Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Ladder test, How, why?

If you can draw the 16's and the range,I'm going to have you fill out my apps.

Nice critters

Last two eggs at 560

Are those ostrich eggs?

Looks like a good time....I'm gonna have to try that!

They're actually size medium.

I could have used the Jumbo AA but it would have been too easy.

Really,figured you would have used Hummingbird eggs.

I would have but then everyone would accuse me of being a Show-Off

Elks', you shot that latest meat grinder ?

True,but then again there is the saying "It's not bragging if you can do it" comes to mind.

Exactly!

When I say, I just say

I rarely brag.

Don't forget that you're also modest.

Nobody likes a show off that shoots hummingbird eggs......

You painted Watermelons white,

fess up.

I do it all the time,except at 561 yds.

Never. I'm grounded in modesty





I guy I know did that and now he regrets it. He has no friends. Especially anti-hummingbird abortion friends.

When you develop your loads with the Audette method, it seems that way.

Tested some loads with a buddy and his son yesterday (factory hunting rifles, not true LR rigs). They just started handloading so we started off slow, and careful. Shot the loads through two chronos, end-to-end.

First was a Finnish Tikkler in 7RM, 150gr NPt, 4831sc. Shooter was worried about vision/clarity so we ran pseudo-ladder at 100y to find velocity. Target was 3000-3100 fps, and actual velocities were low. We exceeded max published data a bit to get to 3000fps. Didn't want to go higher. Lower charges were slower than shooter wanted. Even so, they were having fun learning a new process, getting trigger time, decent weather in PNWet, etc. Tried a few loads that gave desired velocity, but got nothing.

Switched powder to H1000 later in the day. Worked up velocity at 100y. Target velocity was a bit lower (based on published data) so we were shooting for ~2950fps. The rifle liked H1000... basically shooting one big hole with several grain spread while working up to 2950fps target. Settled on 69gr at 2950fps and didn't bother with a formal ladder.

Also tried a Parker-Hale in 7RM with 4831SC. Got nothing. Didn't have time for H1000.

Tikkler with H1000 (tape covering Parker Hale H4831sc group from earlier in day):

Junior was shooting a factory 700 ADL in 30-06 with a tacti-cool Weaver. 168gr SMK and H4350 were on hand. He wanted to shoot farther than his pop, but we could only get 250y for the ladder at this spot in the coastrange. He let some loads fly anyway. 57gr busted the ladder. Lost track of a couple holes on paper from the shrapnel. The target was offset from the hanging post, but loads had some horizontal.





At 57gr, velocity was still a little lower than desired. Decided to forget the ladder and get to desired velocity with 57.5gr or 58gr (me playing devil while they laddered). Target was thrashed anyway. By now the mid-afternoon wind had picked up. He shot 57.5gr really well given the conditions, ignoring #5 horizontal due to wind. Some vertical so I asked if he wanted me to load more to confirm the load or try 58gr? He said, "No." Gotta trust a confident shooter. I was more than impressed given the boat anchor pull weight on that 700. Time to pack it up and move to 500y.



At 500y, both junior and his pop were hitting the 8.5" steel with their own handloads . They'd been waiting a loooooong time to get to that point. Lots of fun for me to watch them bring it all together. Just as much fun as shooting my own rifles, maybe more .

For whatever reason, they were both hitting the same part of the steel (5 o'clock, can just barely see it in pic). Lost track of how many hits on that same area. Wind was throwing them off target now and then so it wasn't a slam dunk by any stretch. Afternoon wind hadn't settled yet.

The icing on the cake was when junior shot his final 3 rounds at 800y (another 8.5" steel). This was late in the day when the wind was nil. First shot was just over the target by ~half foot, perfect windage. I wanted to correct elevation but his pop said, "shoot one more to confirm." Shot #2 was again just over the target, perfect windage. Told him -0.2 mils elevation. Third and final shot drilled it. It was late by then so we never went to check the targets. He spun my 800y steel so I'll be inspecting impacts at 500y and 800y when I go back to fix the 800y hanger.

Junior and his pop had a blast. Didn't take long to get their hunting rigs shooting "good enough" for factory rifles at medium range. And Junior rocked at 800y with his box-store ADL. No groups measured, but easily on a manhole cover at 800y with those 3-shots. Nah, even better

Junior plans to join the Marines after high school. I think he's doing pretty dang good for a young man . Once he gets the trigger fixed on that 700, I'm sure he'll do even better.

I guess it don't matter how you get there, as long as its fun along the way and share it with people you like

Junior getting set-up for 500y:



8.5" steel at 500y (can just barely see impacts at 5 o'clock):

Eggs are fun.

I smoked one this day at around 550. One shot of course. Mini-'flave was bustin' them @ the 2 and 3. He's nowhere near as good as I am, yet.


Travis

Trav, you use high-quality protein for targets and feed your offspring cereal. How stupid are you?