Get a couple 66% IPSC targets, 4 Shepherd Crook plant hangers from a local Garden Center, hanging bolts and 4 lengths of chain 18” long. Throw them out there at 500. Chronograph your load, establish a solid 100yrd zero. Put the velocity and bullet BC into Hornady’s online ballistic calculator. Print your 500yrd group on the left hand 66% target, and refine it to confirm on the right hand target.

As mentioned in another thread here this week, your target often dictates your group potential. 66% IPSC’s give great reference for square edges and aiming references. They’re 2.3moa wide by 3.8moa tall (3.0moa body, minus head), plenty to aim at for even a 3-9x scope, all the better for a higher magnification optic. Placing small groups on 66% IPSC’s as a development process is simple and straightforward.

The most important advice I can give - go shoot it. I recently took an old high school friend I had not seen in over 15yrs to a match with me. He had bought a Bergara B14 HMR over a year ago. Had never fired it past 400yrds, and wanted to get out to 1,000 “someday.” He posted as much on Facebook, which I rarely use, but that Sunday, I did, and I noticed his post. Within 6 days, I had his BC trued, velocity confirmed and he made impacts at 1088yrds during the match - connecting on his second shot ever past 1,000. Nothing magic, just making an opportunity to go do it, and then acting upon it. He hit a full size IPSC, 18” wide at 1,088 yards on his second shot, and hit it again with a 3rd. Can he shoot smaller? Probably. But on the clock, in a dynamic field position, and only with calculated data, connecting 2 out of 3, only missing once due to the 20+ mph wind value, it checked a box for him.