Checking 200yd accuracy

[shotist]

Decided to give my 2 primary smokesticks a whirl out at 200 yards yesterday for grins.

The first was the 45cal CVA Firebolt with scope. 100gr of 2F 777, the tan MMP sabot and a 200gr SST. This rifle was sighted in 3" high at 100yds. There was a 5-10mph wind at 10 o'clock and I could see the mirage running along the top of the target. I'd wait until the mirage slowed and then, execute the shot. The first shot was aimed at spine height and struck lower than I imagined. I then began holding at the very top of the silhouette for the next 4 shots, spit-patch cleaning between shots. Group was displaced about 2 MOA left of my hold. All shots were killers.



I then pulled out the Savage 10ML-II with a 1/16" white beaded blade and rear peep (legal for ML season in WI). I shoot the powder that all Savage shooters hate, 50.0/H4227 and a 250gr SST. This rifle was sighted in dead on at 100yds. I took a hold directly behind the shoulder at the very top of the back. To my surprise, the drop was not nearly as much as I thought it would be.



The actual POI is about 6" right of point of aim, so I must sit down now and calculate the required rear sight adjustment for the 28.5" sight radius and make the correction with the aid of a Vernier caliper.

I would feel much better if I was able to harvest my animal next week at a distance of 10 yards. But, at least I now know where the cotton-picker hits out at that distance. The situation would really have to be right to attempt a shot like this in the field...time enough to laser the animal, a solid rest, a standing or walking animal, moon and stars aligned, etc...

[Jeramie]

Pretty brutal for 200yds with a smoke pole! A little more of that and you could hold some awsome groups.

[shotist]

To be fair, I wasn't really looking for group size. If I had been, I'd have used a bullseye target with the irons. I was more interested in verifying the trajectory and to see if I could make killing shots with these aging eyes, LOL.

[Jeramie]

I figured that with the target. Still, a lot of impressive kill shots at 200 with a front stuffer. Mine is keyed in at roughly 3" high at 100. Id like to do some long rang punching and see what kind of groups I could hold with 120grn of pyrodex and a .245grn Hornady sabot.

[too_pointer]

I'm impressed with your shooting
I haven't tried that far with my Encore, but I also shoot a .295 grn. powerbelt , so I would probably go with a lighter sabot.
Good shooting.
too_

[VTbowman]

Ditto,
Great shooting with a ML at 200 IMHO.

I keep all my shots at or under 100 yards.
But then again I use a 15" Encore 209x50 ML handgun with 250g shockwaves and 100g Pyrodex pellets..

I do get 1 to 1.5 inch groups at 100 with it but still, anything much further then that and I start dropping to much.

[shotist]

When I shoot those rifles at 100, the CVA 45cal is a 1.5-2.5" shooter for 3 shots if I spit-patch clean between shots (it has shot sub MOA, but it is not the norm). The Savage has quite a few sub MOA 3-shot groups at 100, but it is generally a 1.25" rifle (plus or minus) if I have good light on the target to get a good sight picture with the irons.

This was one of those situations where I always threatened to try them at 200 yards, just to see how they'd do. So, there it is.

[AJ]

Good shooting! I love to practice at long range then shoot the critters at under 50 yards.

[shotist]

Being a long time bowhunter, I like getting close too...even though I practice waaay further.

What I found interesting was that the Savage shot that much flatter than the CVA. The 45cal shooting that 200gr SST and 100gr loose 777 was sighted 3" high at 100yds with a scope set 1.5" above the bore (greater angle of departure). The Savage had irons set .88 above the bore and the 250gr SST was sighted dead on at 100yds.

The 45cal SST has a slightly higher BC, but was estimated to be 300-350fps slower than the 50cal SST in the Savage.

If you look at the last target showing both groups, the point of aim was exactly the same and the 45cal bullet was definitely lower. Been too lazy to actually clock either load, so I don't have a real good handle on the velocities (est 2000fps vs 2350fps). I used a very conservative estimate of BC as well (.20 for the 50cal and .22 for the .45) when I ran the ballistics through the Frenchu software.

This is exactly why I wanted to shoot the darned things at distance. Now I know exactly what the drop is without question.

Still hope to shoot the animal close enough to count the eyelashes however

[too_pointer]

You must remember that you are bullseye challenged
I miss more than you hit LOl.
too_

[shotist]

[ QUOTE ]
Good shooting! I love to practice at long range then shoot the critters at under 50 yards.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hear you. My deer rifle was tuned and dialed in at 250, but verified to 400 yds. Ended up shooting my best deer ever at all of 20 yards with it. I felt I'd done a better job as a woodsman by getting close. Sad part was that I passed on a 160+ incher about 10 minutes earlier because legal shooting hadn't begun. He was about 20 yards away as well.

[HaDeRonDa]

[ QUOTE ]
Sad part was that I passed on a 160+ incher about 10 minutes earlier because legal shooting hadn't begun. He was about 20 yards away as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Honorable, but have you noticed lately that your watch has been a little slow.

[shotist]

We have this danged earn-a-buck in our state and must shoot an antlerless deer first before eligible to shoot a buck. Finally took care of that first part late yesterday afternoon. Miss Doe got the third eye from a solid rest and plenty of time to execute a perfect shot...straight into the brain. Only 40-45 yards, but I knew my exact bullet impact at 50 yds.

Now with that little bit of business out of the way, bring on the deer with headgear. Next week is when the large deer get targetted.

[HaDeRonDa]

Shotist, that earn a buck program is not too bad from what I have read and hear. Congrats on the doe and go get a buck. The buck that you passed on, I hope!!!

[shotist]

The earn-a-buck program is about the only thing that can be done to force the private landowners to harvest does. Thing is, some of them head to public land to shoot them...grrrr.

On Thurs I head to a property that is managed for trophy deer in Buffalo County. LINK The owner is a close friend and he says they haven't killed many of the real dandies...hopefully they will be less wary come the weekend My Savage named "Lucifer" is going on that hunt...it's serious stuff.