Originally Posted by
Champlain Islander
Sounds like a whole new hobby with a ton of room for improvement and learning. I have to ask what are the realistic limits to success as far as target shooting. With ballistics in mind... just how far can one expect to have accuracy? Shooting long distance on game here in Vt isn't practical since the fields are small and the woods are thick so any education I would get would be for targets.
Originally Posted by
Ridge Runner
CI that is dependant on the accuracy capability of your rifle/load combo, a rifle that shoots 2" groups at 100 will do no better than hit somewhere in a 14" circle at 700 yards, for target shooting that could well be "good enough" it depends on what you want to achieve
RR
To expand on that a little CI, a well bedded, trued action, and better than average barrel are needed for long range accuracy. Not to mention a good optic and well tuned ammo matched up to your chamber (basically what your rifle likes to eat the most). Barrel harmonics comes into play at ranges past 400 yards, twist rates for varying weights/lengths of bullets to find that special match up between rifle and barrel. Top end trigger with perfectly clean, crisp break and 0 creep. Different powders/primer combinations. Even sizing and trimming your cases as well as case wall thickness comes into play when playing the long range game. When I reload for my long range rigs, I go so far as to make sure my bullets are within 1/16th of a grain in difference. Hard to get closer than that. Then you have the hundreds of hours on the trigger sending round after round learning each and every little nuance about your rifle and how each shot feels on the break. All the calculations needed for things such as Barometric pressure, temperature, actual humidity, wind speeds and direction, your muzzle velocities and Ballistic Coefficient of the particular bullets you are sending. And that's just the basics! Sounds like a lot of work, and it really IS but it is enjoyable. But it sure aint cheap to get to where you can send accurately, and more importantly, CONSISTENTLY into the ring or steel.