Range report
 

Our MZ season begins Thursday. Time has run out. I went to the range yesterday knowing I needed to adjust my rear sight to bring my groups 2-3 inches left at the 100. Surprisingly, I got it pretty much right on the first attempt. The first shot taken at 100 was off the target dot, but the next 9 all found their way into the 5.75" inner circle. I'm feeling good about my prospects at 100 or less.

Cabela Hawken, GM barrel
open sights, 100 yds
44cal/300 XTP
90 RS

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Based on this target, I'm hitting 1.5" above POA at 100. I raised my sights last weekend. I'm 2" above POA at 50 yds. but there has been a bonus to having chosen the 44 cal/300's and setting the sights this way. When I went to shoot the 200 target with my 10mm/200xtp's and 100 grains RS, I had to take a normal sight picture and hold below the target to produce this result! I'm not going to mess with it now, but I think if I can lower my POI for the 300 XTP's 1.5" at 100 (not an easy adjustment with these sights), I will also be zeroed, or darn close to it, for the 10mm/200's at 200 yds. That would be schweet!!

open sights, 200 yds.
10mm/200 XTP
100 RS

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RE: Range report
 

WOW!! that is some sweet shooting... I agree I would not mess with a thing either.

RE: Range report
 

Thanks Cayugad.I wouldn't be having all this fun without your knowledge/inspiration and some heavy prodding by Sabotloader to move on to a better barrel. Of course, I now have an addiction, so it may be necessary for the two of you to appear on my behalf during the counseling session my wife isno doubtscheduling as I write. :eek:

RE: Range report
 

Looking good all the way around. Remember that a 1.5" adjustment at 100 translates to 3" at 200 yards. With that in mind I would only adjust 1" at 100, or just leave it alone since you would still be in the kill zone at 200 with that load. Good shooting for sure. I'd be interested in what the 300's do at 200 yards, probably down about 10 or so inches would be my guess.

RE: Range report
 

dmurphy - would this apply here? If I lower the POI 1.5" @ 100 ydsfor the 300 grain XTP with 90 RS, what will be the impact on the 200 grain XTP @ 200 with 100 RS, given that the POI with this (200/100) combo is currently 8-9" high @ 200?? (I'm having to hold on the bottom of the target at 200).Too many moving parts for me and I can't access the ballistic tables from here to even play with it. Obviously it will help @200 but I have no idea how much. I'm guessing somewhere between 3" and 8-9" for the lighter bullet at higher charge.

RE: Range report
 

Wow, that's some impressive groups there! I can't shoot open sites worth a hoot. That 200 yrd target is amazing. I wouldn't touch a thing.

RE: Range report
 

Terrific shooting there vice-grip arms!! :D

RE: Range report
 

Yes, the 1.5" adjustment at 100 would lower the 200 yard POI 3" using the same hold you used to shoot the groups posted. The adjustment is to the sight so it will affect all loads the same. If you were holding at the bottom of the circle the adjustment would put you 5 to 6" high with the same hold.

BTW, why are you not using the 200grXTP for all your deer hunting instead of the 300? If you are getting that kind of accuracy out of it and you trust it enough to take a 200 yard shot, why not something closer? I would guess the 6" point blank range of that load would be around 175 yards with it +3" at 100, on at 150, -3" at 175 and be down about 8" at 200. Energy would be down to around 650fp at 200 yards which might be a bit low but if placed right itshould be enough.

RE: Range report
 

dmurphy - I don't trust it enough to take 200 yard shots. My max will be 100. I'd consider 150, but don't have that distance to try at the range. A target doesn't move, is black on white background, I have the sun behind me, at a bench, on bags. I'm not convinced that the 200 grain bullet with 100 RS is a deer killer at 200 yds even wereI shooting scoped. As for choosing the 300 to hunt with, it is the most accurate bullet I've found for this gun at 100yds., so far. I've tried 200's, 240, 260 and 300's. I can't say it really dislikes anything. Maybe long sabots. Before this gun, 90% of the deer I've killed with MZ were with a 370 maxiball, 10% PRB. Longest shot 85 yds. I guess I want to see a beast expire from a 300 grain saboted bullet before going lighter. That makes it a personal problem doesn't it?[&o]

On the sight adjustment topic, if a bullet stikes 1.5" high at 100 and -6" low at 200, wouldn't lowering the 100 POI to zero, lower the 200 to -12"? See, I don't know where the 200 grain bullets are grouping at 100, nor where the 300 grain bullets are grouping at 200. I think maybe you didn't realize I was mixing bullets/ranges in my post? I'm guessing the bullets have different arcs and that lowering the 300's 1.5" at 100, will result in something other than -3" at 200 with the 200 grain bullets.

RE: Range report
 

Dmurphy - I see what you mean on the ballistics question. I just drew it on paper and I get it. Both POI's will move the same amount at all ranges. Thanks, sloeman.

RE: Range report
 

I do realize you are talking about 2 different bullets and loads and I agree the 300 is the better bullet, I prefer heavier bullets myself. The point I was making is the adjustment to the sights is just that, to the sights. It should affect both loads in a similar manner. Adjusting any bullets impact at 100 yards will affect the POI by twice the adjustment at 200 yards, i.e. 1" at 100 is equal to 2" at 200 from a sight adjustment viewpoint regardless of the load.I based my estimates earlier on some approximations but they should be close enough to get you there for the 200gr bullet. Here is a chart that should get you close with the 300gr XTP.

Name: .44 Cal, , 300 grn
Ballistic Coeff: 0.245
Bullet Weight: 300
Velocity: 1650
Target Distance: 130
Scope Height: 0.750
Temperature: 40
Altitude: 500
Ballistic Data
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Range Elevation Velocity Energy ETA Drop Max Y 10mph Wind Deflect
0 yds -0.75 in 1650 fps 1813 fpe 0.000 sec 0.00 in -0.75 in -0.00 in
25 yds 1.39 in 1583 fps 1669 fpe 0.046 sec 0.41 in -0.20 in 0.17 in
50 yds 2.68 in 1518 fps 1535 fpe 0.094 sec 1.67 in 0.13 in 0.60 in
75 yds 3.02 in 1456 fps 1412 fpe 0.145 sec 3.87 in 0.72 in 1.45 in
100 yds 2.33 in 1398 fps 1301 fpe 0.197 sec 7.11 in 1.59 in 2.71 in
125 yds 0.51 in 1343 fps 1201 fpe 0.252 sec 11.48 in 2.79 in 4.40 in
150 yds -2.51 in 1291 fps 1110 fpe 0.309 sec 17.05 in 4.35 in 6.44 in
175 yds -6.79 in 1242 fps 1028 fpe 0.368 sec 23.88 in 6.29 in 8.83 in
200 yds -12.51 in 1198 fps 956 fpe 0.430 sec 32.15 in 8.68 in 11.66 in

Here is the same load adjusted up about 1" at 100 yards.

Name: .44 Cal, , 300 grn
Ballistic Coeff: 0.245
Bullet Weight: 300
Velocity: 1650
Target Distance: 141
Scope Height: 0.750
Temperature: 40
Altitude: 500
Ballistic Data
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Range Elevation Velocity Energy ETA Drop Max Y 10mph Wind Deflect
0 yds -0.75 in 1650 fps 1813 fpe 0.000 sec 0.00 in -0.75 in -0.00 in
25 yds 1.61 in 1583 fps 1669 fpe 0.046 sec 0.41 in -0.20 in 0.17 in
50 yds 3.13 in 1518 fps 1535 fpe 0.094 sec 1.67 in 0.13 in 0.60 in
75 yds 3.70 in 1456 fps 1412 fpe 0.145 sec 3.87 in 0.72 in 1.45 in
100 yds 3.24 in 1398 fps 1301 fpe 0.197 sec 7.11 in 1.59 in 2.71 in
125 yds 1.64 in 1343 fps 1201 fpe 0.252 sec 11.48 in 2.79 in 4.40 in
150 yds -1.14 in 1291 fps 1110 fpe 0.309 sec 17.05 in 4.35 in 6.44 in
175 yds -5.20 in 1242 fps 1028 fpe 0.368 sec 23.88 in 6.29 in 8.83 in
200 yds -10.69 in 1198 fps 956 fpe 0.430 sec 32.15 in 8.68 in 11.66 in

Here again with a 100 yard zero.

Name: .44 Cal, , 300 grn
Ballistic Coeff: 0.245
Bullet Weight: 300
Velocity: 1650
Target Distance: 100
Scope Height: 0.750
Temperature: 40
Altitude: 500
Ballistic Data
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Range Elevation Velocity Energy ETA Drop Max Y 10mph Wind Deflect
0 yds -0.75 in 1650 fps 1813 fpe 0.000 sec 0.00 in -0.75 in -0.00 in
25 yds 0.81 in 1582 fps 1666 fpe 0.046 sec 0.41 in -0.20 in 0.17 in
50 yds 1.52 in 1515 fps 1530 fpe 0.094 sec 1.67 in 0.13 in 0.61 in
75 yds 1.28 in 1452 fps 1405 fpe 0.145 sec 3.88 in 0.72 in 1.48 in
100 yds 0.00 in 1393 fps 1292 fpe 0.198 sec 7.13 in 1.60 in 2.78 in
125 yds -2.42 in 1337 fps 1191 fpe 0.253 sec 11.52 in 2.81 in 4.50 in
150 yds -6.04 in 1285 fps 1099 fpe 0.310 sec 17.10 in 4.37 in 6.58 in
175 yds -10.94 in 1236 fps 1017 fpe 0.369 sec 23.98 in 6.33 in 9.02 in
200 yds -17.30 in 1191 fps 945 fpe 0.431 sec 32.31 in 8.74 in 11.91 in

I hope this clears it up a bit for you.