The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - 600-1000 yds

jsflagstad · November 27, 2013, 09:31 PM

A couple of years back my dad called me and asked if I wanted to take a long range 1000 yard shooting clinic with him at his gun range. Being an avid shooter and never shooting at that distance before I jumped at the chance. Now I really don't own any real "Nice Expensive" rifles, but the ones I have shoot well. My safe is full of H&R Handi's, Savages, Marlins, and a Tikka. Yes, some may argue that the Tikka is a higher end gun, but I bought it when Gander was first dealing in them and I got it brand new (stainless) with rings for just over $350 maybe 10 years ago.

Anyway, I had to make a decision on what gun I should select for the long range clinic. I narrowed it down to 2 of my 7mm selections, either my 1990 K-Mart purchased Savage 110 7mm Rem Mag, or the more recent purchased aforementioned Tikka chambered in 7mm-08. The Savage is topped with a Weaver 3-9x and the Tikka with a Nikon 3-9x and both very good shooters.

I decided to take the Tikka, as I would be shooting quite a few rounds throughout the day and the recoil is considerably less than that of the mule kick from the 7mag Savage.

Next, it was time to work up a load for the 7mm-08 for the upcoming event. I selected a match grade Sierra boat tail of 140 grains pushed by a moderate charge of Varget (great stuff), lit by a bench rest primer to get a MV right around 2800 fps. Next stop, the humbling range....

Range day was a great time. We started at 300 yards and moved back from there. 300,400 and 500 yards were quite easy to produce acceptable groups, the real challenge started at 600 and beyond when the wind came into play. As we got out to 800 yards, my max 9x on my scope seemed like that little scope I had on my Daisy air rifle when I was a kid.

Even though my scope seemed a bit under powered, I was able to make it work and started shooting some good groups at 800. It was at this point that I realized that the spotter I had was as equally as important as I was running the rifle. He was giving me the corrections and reading the wind gusts telling me when to shoot and when not to.

When we arrived at 1000 yards from the 800 yard berm, I didn't know what to expect. I got the rifle dialed in in a few shots, let it cool, and dropped 5 consecutive shots in the bullseye! Wow was that ever cool to accomplish that! I can honestly say that without the coaching the spotter I had, who was an accomplished long range shooter there is no way I could have been real successful much passed 600 yards. That said, the pit man down spotting the targets said my bullets were dropping to subsonic just prior to hitting the target so if I shoot that range again I'd heat my load up a bit to try to attain a 3000 fps MV.

One of the coolest things about the clinic was the handshakes at the end when I shook the instructors hand and was congratulated for being the only person in the class to actually produce a group at 1000 yards, it was then that he looked down at the rifle in my hands and said "this was the rifle you were using?" looking a bit surprised. He asked what caliber it was and what kind it was which was pretty cool.

Yes a 7mm-08 in my eyes is a remarkable cartridge when it comes to weighing recoil, flat shooting, knock down power and range. Is there a better cartridge out there? Quite possibly, the 280 Rem actually is quite intriguing to me, but I think the recoil will be a bit more stout. I have shot many deer with this rifle and in the field I normally shoot Federal Fusion 140 grain ammo and have yet to have a deer take even another step after being hit. I have taken a few with my reloaded ammo but did have a bad primer at one time that cost me a wallhanger buck so I went to the factory ammo for hunting.

So in closing, am I an expert? No. Should you listen to me and run right out and buy a 7mm-08? Well, I guess if that's what you want sure.. Really, I'm just an average guy that was looking for the same as you, a rifle that could perform in the field and hold it's own on the range. Is mine the best? Heck no, there are guys shooting as well as I did with open sights at 1000 yards. It's still a heck of a long ways, a little over 1/2 a mile actually.

Hope this helps someone, sorry for the long wind...again, I'm not an expert, just sharing my experience and my opinion.

JSF

November 27, 2013, 09:31 PM	#45
jsflagstad Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2005 Location: Up Nort Posts: 419	I'd Vote 7mm-08 or 280 rem as well A couple of years back my dad called me and asked if I wanted to take a long range 1000 yard shooting clinic with him at his gun range. Being an avid shooter and never shooting at that distance before I jumped at the chance. Now I really don't own any real "Nice Expensive" rifles, but the ones I have shoot well. My safe is full of H&R Handi's, Savages, Marlins, and a Tikka. Yes, some may argue that the Tikka is a higher end gun, but I bought it when Gander was first dealing in them and I got it brand new (stainless) with rings for just over $350 maybe 10 years ago. Anyway, I had to make a decision on what gun I should select for the long range clinic. I narrowed it down to 2 of my 7mm selections, either my 1990 K-Mart purchased Savage 110 7mm Rem Mag, or the more recent purchased aforementioned Tikka chambered in 7mm-08. The Savage is topped with a Weaver 3-9x and the Tikka with a Nikon 3-9x and both very good shooters. I decided to take the Tikka, as I would be shooting quite a few rounds throughout the day and the recoil is considerably less than that of the mule kick from the 7mag Savage. Next, it was time to work up a load for the 7mm-08 for the upcoming event. I selected a match grade Sierra boat tail of 140 grains pushed by a moderate charge of Varget (great stuff), lit by a bench rest primer to get a MV right around 2800 fps. Next stop, the humbling range.... Range day was a great time. We started at 300 yards and moved back from there. 300,400 and 500 yards were quite easy to produce acceptable groups, the real challenge started at 600 and beyond when the wind came into play. As we got out to 800 yards, my max 9x on my scope seemed like that little scope I had on my Daisy air rifle when I was a kid. Even though my scope seemed a bit under powered, I was able to make it work and started shooting some good groups at 800. It was at this point that I realized that the spotter I had was as equally as important as I was running the rifle. He was giving me the corrections and reading the wind gusts telling me when to shoot and when not to. When we arrived at 1000 yards from the 800 yard berm, I didn't know what to expect. I got the rifle dialed in in a few shots, let it cool, and dropped 5 consecutive shots in the bullseye! Wow was that ever cool to accomplish that! I can honestly say that without the coaching the spotter I had, who was an accomplished long range shooter there is no way I could have been real successful much passed 600 yards. That said, the pit man down spotting the targets said my bullets were dropping to subsonic just prior to hitting the target so if I shoot that range again I'd heat my load up a bit to try to attain a 3000 fps MV. One of the coolest things about the clinic was the handshakes at the end when I shook the instructors hand and was congratulated for being the only person in the class to actually produce a group at 1000 yards, it was then that he looked down at the rifle in my hands and said "this was the rifle you were using?" looking a bit surprised. He asked what caliber it was and what kind it was which was pretty cool. Yes a 7mm-08 in my eyes is a remarkable cartridge when it comes to weighing recoil, flat shooting, knock down power and range. Is there a better cartridge out there? Quite possibly, the 280 Rem actually is quite intriguing to me, but I think the recoil will be a bit more stout. I have shot many deer with this rifle and in the field I normally shoot Federal Fusion 140 grain ammo and have yet to have a deer take even another step after being hit. I have taken a few with my reloaded ammo but did have a bad primer at one time that cost me a wallhanger buck so I went to the factory ammo for hunting. So in closing, am I an expert? No. Should you listen to me and run right out and buy a 7mm-08? Well, I guess if that's what you want sure.. Really, I'm just an average guy that was looking for the same as you, a rifle that could perform in the field and hold it's own on the range. Is mine the best? Heck no, there are guys shooting as well as I did with open sights at 1000 yards. It's still a heck of a long ways, a little over 1/2 a mile actually. Hope this helps someone, sorry for the long wind...again, I'm not an expert, just sharing my experience and my opinion. JSF __________________ JSF "Is your rifle interesting? -Larry Potterfield Last edited by jsflagstad; November 30, 2013 at 10:55 AM.