1000 to 1500 yard scope set up.

[Norm]

For those that have shot in such an event as the Coonabarabran shoot over 1000, 1100, 1200 and 1500 yards. I am wondering what sort of scope and mount set up you use to cover the large amount of elevation range that is required.

I don't like to hold over so getting the right set up so that I can hold dead on is important for me.

[macguru]

I have a Sightron 8-32 scope on a 20MOA rail
Its zeroed for 300M
I shot 155gr berger hybrids 308W at coona with the following come ups:

700M 14 MOA
800M 19 MOA
1000Y 25.5 MOA
1100Y 31MOA
1200Y 37 MOA

I did not try 1500 but suspect i would be aiming at a tree
I do not even know how much i had left but the sightron and the bergers handled 1200 yds no probs.

[RDavies]

At Coona, I only had enough elevation for 1200yds. For the 1500yd shoot, I kept my 1200yd zero, but aimed at the purpose made aiming boards above the target which worked great.
Next time I go, I will use a scope with more elevation adjustment, then use offset inserts on front and rear using Burris Z rings on top of my usual 25 Moa base.

[AlanF]

Norm,

A good 7mm load will need to come up something like 25 points from 1000yd to 1500yd. So if you're happy with what your scope will do at 1000, but you haven't another 25 minutes of adjustment available (including from ticks on your vertical cross-hair), then there are several options of varying cost :

• Cheapest is to use the upper aiming marks specially set up by Coonabarabran for the event. They're set up an even number of MOA (10 from memory) above each target.
• Next would be to use Burris Signature rings with offset inserts e.g. using 10s on both front and rear will give you 20 MOA more slope than your rail.
• Next you might consider another rail with extra slope.
• Finally, a scope with more vertical adjustment. I know my 6-20 Leupold had enough for 1500 and that was with a 6.5-284.

Just one last thing - don't go to Coona with a high expectation that the 1500 will run smoothly. If conditions aren't near perfect, then firstly it'll be very hard to get on the target, and nearly as hard to stay on it! Believe me its a quantum leap from 1000 to 1500 .

Alan

Hmm - Rod got in ahead of me - at least we didn't disagree with each other .

[Norm]

Without field confirmation, my program tells me I will need 29 MOA with my load to get from 1000 to 1500.

I have three scopes available to use. A 22 power NXS with 100 MOA turret, a 32 power NXS with 65 MOA turret and the one that's on the rifle at the moment a 12-42x56 Nightforce BR scope, with only 42 MOA of adjustment.
This scope maxes out at about 1070 yards so I have to pick up quite a bit of adjustment somewhere.

Unless I do something with my rings or rail I think I will have to change to one of the lower powered scopes and even then I may still have to hold over.

I think I will look into the rings a bit deeper and see what's available to give the best combination.

[Hangfire]

I’d go with the NSX.

22x is ample magnification at those distances.

Look forward to meeting you there. Should be a great week of shooting.

Tim.

[DaveMc]

Hi Norm
+1 on Hangfires comments. I don't disagree with the others but if you have those scopes in your kit then a couple of good sets of rings on the scopes and they can return to a very close zero when changed (e.g. anything with pic base clamp separate to screws on scope ring - such as NF, Farrell, Leupold PRW/QRW etc).

Good to see you havin a crack at the ultra longs - will be some fun!

[aaronraad]

That's a lotta scope ring adjustment:

http://www.iveyshooting.com/

$3.50/MOA of elevation adjustment

or there is a used set on the LRH forum classifieds for closer to $3.16/MOA of adjustment:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f40/ivey-rt-150-adjustable-ring-set-89761/

I'd write down the total price but that would make it feel too real.

[macguru]

By my calculations (please check) my sightron runs out of adjustment between 1300 &1400 yds. Even with a 30MOA rail you may not quite make it, maybe

But a leupold 8-25 would work with a 30moa rail i am pretty sure, as it has more adjustment....

[johnk]

The current (? final) rail on my match rifle has a 40 MOA lean on it - 35 MOA to centre my scope at 1100 yards with the 210 grain .308 load I use & 5 MOA to compensate for the noise (sag) resulting from using a 32" tube that had to weigh in under 2½ kg.

Theoretically, that should give me close to another 40 MOA to play with getting to 1500.

[bruce moulds]

i have a rifle that can just do it as is. it has irons though.
it is a 40/72 shooting a 450 gn bullet at just over 1300 fps with 82 gn of black powder.
comeup from 100 to 1500 yd is 273 moa, leaving me about 15 moa on the staff for emergencies. (a bit dangerous considering)
a paper patch bullet might shoot a bit flatter than that, as grease groove bullets exhibit more drag.
experience has indicated that paper patch bullets also exhibit less wind deflection due to higher b.c.
staff has a vernier in inches, 1 inch being equal to 100 moa.
predicted max height of trajectory is 1400" (116 feet) at 820 yd.
bore angle would be 285 moa.
time of flight would be about 5.3 seconds, with 20 moa of wind for a 10 mph crosswind. better hope there isn't a wind change 2 seconds after you fire!
from about 1870 to 1900, 40, 44, and more commonly 45 cal rifles were shot out to 1000,1100, 1200,1500, 1 mile, & 2000 yrds. they mostly used about 90 to 110 gn of powder.
one thing in favour of black powder is that very low velocity s.d.s are achievable, as is sub moa accuracy.
among difficulties are recoil, cheek contact using 3" of elevation on the sight, and non floating barrels requiring very constant hold.
match rifle was invented using muzzle loading and black powder cartridge rifles. original rules limited rifle weight to 10 lb which lets you know when 100 gn of powder starts a 550 gn bullet.
there is a huge ammount to learn about using these rifles, and my intent is to get good enough at it to effectively shoot match rifle ranges one day.
keep safe,
bruce moulds.

[macguru]

Bruce, if there is ever a THIRD battle of Adobe Walls (Texas) you will be ready.....

Watch out all you Comanches and comancheros !

Andrew

[bruce moulds]

andrew,
i believe billy dixon used a 50/2.5" (again 90 to 110 gn of powder).
his rifle had barrel sights, similar to the ones on rifles today, so it was a terribly lucky shot.
there is some conjecture as to the distance. it could have been as close as 600 yd if coyote shit was on the nearest ridge. apparrently none of the other ridges happen to coincide with the army's surveyed distance.
keep safe,
bruce.

[macguru]

Someone said to me the other day "there is a lot to be said for bullet mass as opposed to theoretical BC" We were discussing 230gr 308 pills vs lighter hybrids but I though you would probably see our point ......

[Norm]

I’d go with the NSX.

22x is ample magnification at those distances.

Look forward to meeting you there. Should be a great week of shooting.

Tim.

I think this will be my fall back position if I can't get the bases sorted out.
Looking forward to having a go and meeting some of you blokes.