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Posted: 10/7/2003 3:22:52 PM EDT
My barrel is only 1:9 (20") so I will be using Sierra Matchkinkgs 69gr. HPBT.  I am going to grafs tommorow to pick up some reloading supplies and was thinking on trying some different powder.  I've only used H335 with good results out to 300 yards but was wondering if there is a better general option for some longer range stuff.  Should I be crimping rounds for this distance or no?
Link Posted: 10/7/2003 4:06:33 PM EDT
[#1]
Don't waste much time on 69 MK's at 500 yards.  If the wind is blowing, this bullet is all over the place.

If you're are going to shoot the 69's anyway, try 25.0 grains of Re-15.  This load will yield about 2850 fps at the muzzle, maybe a little more.

You really need to try 75 grain Hornady's, either the boat tail or the ballistic tip bullet first, then 73 grain Berger's, then 70 grain Berger's (which ain't going to be much better than the 60 gr MK's).

Re-15 will give you good case fill with all of these bullets, and all the speed you are going to get from them without scary loads.

And you don't need to crimp anything (bullets or primers).

By the way, Sierra sells seconds by the pound at their factory store - this is an excellent way to get bullets.  You will need to sort out the culls, wrong caliber, and wrong weight bullets, but the number of bad bullets mixed in is small.  They won't ship these bullets.
Link Posted: 10/7/2003 4:08:34 PM EDT
[#2]
IMR 2230 and W748 are old staples. You don't need max velocity, you need consistency. The Vihta powders come highly recommended too.
BTW, with 1:9 20" barrel over iron sights I have shot 12" groups@600yds.
Good luck!
BTW, whenever you want we can try out the 600yd range at Benchrest...
Link Posted: 10/7/2003 4:09:00 PM EDT
[#3]
69 gr SMK is a bit sensitive to wind for 300+ yd work.  Most high power shooters use 80 gr SMK or 77 gr SMK for matches above 300 yd.  I have used 24.1 gr of RL15 to push my 80 gr SMK loads.  How fast do you need to make it?  Well, since we just want to punch holes on papers at 600 yds, as long as the bullet remain at or above supersonic speed when it arrives at the target then we are good to go.  The Match King bullets are known to have very low drag coefficient hence they dont need as high muzzle velocity to maintain a supersonic flight when reaching a distance of 600 yd or so.  In my experience, if you can bring your muzzle velocity above 2700 fps out of a 20" 1:8 barrel, then the bullet will maintain a supersonic flight at 600 yd.  No need to make it super hot, just need to find an optimum accuracy.

RL15 is OK, but Varget is getting more popular recently due to its consistency regardless of altitude (hence ambient pressure) and temperature.  So if you develop your load during the winter, your ammo will still shoot about the same in the summer.

Crimping.  Well, most of high power shooters I know do not crimp their loads.  Crimping is an additional factor that could induce inconsistency in your load.  For competitive type shooting where accuracy is the rule of the game, crimping is not necessary.  But if you plan to take your loads to do some field work then by all means crimp it.  But expect to see a lower accuracy from your crimped loads.  Black Hills ammo is considered by many to be a very accurate factory match loads.  They do not crimp their loads.
Link Posted: 10/7/2003 4:14:31 PM EDT
[#4]
Gary, when is the next high power match at Benchrest?  
Link Posted: 10/7/2003 4:35:28 PM EDT
[#5]

Quoted:
Gary, when is the next high power match at Benchrest?  


This coming saturday, october 11th.
80rd match at 200, 300 and 600 yds.
You thinking about going?
If so I might just have to change my plans and make it myself
Link Posted: 10/7/2003 4:45:57 PM EDT
[#6]
I would love to try the 77 gr. SMK's but again I'm using a 1:9 twist barrel.  I'm using a 9x scope scope, and I'm thinking I'll have to be aiming about 3 feet high if I'm zeroed at 200 yards.  Where is the Sierra store that you can get these seconds from?

BTW, I'm game for Benchrest if you want to go sometime Gary.  I leave for basic the 4th of November so I don't have too much time left.  Next Wednesday is my last day of work.
Link Posted: 10/7/2003 5:41:06 PM EDT
[#7]
Gary,

I already promise my daughter that we will go fishing this weekend.  Next year perhaps?  If you are a member of Benchrest, I think you will get qualified very quickly.

82nd_Airborne,

try shooting using iron sight.  You have young eyes, take advantage of them.  Once you have your 200 yd zero, going to 600 yd requires adding 16-17 MOA on your elevation dial.  If you have a standard sight, it is 1 MOA per click.  A milspec sight should have about 27-28 clicks before it maxed out.  So you are well within the capability of the sight to engage a 600 yard target.  This will get you on paper, then you need to fine tune it to get the X-ring.  Good luck.  
Link Posted: 10/7/2003 6:03:47 PM EDT
[#8]

Quoted:
I would love to try the 77 gr. SMK's but again I'm using a 1:9 twist barrel.  I'm using a 9x scope scope, and I'm thinking I'll have to be aiming about 3 feet high if I'm zeroed at 200 yards.  Where is the Sierra store that you can get these seconds from?

BTW, I'm game for Benchrest if you want to go sometime Gary.  I leave for basic the 4th of November so I don't have too much time left.  Next Wednesday is my last day of work.



The Sierra store is in Sedalia, Mo. maybe 30 miles west of Columbia, a bit far for someone without wheels.
Leaving on the 4th eh? I am sure we could work out a day before then. I will keep you posted on good days for me. Let me know when would be good for you. There is a good chance I will be going this coming monday but I am not sure yet.
Enjoy your last month of freedom!
Link Posted: 10/7/2003 9:59:49 PM EDT
[#9]
Thanks mousegun and gary.  I will try to hit that silouette at 500 with irons, will be tough though.  This coming Monday I work but not till 18:00.  Give me a shout, hooah!
Link Posted: 10/8/2003 7:28:58 AM EDT
[#10]
82nd_ABN,

marksmanship skill is a good thing to bring when you go to basic.  Factoid: longest confirmed kill with an M16A2 with M855 ammo in Iraq is shot by Sgt. Mike (last name witheld), July 6 2003 south of Baghdad Int'l airport.  Distance: 518 meters, position: kneeling.  You are likely to receive an M4 carbine, but like Mike said, you may find yourself holding an M16A2 and engaging enemies at 500 meters+.  The Iraqis were complacent at that distance thinking the it is too far away for lightly armed GIs to hit them.  Well, one of these GIs turned out to be a long time Army vet and an expert rifleman.  Sgt. Mike told me that he and his unit often carried different weapons depending on their mission.  They used M4, M16A2, and also captured AK47 (I have a pic of Sgt. Mike and his team posing with AK before a mission).  So yes, a well trained rifleman still has his place in today's modern battlefield.  His bullet may not be as destructive as a 500 lbs bomb hitting an enemy position, but it is very destructive to the enemy morale when they see their friend taking a single round in the chest from 500 meters out.

Good luck!
Link Posted: 10/11/2003 2:45:18 AM EDT
[#11]
Thanks Mousegun.  I bought some Varget the other day and the 69 SMK's.  I've loaded a few with 24.2 grains and CCI SR primers.  I want to load some with WSR primers and some with 25.0 grains of powder.  I wish I had some more money for this stuff but I'm just another poor teenager.  Going to the Aunt's farm this weekend to test them out.  Some of the guys down there that rarely shoot want to do 1000 yards, I snickered to myself as I'm sure it will turn into a 500 yard shoot real quick when they realize they can't hit a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood that far out.  With a 200 yard zero should I be aiming about 4' high at 500 yards?
Link Posted: 10/11/2003 3:27:11 PM EDT
[#12]
What kind of hold do you use?  6 o'clock or center mass?  For target shooting, the 6 o'clock hold is the most common since it is the easiest to maintain hold consistency.  If you have an A2 rear sight, try to give it about 14-16 clicks UP for 500 yards from your 200 yards zero.  Use the same hold.  This will get you on paper.  Each gun is different.  That's why most competition shooters make a little list taped on the gun stock that has the sight setting for different distances.
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