure. Now I am admittedly a "thrower" vs a "weigher", and I will look at you funny if you try to tell me the +/- .3 grain accuracy I get with the Harrel will make a difference in any rifle (6mm Rem and up) to 300 yds, and a bit further than that in a hunting rifle. However, a .6 grain extreme spread is a BIG variation for 1000 yds and makes a big difference.

Now I had a very good rear rest--a Protecktor. However, my font rest was the same old Hoppes I paid under $50 10ish years ago. Not to worry, because the event organizer was going to loan me his. Well, he forgot it...........

So here I am, on the 1000 yd line, shooting with world record holders, with a varmint gun six lbs under the Light Gun limit, with mediocre loads, a 14X scope, and a HOPPES front rest.

My ballistics program said I needed 25 minutes up from a 100 yd zero, so that is where I had my scope set. The first shot was at a green �gong�, which is nothing more than a one foot square piece of dozer blade pained green. I hit a little low and a little right. I made a couple of adjustments�with plenty of help from the shooter next to me, who wound up winning most of the events, and went to paper. Lo and behold I hit the target! I made a couple more adjustments during the sighter period, and wound up hitting near the middle of the target. I wound up with around 26 minutes of elevation.

I didn�t worry so much about score during the light gun match (three 5-shot relays), but just focused on groups. The first group was 10.125�. During the sighter period prior to the second group for score I got my crosshair adjustments backwards�they told me I wasn�t the only one to ever have done that. The idea is to place the crosshairs on your aimpoint, then move the crosshairs to the hit, keeping the gun very steady. Well, I got that backwards, and moved the crosshairs from the hit to the point of aim, which put my bullets way over the top of the target. My last shot in the 3-minute sighter period was back on paper, but very high. So I took the advice of the shooter next to me and just held a foot low. I wound up shooting my best group of the match at 9.875�. During the third scoring session I dropped two shots way low. Probably a combination of thrown powder variations and the difficulty I had shooting from the Hoppes rest. I had to completely reposition the rifle for each shot, and who knows how close I got. That group went 25�. However, even with that, my AGG wasn�t last place, though close.

I shot better during Heavy Gun (10-shot groups), at least I did score-wise. Groups were 20.25, 20.875, and 12.875. Scores (out of 100 possible) were 77-1X, 85, then 86-1X. I again did not finish last in groups, and I finished somewhere in the middle in score. The winning AGGs were around 5� in Light Gun and 8� in Heavy Gun.

Well, now I have a whole month to get ready. I will have 100 rounds using fireformed brass ready to go. I am going to try David Tubbs 115 grain bullets, and am thinking of getting a new scope�can�t decide on crosshair vs dot. I have already bought a Bald Eagle rest. I will also get a shooting stool, a single feed follower, a timer, a shooting mat, and one of those things that attaches to the front swivel and makes the stock flat. I may add some weight to the stock. I figure the order of priority is the scope, then stock, then a new barrel/rifle.

Blaine

Blain I think you did rather well, congratulations!

Keep us informed. I'm enjoying reading about it and would love to try it myself if we had a 1,000 yd range around here.

Can't wait till next months edition........

Cool. Next summer I've got to get my butt to a 1000 yd BR match. It really sounds like fun. I don't have the best gear for it either, but it just sounds like a fun, and addictive shooting sport.

Shane,

I don't know, that '06 of yours with a 175 grain MK would probably work well. You just need to keep the velocity above the speed of sound at 1000 yds, which is about 1100 fps IIRC.

BTW, any time you guys want to come out to Tuson and shoot, you have a place to stay...........The matches are the second Sat of each month, start 0700, and last about 5 hours.

Blaine

Blaine,

I'm using the 190SMK. My best accuracy load with 50gr RL15 does about 2715 fps at the muzzle. Quickload says it is over 1400 fps at 1000 yards, here at 4000 ft elevation. That load should make the distance supersonic without problems. So that makes me the weakest link...(grin)

I'm using a fixed 10X MK4 M1 scope. Not the optimum, but I can see center on 1" centers easily at 100, so maybe 10" at 1000 will be doable? (I think it's a 10" black circle???)

Here's how my load looks on paper, it shoots consistent .5moa at 200 yds:

Shane,

Realize I have only just stuck my toe in and am hardly an authority. With that said........

Most of the guys here do their testing at 100 yds. With these long range bullets, they look for groups under 3/8" at 100 yds, along with a very low standard deviation and low extreme spread for velocity. That is with something like three consecutive 5-shot groups. So as long as the standard deviation and extreme velocity spread are good, your load should work fine.

Most guys seem to like 20+ power scopes. One guy likes a 40X scope, but he is the exception. With my 14X scope I could see the 4" white square in the center of the target. The aiming black is 13" in diameter. The X ring is 3", and the 10 ring is 7".

That's a great start Blaine!
I ofteen hold kentucky windage when shooting after the initial sighting in.
My advantage is that my range is on a river, and We shoot down
and across it.
There is no mirage over the water, not like across a flat in the heat!
I think you are going to have a great time with this!
catnthehat

Blaine, Thanks for the details. Looks like I should be able to get on paper, and form some type of group with my setup then. No illusions here about being competetive.

good for you, blaine

Congrats on the shooting. I headed out to the range Sunday mainly to eyeball stuff and drop off parts for the smith to assemble. Most guys shooting F class use a 24X glass and if not windy any chambering is good to go. The fav's are oddly enough 6.5-284 and good ole 6BR and some of its improved versions. There were 2 different guys shootin a 223 and they got it handed to them. Shifty winds and 77 to 80 gr bullets didn't fare well. I looked downrange with one of my 3X9's and the 10" x ring wuttin happening! Thought I would skimp on glass for a month or two. Next purchase is going to be a spottin scope with cros hairs in it.

Enjoy your new addiction. I can't wait till I can.

I wish I had crosshairs on my Leica 77mm Televid!

Great Going, Blaine!! I knew you would enjoy yourself. I thought you might have to come up a tad when you first were explaining your settings in the initial post, but you were very close, and that is a good sign. The groups will improve as you get the hang of it and your equipment/components are selected. Keep us posted! Eagleye.