I've done some shooting the past couple days and shot out to 150 yards my last few shots. My groups at 100 are pretty good, but once I go out to 150 I'm vertically all over. One second I'm 3" above the target, next time I'm on target and then I'm 3" below the target. Are my expectations too high? Does anyone have any suggestions? I want to make 150 my maximum shot, but am not too confident in it right now. Oh yeah, my load is a 250 gr. shockwave, 777 3F powder and 777 primers. Any help is appreciated.
Other then how you approach the rifle and prepare it.. that could cause the bullets to do what you describe. I know when I shot out to 150 yards with the same bullet, I shot at a paper plate. And you described my group pretty much. I was just happy I hit the plate. And since I never shoot that far, I really did not try to improve it.
Really concentrate on your breathing, trigger pull and follow through.
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One second I'm 3" above the target, next time I'm on target and then I'm 3" below the target. Are my expectations too high?
I think that depends on what "on target" means Troutman. If you're talking about your exact point of aim, and shots are hitting within three inches of your point of aim at 150 yards, I would say you're good-to-go for hunting. Sure, you'd rather be shooting two-inch groups at 150. But if you're careful and selective with your shots a deer will never know it was killed with a six-inch grouping load rather than a two-inch load.
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Shooting groups is not very important to me with an MZ. I basically consider a MZ as a single shot rifle, so I rarely concern myself with more than one shot.
Shooting groups is fun, but it is basically of no importance in a hunting situation.
All I concern myself with is how close to my POA am I hitting with the first shot out of a clean barrel.
IF you are hitting within 3 inches of POA at 150 yards and your limit on range is 150 yards, then what is the problem??
I would not be satisfied with that out of my Knight LRH. But I would be tickled with that out of my Lyman FL. So I guess you have to make your own judgements. However I would not make any judgements as to where the follow up shots go out of a dirty barrel. Unless you hunt with a dirty barrel. And I have not done that for 25 years. Tom.
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There are a number of possibilities, one is wad pressure if you get a difference the pressure you have seated the bullet with then the longer the range the more it will show. Try using a range rod with a stop on it that you can set for your load so that all bullets are seated at the same depth and measure your powder carefully.
The other thing is your powder I have had trouble with 777 I believe it gathers moisture as some times an older can becomes erratic especially if it is not kept sealed well. Lee
Thanks for the input guys. There's def. some good things to think about. I guess all I can do is practice and practice some more. My group at 100 yards today was about an inch. I've been swabbing in between each shot so I feel my barrel is in good shape before the next shot. The deer won't know the difference as long as it's on the ground AND most shots generally occur between 0-100 yards. Since we're talking about practice I guess I should bring up the famous Allen Iverson quote..."Practice, we're talkin' bout practice". Have a good one!
I guess my first question is what the velocity of your load might be @ 150 yards - if it has slowed to the point that it looses stabilization you will get exactly what you are describing. Might look good at a 100 but falls to pieces down range.
So I guess I would ask this..
1. What is the volume of the T7 you are shooting?
2. What rifle are you shooting?
3. Which sabot are you shooting?
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Is your group at 100 strung verticaly? Also do you consistantly grip the forend of your rifle when shooting? With any gun that has a fair amount of recoil the hold down force of your forward hand can cause the vertical stringing. Say you grip it tight one shot and then loose the next and then the third shot you just rest the forend on the bag. That could very well cause a fair amount of vertical stringing. Ive had that problem with my slug gun shooting at 200 yards. First shot holding the forend tightly would be 12 inches low the second shot not holding the forend hit the bullseye.
150 Yard Question
