- Details
- Written by: The DIY Hunter
- Category: Firearms & Shooting
- Hits: 5580
In July of 2014 I was back out to Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf course. I have learned a few things from shooting the course in 2013 and was ready to have fun and learn some more.
As I did in 2013 with a 243 WSSM Model 1885, I shot the Masters course which has most targets in the 500 to 1000 yard range.
This time out I shot my Winchester Model 1885 in 270 WSM. I had recently worked up a very accurate load with 150 Gr Berger VLD Hunting bullets and was ready to shoot the Master's Course.
The highlight of the day was when I hit the small plate at 1000 yards. This was pretty cool. I just missed the target on my first shot and was able to catch the point of impact in my scope so I then held for the slight adjustment and smacked the steel on my next shot at 1000 yards. Way fun!
Shooting the course was fun as usual. I was shooting a little high all day long and after some investigation into the reason I found it to be the barometric pressure. I learned a very important lesson from this trip. Using a default barometric pressure in my Strelok ballistics app will not give me accurate results on the amount of adjustment I needed to dial in the shot with my Vortex Viper HS LR 4-16x50 rifle scope.
I had no idea the barometric pressure made such a difference and I found that it really does when you start shooting out past 500 yards.
I'll be better prepared for next time.
My very accurate hand loaded 270 WSM Berger VLD Hunting Bullets.
My Winchester Model 1885 in 270 WSM sporting a Vortex Viper HS LR 4-16x50 scope with the 1000 yard club cap I received for hitting the 1000 yard target.
Me with one of my favorite rifles, a Model 1885 chambered in 270 WSM at Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf course.
- Details
- Written by: The DIY Hunter
- Category: Firearms & Shooting
- Hits: 6461
|
|
| 270 Caliber 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range (left) next to 140 Gr. Accubond (right).
|
|
|
|
With a BC of 0.625 this bullet should make for an awesome combination for my long range X-Bolt and Viper HS LR rifle scope.
|
|
|
|
Another view of the 140 Gr. Accubond and the 150 Gr. Accubond LR 270 caliber bullets.
|
Early in 2013 Nosler announced the introduction of their new bullet, the Accubond LR (Long Range). After a look through their 2013 catalog the specs on the 150 Gr. for the 270 caliber looked just amazing. A 0.625 ballistic coefficient for a bullet designed to perform on big game is just amazing.
Since the announcement I have been on the lookout to get some of these bullets as soon as I could get my hands on them. Mid July Midwayusa.com came through on getting some of these bullets for me.
The bullet has a very streamlined tangent ogive similar to a Berger VLD bullet. I suspect much like a Berger these bullets may require as long of a overall length as possible to shoot well. My X-Bolt 270 WSM may be the trickiest to get this to shoot as I am constrained by the magazine to a 2.86 overall length. Now for my Model 1885 in 270 WSM I can seat the bullet as long as I need with no magazine constraint. One of the things I love about the Model 1885.
I have been working on the loads for the 150 Gr. Accubond LR in my rifles. Looks like IMR 4350 is the powder (that I have on hand) that give me the best results.
 |
| 29 grains left from a recovered 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range bullet taken from Dallen's 2013 Utah bull elk. Isn't the lead supposed to be bonded to the copper? |
Dec. 2013: The short answer to the "My new go to bullet?" question is No. Although having a very high ballistic coefficient that would benefit holding accuracy and energy at long range the bullet is just far too fragile. These bullets appear to be more fragile than Ballistic Tips. If all the deer and elk I shoot were always showing up at 500 plus yards this would be the bullet, unfortunately often the critters show up at 200 yards. I like bullets that dump energy and fragment but this bullet is a little extra soft. I can't even use a lightly compressed load with it as it crushes a ring into the bullet's ogive with the seating die. They are the most fragile bullet I have ever seen and a bullet that took a lot of time to get a load to shoot accurately. My go to bullet is the 150 Gr Hornady SST with awesome accuracy and performance on the deer and elk our family has taken.
For more on the 150 Gr. Accubond LR and it being used on mule deer and elk see:
- Working up 270 WSM handloads for the 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range
- 270 WSM Handloads and Ballistics
- See how the bullet performs or should I say disintegrates when Dallen takes a six point bull elk with the 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range in 2013
- Dallen takes a nice mule deer with the 150 Gr. Accubond LR in 2013
- Details
- Written by: The DIY Hunter
- Category: Firearms & Shooting
- Hits: 6059
View of the parking lot, club house and sign out front of Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf.
Shooting at the Driving Range with a Vortex Viper HS 4-16x44 and my Model 1885, 243 WSSM rifle.
Targets in 100 yard increments from 300 out to 1200 yards at Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf Driving Range. The steel plates get a little larger with the next further plate.
One of the shooting stations on the rifle golf course.
Using a Vortex Razor HD spotting scope to view where the hits were at.
Sighting in my Model 1885 in 243 WSSM with the new Talley one piece base and a Vortex Viper HS 4-16x44 scope.
I really like this new base from Talley. Not only does it look great on the 1885's but it provides a very solid platform to mount your scope. If I could change anything I think a 10 or 20 MOA version would be nice to really take advantage of the accuracy and range the Model 1885 is capable of shooting.
For a department retreat this summer I had the wonderful privilege to go shoot the Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf course. What a cool retreat we had! Wonder who planted that seed into management's ear. Hmm... ;)
Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf is located on the Northern Fringe of Utah about a 75 mile drive from home. After hearing about the course and reading about the awesome Vortex Extreme Shooting Event event that Vortex Optics put on at Spirit Ridge I knew I just had to try the course.
I found that the free Strelok ballistics app for my Galaxy S3 worked great at dialing in the shots on the range. Shooting the Masters course I was shooting targets in the 300 to 900 yard range while the Classic course's targets are in the 180 to 500 yards. What I didn't realize until I started the course was that not only were the targets at much greater distances than the Classic course but also that the metal plates were much smaller... It was a challenge. But very fun all the same.
For shooting the course I shot my varmint hunting favorite rifle, a Model 1885 chambered in 243 WSSM. This rifle has been my favorite rifle at hitting small targets at long range but my long range has been capped right about the 600 yard mark. Shooting at Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf course was going to be pushing me beyond that limit. To help with going the extra distance I borrowed a Vortex Viper HS rifle scope with capped turrets but turrets that are well suited for dialing in the MOA needed to make the shot. The scope worked very well however for this rifle I do have a Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 on order. A scope that should make the long shot even better. I have really been liking the features and quality of Vortex optics and have been in the process of switching out many of my rifle scopes.
I had worked up a very accurate 95 Gr. Berger VLD load that I used cow elk hunting this past year and also prairie dog hunting this summer. I topped the rifle off with Winchester/Talley's new one piece base, Talley rings and a Vortex Viper HS 4-16x44 scope. The rifle shot well and aside from trying to figure out the wind it was pretty much dead on at all ranges thanks to the adjustable turrets and Strelok ballistic app.
I was hoping to shoot the range with a 270 WSM and a Vortex Viper HS LR 4-16x50 scope but the scope is on order and I need to work up a 150 Gr. VLD or 150 Gr. Accubond LR load once I get the scope. Before I go up again to shoot on their course/range I'll have my 270 WSM ready.
I was also able to spend a little time on the Driving range before I shot the Masters course. The Driving Range has steel target in 100 yard increments from 300 out to 1200 yards. I really wanted to hit the 1000 yard target. I had never shot that far before and I really wanting to give it a try. I started by shooting at the 400 yards target then made a windage adjustment and went out to 800 yards. After that I dialed in the Vortex Viper HS for 1000 yards and I hit it. Way cool! You can see this action in the video on the page.
Of the fifteen of us that shot the rifle golf only two of us shot the more difficult Master's course. The other guy who shot the Master's course was using a very tactical setup with a Leupold tactical scope and a FN SPR A1a rifle in 308 Win. Although I felt like I didn't do as well as I should my 243 WSSM with 95 GR. VLD Bergers shot a 32 while the other guy shooting the 308 Win. scored a 38. My small bore rifle shot 6 strokes under the 308 Win. so I didn't think I did too bad for my first time shooting the course.
Dallen is going to have to take a trip with me to shoot on the range next time. If my knees weren't is such a horrible state I would sign Dallen and myself up to shoot the Vortex Extreme shooting event that is on Spirit Ridge's range later this month. There range is just awesome for preparing us for hunting big game and getting more comfortable with taking long shots.