So check "long range" off my bucket list!

Road_Clam · June 12, 2015, 08:26 PM

So today was my Sig Sauer Academy "reach for a thousand" instructional class, and wow what an eye opening experience as to what our military snipers have to deal with in long range intense battle situations (and 1K is only the START of "long range"). I typically shoot 600 yd mid range and have gotten pretty good , but my goal with the 1K class was to gain knowledge about the climate variables at 1K and how they more impact shots vs 600 yds. I opted to use my .300 Win Mag and my 208 Amax handloads. I'm glad I chose this over my .308 as some students had issues with .308 going transonic and destabilizing and causing erratic hits. The class was 10 students of varying abilities, so with higher skills and a few with minimal experiences. I'm typically about a 2 moa shooter at 600 yds , but at 1K I was at best shooting 3 moa. All of my bad habits really took their toll and 1K is now where your heartbeat causes crosshair movement and breathing is critical. My instructor showed me a new "mechanics deficiency" which was introducing excessive cant as I shot my strings. I never noticed this, and it's not an impactive issue until you get beyond 500 yds. So he suggested a bubble clamped to my scope as an aid. Over all I did great, I was able to hit a 10" balloon at 1K (admittedly it took about 8 shots to get there). I cam away from this class with a good baseline of inputting variable atmospheric correctional conditions to help consistency. Here's a couple pics , note the small black spec way at the end of the pic is a 48"x48" steel gong

4runnerman · June 12, 2015, 11:48 PM

It was a blast though wasn't it. I remember my first time. Everything comes into play. I still get out maybe once a month and do it. I have stretched it out to 1400 yards now. I was shooting 5 rounds and then jumping in the truck to drive down range and see. By the time is was done shooting I had put 13 miles on my truck going back and forth

. You know already but the 308 is more than capable of 1000 yard shots with ease. Grab some 155 Serria hybrids and have at it. I still have my FTR rig, but don't shoot it that much anymore.

Road_Clam · June 13, 2015, 06:13 AM

The way Sig structures the distances is you start out at 100 shooting paper for a precise zero , then they take to 300 , 500 , 750 , then 1000 shooting all steel painted silhouette gongs with a "buddy system". You develop a shooting buddy at the beginning of the class then as you shoot your buddy spots for you. Great system, gives you a break between strings and in my case shooting stout .300WM loads, a barrel cool down. I was introduced to some basics on spin drift , humidity , and altitude compensation calculations. All of which definitely need to be factored in to your final dopes at 1K to get inside 1 MOA.

Hunter Customs · June 13, 2015, 04:00 PM

Road_Clam, thanks for sharing the story and the pictures.

I wished I had that type of range near by, I would even be happy with a 600 yard range.

My oldest Grandsons work moves him all over the country and he just got back from Idaho.
While there he hooked up with some shooters and he got the chance to shoot a 338 Lapua at 1178 and 1500 yards.

I believe he said they were shooting at 12 inch white plates, he nailed the 1178 yard plate first shot but he said he shot a low miss on the 1500 yard plate on his first shot.

I sure would have liked to been there to share the experience with him.

June 12, 2015, 08:26 PM	#1
Road_Clam Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2013 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 1,695	So check "long range" off my bucket list! So today was my Sig Sauer Academy "reach for a thousand" instructional class, and wow what an eye opening experience as to what our military snipers have to deal with in long range intense battle situations (and 1K is only the START of "long range"). I typically shoot 600 yd mid range and have gotten pretty good , but my goal with the 1K class was to gain knowledge about the climate variables at 1K and how they more impact shots vs 600 yds. I opted to use my .300 Win Mag and my 208 Amax handloads. I'm glad I chose this over my .308 as some students had issues with .308 going transonic and destabilizing and causing erratic hits. The class was 10 students of varying abilities, so with higher skills and a few with minimal experiences. I'm typically about a 2 moa shooter at 600 yds , but at 1K I was at best shooting 3 moa. All of my bad habits really took their toll and 1K is now where your heartbeat causes crosshair movement and breathing is critical. My instructor showed me a new "mechanics deficiency" which was introducing excessive cant as I shot my strings. I never noticed this, and it's not an impactive issue until you get beyond 500 yds. So he suggested a bubble clamped to my scope as an aid. Over all I did great, I was able to hit a 10" balloon at 1K (admittedly it took about 8 shots to get there). I cam away from this class with a good baseline of inputting variable atmospheric correctional conditions to help consistency. Here's a couple pics , note the small black spec way at the end of the pic is a 48"x48" steel gong __________________ "To be old an wise you must have been young and stupid"

June 12, 2015, 11:48 PM	#2
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	It was a blast though wasn't it. I remember my first time. Everything comes into play. I still get out maybe once a month and do it. I have stretched it out to 1400 yards now. I was shooting 5 rounds and then jumping in the truck to drive down range and see. By the time is was done shooting I had put 13 miles on my truck going back and forth. You know already but the 308 is more than capable of 1000 yard shots with ease. Grab some 155 Serria hybrids and have at it. I still have my FTR rig, but don't shoot it that much anymore. __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

June 13, 2015, 06:13 AM	#3
Road_Clam Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2013 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 1,695	The way Sig structures the distances is you start out at 100 shooting paper for a precise zero , then they take to 300 , 500 , 750 , then 1000 shooting all steel painted silhouette gongs with a "buddy system". You develop a shooting buddy at the beginning of the class then as you shoot your buddy spots for you. Great system, gives you a break between strings and in my case shooting stout .300WM loads, a barrel cool down. I was introduced to some basics on spin drift , humidity , and altitude compensation calculations. All of which definitely need to be factored in to your final dopes at 1K to get inside 1 MOA. __________________ "To be old an wise you must have been young and stupid"

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June 13, 2015, 04:00 PM	#4
Hunter Customs Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2005 Location: Osborn, Missouri Posts: 2,697	Road_Clam, thanks for sharing the story and the pictures. I wished I had that type of range near by, I would even be happy with a 600 yard range. My oldest Grandsons work moves him all over the country and he just got back from Idaho. While there he hooked up with some shooters and he got the chance to shoot a 338 Lapua at 1178 and 1500 yards. I believe he said they were shooting at 12 inch white plates, he nailed the 1178 yard plate first shot but he said he shot a low miss on the 1500 yard plate on his first shot. I sure would have liked to been there to share the experience with him.