Shooting 500 Yards
 

Hey everyone. I have a Tikka T3 i want to start shooting 500 yards with. I already do alot of 200 yards and some 300 yards with it. Do you think factory ammo would work well out to 500 yards? I only have a 3x-9x scope on it but i plan on getting a 4x-12x for shooting that far. I plan on using QR mounts so i can go back to the 3x-9x for hunting.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

What cartridge are you shooting...?

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

Sorry i ment to put that in the original post. 300 WSM.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

probably depends on the particular rifle and what ammo you're shooting. just shoot a bunch of different stuff and see what your gun likes best.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

Right now im shooting 180gr Winchester Super-X Power Points and getting just over 1in groups. That is the only ammo ive tryed so far. I plan on trying more this summer.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

You should have no problems shooting at 500yds. If you do your partwith factory ammo. Find the right ammo your gun likes. Practice makes perfect you know. I do it with my Remington model 700xcr in 270wsm. I use Winchester 150gr. Power Point ammo. My scope is the Burris Euro-Diamond 2.5x10x44mm objective with the Ballistic Plex retical. I use Stoney Point Rapid bypod. The sitting and kneeling one and consitantly hitting 6" dia. rocks at a lasered 500yds.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

When I was in the army (Canadian), before we went to the 5.56, we used to do run downs from 1000 yds. We were using peeps graduated in 100 yd increments. Nobody ever hit dirt from 1000 - 600 but after that we were on target using standard ball ammo.

My experience with Winchester ammo is that the Power Points always provided the best accuracy in the .270, 30-06 and 300 Win Mag. Whenever I got into their high end stuff, things opened up. Just my experience, your mileage may vary. Lot's of variables at 500 yds that need be taken into account.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

I did some shooting out to 600 yards in teh Marines usint the peep sight but i just didnt know how well factory ammo would work. I guess i can try and if it dosnt work then ill have to fix the problem.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

factory ammo is not necessarily of lesser quality. a lot of companies make high dollar match ammo.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

Good Lord what range finder are you using that will give a range bounced off a 6" target at 500 yards? I want one.


500 yards ain't no joke. Anything past about 350 and you are entering a whole differnt world. Its great to practice that far, it can teach you a lot about the rifle you are shooting, and its pretty fun as well. If you are getting 1" groups from you T3 then I think you are more than ready to give it a go. Just let that barrel cool off. Study your ballistic chart.... and see how close it really is. ;)

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

you're golden to 500yds, just find which ammo works best, I'd go 180grs over 150's, go 300yds, then 400yds, then 500yds.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

Only way to know is try. If you've already tried to 300 then you have some idea of how your current ammo performed and if it held a relative grouping to the other yardages(by this I don't necessarily me MOA but rather it didn't spray all over the paper)then you shouldbe goodto start bumping it out. I test my new loads in 50 yard increments past 300 yards, it just gives me more time to learn the load and builds confidence. As soon as my groups start going wonky I stop. Can be the result of shooter, elements or load but personally when things aren't going well shooting more is pretty much useless.

As far as factory ammo, I reload however this summer I hadsome 150gr NBT's (Federal Premium) given to me, seeing I have a handload with the same bullet I thought I'd compare the 2 for S&G's. Things were fine out to 300 yards, not up to my handload standards but it was holding fat MOA's. At 400 yards my approx. 4" group 100 yards previous over doubled?? I let the rifle cool, fired a 3 shot group with my handload and ruled out shooter, elements, etc as it turned in typical results. The next session I tried again to achive the same results past 300 yards. Now this is just one case and doesn't apply to anyone else's ammo or rifle..however the point is, only way to know for sure is SHOOT and questions will be answered.

FWIW I use the same scope for shooting on the range as in the field hunting 3.5x10.Currently only my 22-250 has higher mag scope(6-18) due to it sits on a varmit rig which has much smaller targets then biggame animals. Nothing wrong with a higher mag scope, though if your planning to switch back for hunting and the longer range is just for fun at this point...maybe not required.

Best of Luck

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

The whole thing with the scope is its a 3x-9x Nikon Buckmaster and the crosshairs seem to be really thick aand makes it hard to see the target even at 200 yards. I dont mind it for hunting because i will never shoot over 300 yards.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

Ridge Runner,
If you dont mind me asking what kind and power scope do you use for shooting 500+ yards? IM thinking a 4x-12x with a fine duplex and im not sure what brand yet. IM lloking at Bushnell Elite, or Leupold VX-II.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

You gotta love this webpage. I hear the wildest things on it.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

I was at a local gun shop and he has a Bushnel tactial scope that is a fixed 10 power im thinking about getting. He will sell it to me for $220.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

Ive heard to do that before but why?

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

Good pointer Ridge, I'm going to start giving that a try. I've always done a "settling shot", but that sounds much cheaper. lol

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

Ohh ok. My dad always tapped on the scope tube so i jsut kinda started doing it. He said it was to make sure the crosshairs settled right.

RE: Shooting 500 Yards
 

I am waiting for warmer weather to try my 300 WSM with the 168
match bullets..But I doubt my weatherby will do vey will with out
some damn good trigget work before getting very serious with it..
What muzzle velocity do you think I will be able to get with the 168
grains..I'm guess I MIGHT be able to get 3300 fps..Maybe...But
I be that barrel will be getting hot after 6 to 8 rounds...Maybe and IF