55 grain bullets, Zamberland?

[Ahab]

At 325 yards?

For context, you would have had to seen our boy RZ on ShootingUSA's coverage of the Fort Benning 3-gun match.

 

[mongo404]

Yeah I saw him last night. I recorded both shows cause my boy was on the other one. I thought RZ spoke well for a Indiana boy. Dont know how he did though. Maybe he can chime in and give us a report with some video. To bad he didnt make it in for the drawing at the end. That would have been awsome to win one of those vehicles.

 

[HICKMAN]

I must not get that channel...

 

[barryG]

And I recognized one of the shooters on SWAT TV as one of the shooters at ACC IDPA and Steel events

 

[downrange72]

I must not get that channel...

I'm sure I have it dvr'd...ill save it for you.

After coach's insruction, I had to make a trip back to clinton late last night

 

[slow1911s]

At 325 yards?

If your barrel likes them and you can put them on target, why not? Kurt Miller swears by 55 gr NBTs.

 

[rz317]

At 325 yards?

If your barrel likes them and you can put them on target, why not?

Hornady 55 V-Max bullets have been extremely accurate for me, and 325 is not too far for 55s... as long as the wind isn't gusting too bad, that is. I did very well with 55s past 400 at Blue Ridge earlier that year. But the wind on that stage at Benning was doing weird stuff. I hit all the other targets on that stage with my 1st shot or two, but I had real problems with the 325. I could see the my impact around the target but it was was really erratic I couldn't compensate very effectively for it. Anyway, it must have taken me 10-15 shots to finally hit it. I vowed hat would be the very last time I used 55s on a long-range stage at a big match. I have since made the switch to Hornady 68 BTHP now, which shoot just about as well out of my barrel, but they are much better in the wind.

Dont know how he did though. Maybe he can chime in and give us a report with some video.

I finished 32/200 in Tac-Optic. I have some video, somewhere. Maybe I can get it on YouTube later.

 

[rhino]

I'd shoot 68gr OTM (Black Hills) all the time, but it was too expensive even when .223 was "cheap."

How do the big matches handle chrono issues if you use different ammo for different stages?

 

[rz317]

I'd shoot 68gr OTM (Black Hills) all the time, but it was too expensive even when .223 was "cheap."

Black Hills 68s are awesome. They are loaded with the same Hornady 68 bullet I use now in my handloads. Sometimes I do use 68s the entire time if it is a bigger match and/or a match with long range steel on most if not every stage where rifle is used. The trajectory of my 55s mesh very well with my 68s, so I just use my 68 DOPE for everything. Sometimes it just feels like a waste to shoot my 68s at full size IPSCs at pistol distances, so I still shoot a lot of 55 FMJ. The only club match where I have ever shot my 68s is Wildcat on their 300 yard stage. Otherwise, if an entire match is 100 yards or less, I shoot Wolf 55s, which is plenty accurate for 3-Gun, and I don't have to worry about picking up my brass.

How do the big matches handle chrono issues if you use different ammo for different stages?

There is no chrono at big matches, except one. Power Factor only exists in USPSA Multi-Gun, so the only big match where there is a chrono is the MG Nats. There, you submit all the ammo types you plan to use, just like you are supposed to at a USPSA pistol match if you were shooting say, half 147s and half 115s in your 9mm.

 

[rhino]

Black Hills 68s are awesome. They are loaded with the same Hornady 68 bullet I use now in my handloads. Sometimes I do use 68s the entire time if it is a bigger match and/or a match with long range steel on most if not every stage where rifle is used. The trajectory of my 55s mesh very well with my 68s, so I just use my 68 DOPE for everything. Sometimes it just feels like a waste to shoot my 68s at full size IPSCs at pistol distances, so I still shoot a lot of 55 FMJ. The only club match where I have ever shot my 68s is Wildcat on their 300 yard stage. Otherwise, if an entire match is 100 yards or less, I shoot Wolf 55s, which is plenty accurate for 3-Gun, and I don't have to worry about picking up my brass.

With my guns where I've checked, at 240 yards I get about 6-8 inches difference in windage (not elevation) between the Black Hills 68gr OTM and pretty much any 55gr FMJ I shoot. I was expecting a difference in elevation, but I didn't see much and I was not expecting that much difference in horizontal point of impact, but it happens.

So I have my Colt with the Leupold 1-4X zeroed for the Black Hill 68gr and all of my other guns are zeroed with M193-spec 55gr FMJ. The only time I've used the Colt in a match in recent years has been at Wildcat because I knew I'd be shooting at 300 yards.

 

[rz317]

With my guns where I've checked, at 240 yards I get about 6-8 inches difference in windage (not elevation) between the Black Hills 68gr OTM and pretty much any 55gr FMJ I shoot.

Just to clarify my statement about my 55s meshing well with my 68 DOPE... It definately depends a lot on the velocity you are pushing both the projectiles. The 55 FMJ reloads that I shoot average 3050 fps out of my 18" bbl. I push my 68 handloads quite a bit more, and I'm getting about 2900 fps, which is pretty scorching. Rhino, with your 16" bbl and factory Black Hills 68s, understandably, you probably aren't within 200 fps of that. I zero my 68s at 50 yards and confirm at 200. With that zero, my 55s are within 0.5" of elevation of my 68s out to 350. I guess I'm lucky because on a calm day, I have not noticed any real difference in windage between the two, at 100 yards. However you are not the 1st person I've heard say that they experienced a substancial windage change like you did. Every bbl is different, and I got lucky with mine.

 

[Ahab]

I just think it's funny that this thread, which I envisioned as me giving Ryan a hard time for what was actually an excellent TV appearance has now turned into a serious discussion of long range rifle ballistics.

 

[rz317]

I just think it's funny that this thread, which I envisioned as me giving Ryan a hard time for what was actually an excellent TV appearance has now turned into a serious discussion of long range rifle ballistics.

Funny? Funny how? Like I'm a clown to you?
Seriously though, I thought you were giving me a hard time just by mispelling my name.

 

[rhino]

I was joking! I don't shoot rifles, or pistols either. In fact, I don't like guns or people who have them.

Isn't this the Brady Campaign Forums??

 

[Ahab]

Funny? Funny how? Like I'm a clown to you?
Seriously though, I thought you were giving me a hard time just by mispelling my name.

No, once I got past the "Z" I got confused then I wanted to go ride bikes or something. Damn ADHD.