Quote:
Originally Posted by Team Sergeant
Lets discuss Rifle Accuracy
What are your rifle accuracy demands? (And yes we can split hairs all day concerning hunting, tactical use and bench rest.)
What is the furthest shot you might attempt hunting? What shooting positions are you most comfortable in? Is your rifle accurized? Do you hand load? Do you know how to measure the bullet ogive ? Do you know what the first focal plane refers to?
Most folks never heard of internal, external and terminal ballistics. A good definition here:
1. Interior ballistics is the branch of the science that deals with the projectile while it is still in the gun.
2. Transitional ballistics is the branch of the science that deals with the motion of the projectile from the time it leaves the muzzle until the only forces acting upon it are due to exterior ballistics.
3. Exterior ballistics is the branch of the science that deals with the projectile after it clears the muzzle and throughout its time of flight.
4. Terminal ballistics is that branch of the science that deals with the impact, and force imparted on the target.
(Transitional ballistics IMO is external ballistics. )
How far down this rabbit hole do you want to go?  |
Background:
Learned at 2ID Sniper while they were trying to get certified to be an official Sniper School (they never did get certified... remind me to tell you sometime about the HMMWV that probably ended their quest) I only hunt paper now. I loved the M21 system, but hated the Leatherwood ART II scopes because the elevation and magnification rings were aluminum and shaved each other.
Now my distance rifle is an AR-10 from DPMS (Panther Arms) that shoots <1 MOA from a cradle using Federal Gold Medal Match (FGGM). It's zeroed and confirmed at 300y using iron sights. No glass on it yet, I'll probably put a multi use scope like the Elcan w/ Dokter on it at some point. I use that distance out of habit, but should probably verify that the rise is the same as it was on the bolt actions.
To directly answer your questions:
I no longer have demands beyond the rifle being more accurate than I am. I don't ever like being in a position to blame the equipment for a miss rather than myself. It's my own fault I missed dammit!
I'd be confident of taking a shot out to 800-1000y against a non-moving target if I had a dope chart handy, but I don't hunt so haven't had the chance to make the call. (and I'm not sure how you talk the animal into standing still while I figure the windage
). Against a live, potentially, moving target I'd probably shorten that to 400-500y with confidence as long as I didn't have to lead a runner.
I prefer prone supported or seated unsupported. I'm accurate kneeling, but never feel comfortable in it. Standing is my weakest for accuracy, especially in long strings. Seated I go cross legged and packed tight with the same arm positions as prone. I use my forward (non-shooting) elbow as a support rested on my left knee. Kneeling I rest my weight sitting on my rear foot/ankle with it crossed under me. Standing I do my best epileptic seizure imitation and try to time the pull
My rifle hasn't been bedded or accurized beyond the production specs. I'd love to go for an AI rifle sometime and see what I can really do now.
I don't hand load, I use FGMM. Never learned how and now, for killing paper, don't care. FGGM is good enough for any application I would use it for. I promise my personal accuracy isn't good enough any more for <.5 MOA variance to make a significant difference in my results.
Yup, but have no need to do so.
Yup maybe not the actual definition, but the practical use. First focal the reticle is magnified when the scope is adjusted, second focal the reticle stays constant. Changes how you range something using the scope. First focal can also obscure the target unintentionally at distance.