Thank you Greg...
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This post could also go in the hunting forum but since it's about reloading, I put it here.
There's been a lot going on in my life the past few months. After I got back from the Spring Training in May, my dad got a stroke in June so I had to spend about a month in TX and make 2 trips. We then bought a house and sold the mobile home on the same day in Sept. and are now finishing the basement so my parents can come live with us so we can take care of them, especially my dad since he needs a lot of help after the stroke. Plus not having any siblings my kids are the only grandkids my parents have so it's time to be together for however long God will allow us to have my parents with us.
But for the 1st time I am going elk hunting after 3 years of trying and not going for one reason or another. So after moving into the new house and doing a good number of projects in the new house I finally had time to reload. Kind of in a hurry to get a hunting load ready. So based on the info I had developed in the past, I created some loads and headed to the range. I continued to practice the fundamentals as I learned them from Greg and when I shot 15 out of 20 shots to confirm the load and measure velocity, I could not be happier, not only with the hunting load I got, but with my technique as well. I shot the 15 shots in 3 groups of 5, taking my time for each shot. I shot the 1st 2 groups of 5 at 100 yds and the last 5 at 300 for truing. I forgot to take pix of the 1st 2 targets, but the image below is the target at 300 yrds.
Elevation is spot on. The 3 shots on the left are actually 4 shots, there's 2 shots in the middle hole. The distance between the centers of the farthest of the 4 shots is 1". I couldn't believe it. This is the 1st time that I called each shot, I stayed on target for each shot (my gun has no brake), I took 4 out of 5 honest shots, and I shot .33 MOA!! That 5th shot low and right I yanked it because this dude next to me shot moments before me with a 300Mag with a break that sounded like a 3000UltraSuperMag rude as shit and scared the crap out of me.
I think it must have taken me almost 10 mins to fire those 5 shots. There was a bit of wind, but mirage today was a bioatch! After this, I shot my last 5 shots at a steel coyote on the range sitting at 420 yards. After truing my velocity and dialing my dope according to Ballistics AE, I was high by .2mils. Again, I saw where my bullet hit. I corrected for .2 mils lower and I then put the other 4 shots on the coyote's neck. Being that an elk is significantly bigger than a coyote, I feel confident I can bring one down out to 600-700 yards, however, I plan to stay withing 400 since this is my 1st time and I want to fill the freezer.
So @orkan, thank you so much for offering that class in May and teaching us all that you did. I may have gotten these results without your class, but it would have taken me years to figure out what you taught us in 2 days and we are all the better for it. Thanks man for helping me become a better shooter and for giving me the tools to know what is happening with me, my gun, and my loads.
Oh, here is the load: 6.5 CM: Prime brass, 42.7gn Reloader 17, Nosler 142gn ABLR, It shows a bit of pressure, but it shoots awesome and since I'll be at around 10K feet and seriously cold, and this is strictly a hunting load for elk, pressure should not be an issue. Wish me luck, I leave in 3 weeks for a 10 day hunt.
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I'm honored, and excited to see your improvement. :) Thank you, very much. I may have given you some technique, but it's useless without continued effort. You're clearly working at it, and that's what it takes. Congrats!
I expect it won't be long and we'll be looking at a picture of a dead elk just in front of you!
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I've been loading 308 almost exclusively for the last 2 years give or take. Greg talked me into getting a 6.5CM. I loaded 10 6.5's for a pressure test starting at 37gr to 46gr of H4350. I loaded another 40 with 41.5gr just to get going on breakin of a new barrel.
I thought the 175smk looked sleek, man next to the 6.5 Berger 140 hybrid, the 308 looks chubby.... Yeah I know highly technical term. I can't wait to cut these slippery rascals loose. Unless it's pouring outside this Saturday I'll be in line waiting for a shooting position at my local range.
The journey of discovery as Greg puts it is about to begin under the watchful eye of the shooting dojo master. Thanks Greg.
