How difficult is an 800 meter shot

[scrolllock]

Hi,

(Sorry if this is wrong section mods? Long range hunting question so figured the target shooting guys would know about the range)

A mate with a property here in VIC has invited me out for some long range varminting to break in his new Tikka Varmint 22-250. He's got a few spots picked out for some 500m - 800m shooting, the longest shots on his property are about that far.

Half of this is for fun by the way, neither of us are expecting to go out for the first time at 800m and be crack shots doing 3" groups or anything If we could nail a fox or two at that range though it great.

The furthest shooting I've done half seriously is 500m at the range at a big ice cream container and I did ok, how much harder do things get at 800m?

Still going to go and have fun, just wondering if I actally have a chance of hitting anything on the first time out without any practice at that range

[Chronos]

I won't comment in using your 22-250 at those ranges but you may be surprised at how easy it is at 800 with the right gear.

Put it this way take plenty of semi and have one bloke spotting the fall of shot you'll do fine.

If you rifle is capable of 1" groups at 100m it's theoretically capable of 8" at 800 but you have to do your part. Watch the wind and record what happens to the point of impact, maybe put a flag if some sort at a point say 300-400m out because the wind between you and there will have the most effect on wind drift.

Most if all have fun plinking, I mean load testing

Chronos

[MeccaOz]

Pffft ... One handed, one hand tied behind my back, in the crouching tiger position, with my 22 from a behind the back rifle holster thingy .. Done !

[cruze82]

I'm by far no expert but have had a crack at 800m

The things I have found important are :
As chromos said an accurate rifle at 100m helps for accuracy down range.
Having a good ballistic profile for the round you are shooting is a big advantage to get you in the ballpark.
I use ballistic Advanced edition where you can true your dope and gives you an accurate MOA elevation.
Also knowing at what point you bullet goes subsonic is a big help as you want to try keep it supersonic at the target .

I've found you want a round with the highest BC you can get to shoot nice through your gun with good results .

Then the biggest factor being able to make well educated wind calls on the fly and the most basic or marksmanship principles are fine tuned as you start to encroach on bigger distances small things make a big difference.

Have fun its a thrill hitting things at a big distance.

[1290]

800m is a piece of cake, hitting a small target, nay any target, then repeating is the challenge!

Lot of fun though, enjoy.

[Warrigul]

If you can handle 500m then 800m is only a small jump, you just need lots more elevation. If there is a hill behind the target a good starting point is to have a few aiming points above the target.

On the private range at the 1200 meter mark we have 6m x 6m target backing and white painted bits of wood going up the hillside at 1m intervals for those with everyday rifles(you need a LOT of elevation) , it is surprising how well some people go with quite ordinary gear.

Start with a big target, people overcompensating and chasing shots all over the place is the most common mistake.

Just having a go is half the fun.

[lole]

Pffft ... One handed, one hand tied behind my back, in the crouching tiger position, with my 22 from a behind the back rifle holster thingy .. Done !

He said 800, not 8

[scrolllock]

I won't comment in using your 22-250 at those ranges but you may be surprised at how easy it is at 800 with the right gear.

It wasn't bought as an 800m rifle. That's just adding something new to the day

[scrolllock]

Start with a big target, people overcompensating and chasing shots all over the place is the most common mistake.

Just having a go is half the fun.

We're not taking it serious, just adding some fun to breaking it in.

Hoping to maybe hit a fox-size big target by the end of the day

[MCLE]

800m isn't that difficult if you have the right Projectile and Barrel twist.I shoot Fclass most weekends and we shoot from 300y to 1000y and with the right gear it's easy enought doing it well is the head part.As you are just having fun it doesn't matter give it a whirl.The trouble with your 22-250 is it will probably have a varmit Barrel so a 1 in 12 twist or there abouts so more suited to the lighter Projectiles 55gr around there in any case.And it may well have a 24 inch Barrel as well so you might struggle to get out past 600y.But what the ha give it a whirl.

[on_one_wheel]

in the crouching tiger position

lol... might need to try that one

[Hardcast]

Give it a go Scrolllock, good luck to you my boy.

Set up a good bench rest and good sand bags.

You will need lots of scope adjustment, If you run out, see if you can set up a second target above the one you are shooting at.

Let us know how you get on.

[on_one_wheel]

Ok fellas... I have always thought F class was something I would like to try one day, My grandfather shot it and travelled the world for competition but I never got to learn from him before he passed.

If one was to build a F class rifle, what is the idea or common Cal.l barrel length, twist rate, barrel thickness and general setup ?

[MCLE]

Ok fellas... I have always thought F class was something I would like to try one day, My grandfather shot it and travelled the world for competition but I never got to learn from him before he passed.

If one was to build a F class rifle, what is the idea or common Cal.l barrel length, twist rate, barrel thickness and general setup ?

Hi mate it is the same the world over. if we could only go back and ask the questions.If your Grandfather shot it years Back mabe he shot Target Rifle they don't use Scopes.As for building a Fclass rifle it depends on your Budget and what you want to shoot Fstandard 308 using 155gn pills only or 223 using 80 pills only.F open unlimited caliber no bigger than 8mm or FTR rifle and scope and bipod combined no heavier than 8.25kg.If you go 223 30inch barrel 1 in 7 twist will get 80gm pills out a 1000y.Same as a 308 28 to 30 inch will drive a 155 gr pill 1000y.Barrel length and twist rate is important your 26 inch 1 in 12 varmitting 223 with 55gr will shoot up a storm at 300y and may throw them everywhere at 500y and probably not register a hit at 600y.You don't need to spend a fortune just spend it in the right place.

[on_one_wheel]

I like the idea of a .223 as a toy for the range because my powder will go twice as far as it dose with my .243

How do .223's loaded up ( I'm guessing pretty hot ) with 80 grn projectiles and a 30inch barrel with 1 in 7 twist fare up for barrel life ?

Its difficult to decide witch discipline to choose, I recon I need to visit some ranges while comps are being held and have a look.
I rely would like something that is popular, with comps being held all around the country that I can attend and get thrashed at, good excuse to travel.

[MCLE]

I like the idea of a .223 as a toy for the range because my powder will go twice as far as it dose with my .243

How do .223's loaded up ( I'm guessing pretty hot ) with 80 grn projectiles and a 30inch barrel with 1 in 7 twist fare up for barrel life ?

Its difficult to decide witch discipline to choose, I recon I need to visit some ranges while comps are being held and have a look.
I rely would like something that is popular, with comps being held all around the country that I can attend and get thrashed at, good excuse to travel.

Barrel life in the 223 are good I have herd of 3000 or more out of a barre.But these probably have been re crowned and had the chamber touched up.The 223 takes some beating out to 600y.If you won't a Cal that is easy to shoot ( my 12 yo Doughter shoots mine all day ) low running costs and shoots excellently out to 1000y or more and you can shoot at every comp in Fopen have a look at a 6mm Dasher or a 6mm BR.A dasher is a BR with the shoulders blown forward so you can fit in a little bit more powder.But the dasher is a little bit more stuffing around with fire forming but no big deal.The 6mm BR you can get 20 or more reloads out of the cases.If you are interested in Fclass have a look at ozfclass all you would won't to know and more.

[on_one_wheel]

Cheers MCLE.... ill take a look.

[Warrigul]

I like the idea of a .223 as a toy for the range because my powder will go twice as far as it dose with my .243

How do .223's loaded up ( I'm guessing pretty hot ) with 80 grn projectiles and a 30inch barrel with 1 in 7 twist fare up for barrel life ?

Its difficult to decide witch discipline to choose, I recon I need to visit some ranges while comps are being held and have a look.
I rely would like something that is popular, with comps being held all around the country that I can attend and get thrashed at, good excuse to travel.

I started with fullbore, went to optical and match rifle then slipped into F class with a .308, then a .223, tried a few other things and now just have a few .308s and will probably have a lash at F/TR just for fun. But I was lucky enough to be able to have a good look and a bit of a chat before going to each different discipline, it is definately worth doing what you have said- visiting and trying first.

[vexesus]

A proper "Fullbore" target shoot is only with .308, right?

[MCLE]

A proper "Fullbore" target shoot is only with .308, right?

Target rifle or full bore use 308. And 223

[Warrigul]

A proper "Fullbore" target shoot is only with .308, right?

AS MLCE said .308 and .223, however there seems to be a small revival with more and more old .303's appearing on club days.

Lets face it the skills are similar, I would rate fullbore as requiring more skill than F class or its derivatives. The person is the main factor in the middle of the pack not whose equipment is technically better.

Fullbore is very frustrating when you first start.

[MCLE]

Hi Warrigal,

There's is a lot of skill in Target Rifle I do agree and the basics are the same. As for Whose Equipment is technically better there is some truth in that for both sports. I think a TR shooter who shot 30 years ago with the top end Equipment back then would probably say the same about the equipment used by top end TR shooters now. We have had a lot of TR shooters coming over to F-Class for lots of reasons. Unfortunately for the sport TR are losing 14% of their membership a year so it's a worry as to where it may end up. While you are right in that F-Class use and have more technical Equipment / Scopes / stands/ the TR shooters that l have seen convert to F-Class find it more difficult than they thought.TR shooters are happy to shoot 5 all day long and some of the top shooters do. So about a 7 inch (I think I should know ) ring at 500y if a top end F-Class shooter shoots 5s and shoots a 50 out of 60 then he isn't even in the race and would be having a crap day. He needs to shoot a 60 so 10 shots into about a 5inch ring and this won't win him a lot he needs to be shooting supers so needs to be getting 5 or more of those shots into a 3 inch ring. So while he does have more Equipment he is shooting at a target a lot smaller to be competitive. I for one hope that TR and F-Class go on for a long time and as l love the sport. But with the falling numbers of TR is a worry and the Attitude of some of the old TR shooters that hold positions of power within the sport don't help. But both are skilled in their own way and both a heap of fun...

[on_one_wheel]

. " We have had a lot of TR shooters comming over to Fclass for lots of reasons.Unfortunetly for the sport TR are loosing 14% of there membership a year so it's a worry as to where it may end up."

"But with the falling numbers of TR is a worry and the Attertude of some of the old TR shooters that hold positions of power within the sport don't help.But both are skilled in there own way and both a heap of fun".....

They just don't push for members, I have only ever seen a club put up a stand at a country show once, witch was good to see, but that's only once in over 3 decades.

When I walk into my local gun shops there are no flyers, no club advertising e.g., and I know that a few blokes behind the counter are club shooters.

They should be in our faces with membership drives, handing out flyers and forms to new shooters while they are going for their licences, putting up stands at all the country shows and openly inviting everyone to come out and have a shoot, and handing out leaflets when they hand you your recept at the shop.

I wonder how much the clubs really care about their dwindling numbers sometimes.

[MCLE]

There is a lot of what you say is true and we should do more to push our sport. That was kind of what l was hinting at re the Attitude of some of the old TR shooters that are In positions of power on the state committees l stress some.

F-Class is growing the comps that we go to there are usually more F-Class than TR. I suppose the problem that the local gunshop has is they are trying to sell you a rifle. And almost all the rifles that they would have are not suitable and won't deliver the Accuracy needed to shoot F-Class out to 1,000y.

Look at it from he's point of view you go in there to per chase a new rifle to shoot way out yonder so he shows you the Latest Offerings from Howa Remington Tikka Savage and the like and after you get it gives you a flyer for the local F-Class comp and then tells you that you are going to struggle with the rifle that he has just sold you.

Having said that Savage do have a good F-Class set up but hardly just sitting around at the average shop. But you can take your varmitting set up and give it a whirl at the shorter distances. Just turn up to the local club they will welcome you and most have club rifles give it a go.

[vexesus]

MCLE, Warrigal

And .223 eh, Thanks.