3/24/11: I got a chance to shoot my WOA barreled varmint build today at 500 yards. I ditched the Tasco Varmint scope in favor of a Millett TRS-1 with .1 mil adjustments. I ended up handloading 100 rounds of ammunition for this shooting session. I used Remington brass, 6 1/2 primers, 24 grains of Reloder 15 and 75 grain BTHP Hornady bullets. Needless to say the load works GREAT! I started sighting the gun in at 50 yards with 55 grain Hornady spire points on top of 24.5 grains of H335. After it was sighted I switched over to the 75 grain BTHP's. My first shot was about 3/4" high and without adjusting the scope the next three went in the same hole. I knew the R15 loads were going to be really good! I dialed my zero down slightly and moved the target out to 200. I ended up shooting two five shot groups at 200 that were around 1" to 1 1/4". I am MORE than pleased with 1/2 + MOA out of this rig! I then placed six 9" balloons at 500 yards. I popped the first one on the second shot holding 2.5 mils high and 3/4 of a mil to the left. The wind was coming up and I ended up hitting the next one after two shots holding another 1/4 mill to the left. I then shot the next three in a row one after the other. The last one took three shots. I tied it up higher so it would blow around a little. I'll have to get pics of my groups next time out!
3/30/11: Added pics of my 10" X 12" plate I shot for groups. The gun can shoot way better than me! I am currently shooting off of saw horses, a piece of plywood and the gun rested on my Caldwell rear bag that is placed just in front of the mag well. I'm going to try and build a new bench and score a nice front rest before the next outing.
My rig:
Balloon Targets:
Half way - the balloons are just to the left of the big walnut tree:
From my bench:
3/30/11: 10" X 12" plate five shot group. Around 8" CTC: