longdistance accuracy

Hello, Does anyone have any tips on increasing accuracy at long distances? I understand triger pull, and breathing control. I am learning about ballistics in regards to bullet drop. I am shooting a 30-06 with 180 grain remington core lokt bullets. I have always done real well at 100 yards, I have taken a couple 300 yard shots recently and didn't do so well. I am planning on hunting northern utah this fall and am trying to improve on distance shots.
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Practice will be the most help. You could also expeirment with different brands of bullets and weights to see if one shoots beter than another, and if you handload different powders.
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You say you are doing all right at 100yds: what is alright 3-5 shot groups under 1 inch?
If you shoot a 2 inch group at 100 that 4 inches at 200, and just keeps getting better.
The post above has hit it on the head- Lots and Lots of Practice.. Once you become comfortable shooting, then move off the bench, shoot prone, sitting, and kneeling, if you use bipods shoot off them in the positions that you will find in the field.
Best of luck
Aim small Miss small
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Something that gets overlooked is rifle fit. We all understand the need for a shotgun to hit where you are looking which is the result of correct drop, cast and lop. One thing I do to help riflemen improve their shooting is to check the natural mount eye position. This is easy as all you need to do is take your unloaded rifle and close your eyes and then mount your rifle in your comfortable natural mount position and then open your eyes. If you are not looking straight through the scope at clear crosshairs then you are shooting "out of position". You can then start a plan of correcting the scope postion by changing mounts or adding to the comb or whatever to make the rifle fit you. It would surprise folks to see the vast improvement I've witnessed with shooters with the same rifle that they earlier couldn't get to group. A rifle that fits will allow you to be in proper postition to let the rifle do it's thing without interference from you.

Hope this helps.

Wyatt
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Ok thanks for the advice so far. Yes my 100 yard groups are about 1.5 inches to 2 inches. I am going to try the fit test tonight, that makes a lot of sense. Now will it increase acuracy to go down to a 150 gr. bullet? Will a 150 gr. be adequate for Muley's? I intend on doing a lot of shooting over the summer months, Thankfully I can shoot in my back yard, that really helps. Is wind drift a major factor at 200 or 300 yards? Also what is the general consensous on using bi-pods or tri-pods to shoot from? I have never used one. Thanks again.
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Bullet weight IMO has little to do with accuracy potential as long as it is sufficient enough in weight to carry. For instance I have worked up loads for various 30's over the years that have been accurate with 150-180 grain loads depending on the individual rifle. I like 165 grain for deer in a 30 cal, but I ultimately would choose whatever your rifle shot best. I would look at Hornady in factory loads as they are pretty close to custom reloaded ammo.
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I have never shot Hornady, always remington 180 gr. core lokt just cause? Will try these Hornady fellers and see. Not sure If I will be able to tell a difference at 100 yds. I just set my father up with a new 4x16 monarch scope too. We have to bore sight and then sight in his rifle. He might be a bigger challenge as he is 75 years old and his vision is not what it used to be. I am kinda hopeing the new scope will help that out a bit. So I will try a lighter bullet and the Hornadys and see. I took a shot a wood chuck last night at about 33o yards. Trouble was I could not see where my bullet hit but I missed the ground hog twice. Dificult to hold that still when I have it turned up to 9 power. I would like to think that I could hit something at 300 yards and place the shot so as not to wound a deer and have it run off.
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sawsman
Practice is right.

Knowing your ammo ballistics, paying attention to the wind and a nice plex crosshair in your scope would be a benefit for long distance shooting.
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Sawsman, How do I figure in the wind? I know different weight bullets are affected differently but is there a rule of thumb?
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sawsman
The wind is a tough one. No real "rule of thumb". Lighter bullets will be affected more drastically by wind at longer distances than heavier bullets.

Try practicing long distance shooting when it is somewhat windy outside. This is the best advice I can give. A small snuff bottle filled with baby powder in the field can be a useful tool.

Keep in mind that most shooters tend to over compensate when trying to judge the wind.
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ok so trial and error on the wind. I recon I will be shooting enough this summer to get an idea on it, specially if I get my 2 and 3 hundred yard targets set up out back. Then I could work on a 300 yard group. When decent I could start trying to figure in the wind. I have a nice spotter scope where I can see bullet holes at 300 yards. Course it really isn't made for the field.
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sawsman
:thumb

Good shootin' to ya! Practice makes perfect.

Wish I could shoot out of my yard..
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I have forty acreas and my neighbor has about 240, the rest all around me is woods with no houses. I have a couple large piles of dirt out about 300 yards that were left from diggin a pond. Yup there is a 22 AND MY 30-06 sitting by the sliding glass door in the living room. We just go out the back door onto the porch and shoot mushrats in the pond. My wife likes to shoot the 22 and can hit a rat in the water at a 100 yards. She has a 9 power scope on that little 22. We also keep pretty good eye on the woodchucks. So far though they are real safe out there at the 300 yard mark.
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sawsman
Cool. If I could do that I'd never watch TV or get on this computer again.

Let us know how all that practice works out for ya!
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I am thinking that this practice is going to be an expensive venture! Between my father and I and several different types and brands of shells to try. Ammo from 28 bucks a box to 40 bucks a box? Balistic tips and partician, 165 gr. and 168? But besides making a lot of noise the practice is fun.. One question. As we shoot semi-autos, I realize that the barrel gets hot and after a few rounds the trajectory will change. Is a three round group and wait twenty minutes a good idea?
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"harvey" wrote: Is a three round group and wait twenty minutes a good idea?
 Sure ,It's a hunting rifle. After the second shot if not the first it's going to be a running shot.At that point there are going to be so many other variables at work, the group opening up a bit is insignificant.
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True and I am not one for running shots, maybe If I am sure I hit the first time but thankfully all deer I have ever taken has been with the first shot. I have never tried a second and not sure I would recover quick enough to anyway. at least in the swamps that I normally hunt once you shoot if the deer runs you go down and start looking for a blood trail. Most dont go over 30 yards or so. I was just wondering when shooting at a range how many shots I could get away with before wanting the barrel to cool down. Don't want to try and adjust a scope when it is the barrel.
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southwind
Look up your state rifle association and find out where they shoot X-course high power or long range. You could shoot F-class or a any rifle any sight match as well. Go shoot these matches and you will learn from experience as well as from fellow shooters at these matches how to shoot accurately at long distances, correct elevations, trigger control, and how to read the wind.

If it were me I would load up some 168 grainers (tsx's) in that 06. JMHO
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Not sure if this is what you’re looking for, but here goes.

A sniper told me to focus on my crosshairs and not the target as much. This has helped my long shots a lot.

You mentioned you were going through different bullets. I would find the one you like and stick with it or you will always get different results on the long shots.
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I also shoot a 30-06 and use 165 remington core-lokts, the bad thing about this bullet is it is a flat base which really limits you on distance, and the flat base also slows velocity very quickly. For the 30-06 the 165 or 168 gr seems to be the best all around for velocity and cutting wind. If your looking for a long range bullet a boat tail is better and you also need to look at the ballistic coeficient (higher better) and a higher bc will also be less affected by wind. For long range you will also want the best group possible, at least under an inch but i try to get under 1/2 inch when reloading. I will say though I have had really good success with these bullets out to 300 yards but wouldnt trust them farther. Every animal hit with them has been a one shot kill and i dropped a cow elk in her tracks at about 250 yards. If you dont plan to shoot past 300 yards and are having good luck with them I would say stick with what works. good luck
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