I have spent the last four years working on "long range" rifle work with my Rem 700 in .308.  Any other long range shooters out there?  How do you train for long range work?  I try to get out in the field (as opposed to the contrived setting at the local range) at least once every month.  What setup did you choose?  Me,  Rem 700VS (offered in a left hand action) with Baer bases, Leupold Mark IV rings and a Leupold Long Range "Tactical" (I love when manufactures use that word) M3 (mil-dot reticle, not illuminated) scope.  Currently I am experimenting with a 300 yard zero.  I am finding it really hard to split mils's with the 300 yard zero...  .75 mil @ 200 yards  is tough for me.  I think I am on my way back to a 100 yard zero.

My dad is the hand loader here not me, but that is very cool to hear that you and your wife are in to the sport.  Keep it up and you will improve over time and if you need any data for your loads, let me know and I can run your numbers through my sierra software.  Hell let me know if you need some data and I will get it to you.

Savage 110FP HB .308, tweaked.  Shot a 3" group at 500 yards a few weeks ago with it.  Pics at this thread.

[url]http://www.jobrelatedstuff.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=188347&w=myTopicPop[/url]

TBK .50 is sweet.  I have a similiar scope on my Savage, it does pretty well and is great if you count cost as a factor.

Nice bro.  I like the camo job on the rifle, as a matter of fact I love it.  Have any close ups?  My instructor has a Savage that shoots 1/4 MOA.  A 3" group at 500 yds. is outstanding and definitely more that I coudl muster on a good day.  Your rilfe is shooting sub MOA, keep it, pet it, touch it, do whatever you need to keep it shooting straight.  Nice work.

In to it some but my dad, who is 71 now, is in to it much deeper than me.  Basic rule I have learned is that as far as equipment investment is concerned, you will tend to spend more on the scope than you will for the rifle.  In this sport, optics rule!

As for scope zero, we typically use shims in the scope rings so that our scopes "bottom out" in adjustments to get a 300yd zero.  This maximizes the number of available "come-ups" in elevation clicks.  For most calibers, you will also want the larger tube diameters on the scopes to give you more elevation clicks.

I shoot a 7mm Remington Magnum and with a range finder and elevation chart, shots out to 1,100 are easy.  Dad has started using the Rem 7mm and 300 Ultra mags and makes my old 7mm look puny (the 7mm Ultra Mag will pierce .5" T1 steel at 300yds - 308 147g ball just explodes on it without scratching it).  On the other had, he has had a lot of fun shooting the 1,000 yard target with his new 260 Remington and is doing fine.

As for groups, we have found that rifles made today (Remington 700, Win M70, and Savage) are all capable of 1/4 minute accuracy.  One key item you will definetely need, if you reload, is a case length gauge to get the proper overall length (OAL) for your rifle.  This will make a world of difference in your rifle's capabilities.

FWIW, believe most long range shooters use the method your going back to, a 100 yard zero. This makes your come-up notes much easier to comprehend.

Here's a view from the back porch at the farm:
[img]http://photos.ar15.com/WS_Content/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=1364[/img]

And a closer view, further out, 100 yards in bottom of pic:
[img]http://photos.ar15.com/WS_Content/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=1365[/img]

Recently got all my pieces put together for my long range stick:
Remington 700, chambered in 30-06
Hogue full-length aluminum pillar'd stock
27 & 1/2" (1/10) Krieger stainless steel barrel
Kwik Klip, aftermarket box mags, (1-4rnd, 2-10rnd)
Leupold bases and rings
Leupold Vari-X III, 6.5x20x40mm, w/ "Premier Gen II Mil-Dot Recticle and turrets
Loaded w/ 175grn. SMKs in once fired Remington brass, over 56 grains of H4350 and CCI 200 primers

Come-ups for range above:
100 - zero
200 - 1.5 min
300 - 3 min
400 - 5.5 min
550 - 10.5 min
625 - 13 min
700 - 17 min
800 - 21 min

Can't wait to get out to our private 1175 yard range and fill in the gaps missing in my come-up chart. We started out looking for good crow rifle, which the CR-6724 did very well and have graduated to multiple bolt rifles in a variety of calibers, 260 Remington (AKA 6.5mm-08), 22-250, 223 and 6.5mm-06 (if my 30-06 comes close to this caliber, I'll be very happy), so far it appears the '06 is doing very well.

My uncle and gunsmith friend got us started and dad and I are severely hooked as ya can probably tell, much to the liking of our gunsmiths' wallet, oh well, he's got to pay for the milling and press equipment somehow....[;)]

Good luck, and stick w/ the 100 yard zero, always think in terms of minutes and hold hard.
Mike

7mm Rem Mag at Red Castle Gun Club in Sand Springs, OK, one of the nations only 1000 meter rifle ranges, woohoo![:D]