Is your rifle 400yd ready?

[Armored farmer]

I few years ago i connected with this unlucky guy at just over 400yds. I thought i was good to go until earlier this month, and then again monday morning when five coyotes left my woods and proceeded to cross half a mile of open farmland behind my house.

 

[hq]

Will your 'go to' rifle do 400yds consistently? Are you sure?
If so, what is it? How is it set up..?

Positive. Remington R-25 in .308, bone stock, Norma Oryx 165gr loads, Meopta Meopro 4-12x50 scope. Sighted in at 250yd (1½" groups), 18" low at 400 (3½" groups). Like a clockwork.

 

[hdwhit]

Armored Farmer asked:
Will your 'go to' rifle do 400yds consistently?

No.

Are you sure?

Yes.

My "go to" rifle is a 181-Series Ruger Mini-14 that I bought in 1979 and shoot off-hand using the factory iron sights. Where I use it, there are no open areas longer than about 200 meters. Even if there were, I can say with certainty that while I might be able to see a target at 400 yards, I would have no confidence I could hit it.

As coyotes go, here in the northern Dallas suburbs, we have people who, knowingly or unknowlingly, feed the local coyotes and it's not unheard of for them to reach 65 pounds and I suspect they would be a lot easier to hit than the coyotes at my farm in Northern Arkansas where the packs are big, but the paucity of prey keeps them from getting bigger than about 25 to 35 pounds.

 

[Armored farmer]

Are you getting decent accuracy on the bench at 400 yards?. Having the scope zeroed and knowing your drops is important. I would also maybe try a heavier load as others suggested. The 223 should be good at 400, maybe some better glass with a little more magnification would help

I have good groups at 100yds, but using my bdc 3x, i wasnt even on paper at 400yds. The first bdc horizontal mark was supposed to be 365yds with Hornady 55gr vmax.

 

[WrongHanded]

Will your 'go to' rifle do 400yds consistently? Are you sure?
If so, what is it? How is it set up..?

No, definitely not.

Once upon a time, back when my "go to" rifle was an LRB Arms M14SA, I could get 2-3 moa groups with the iron sights at 300m. So I might have been worth something at 400 yards back then (the elevation adjustment on those rifle are quite nice). But these days, with a lack of practice and a Mini 14 or Garand? No way!

Maybe I could walk it in, with tracers.

 

[Captcurt]

My first Creedmoor load was dead on with the BDC in my Vortex out 500 yards. The last load that I tried was 6" high at 500 and 4" high at 400 yards. If I had my range finder it was a done deal with my first load. Worked on a whitetail at 357 yards.

 

[shoobe01]

Yes. My regular range is only to 300, but I know the guns and so they shoot much further out. The .300 BLK is pretty sketchy past 300 due to the ballistics but that's fine; but all the 5.56 and 7.62 guns do well to 600 yards. Both ARs (12.5 and 16), HK33, FAL, and whatever else I am forgetting. The PSS normally does 900 easily.

In fact, I embarrassed myself at a step back match with the PSS the other month. Thought I would go to 1,000 or more, dropped out at 600. Got home and found that (reasons, long story) the action screws were all but falling out. So, all but a broken gun and I was still hitting fine to 500, and only a bit off the target at 600.

 

[Varminterror]

I already said my peace on page 1, so @Armored farmer will have to forgive me for a slight digression... it’s a self fulfilling paradigm, we shoot 100yrds, so we shoot 100yrds...

I grew up shooting 100yrds as “normal range,” working from there out to other objectives. About 9yrs ago (it was spring after I met my wife, which was 9yrs ago yesterday), on my wife’s first trip to the range with me, I was practicing at 600. I started at 100. She asked me, “why?” It never occurred to me - I always warmed up with a few shots or groups at 100, then did my other work - since then, I’ve tried to focus on my objectives, and rarely ever shoot 100yrds, except with new shooters/students. They say 40 is the new 30, orange is the new black, well... for a few years, 325 was my new 100, and then I realized even that didn’t make sense - why shoot at 325 at all on a day I wanted to shoot 600-1000? The only rifles I own still zeroed at 100yrds are either student loaners, or stuff I don’t really shoot which were zeroed before 2009...

I have two rifles built in the last 18mos, I can’t recall ever shooting them at 100yrds and both are being shot monthly or weekly. I boresighted, placed steel at my 800 berm and another at 600, and a paper target at 350. I laid down at my 300yrd line, centered on the 50yrd (350 paper) with two shots, then shot 300 and 500 (600 & 800 steel). I moved back 100yrds, laid down and shot 400 & 600. Moved back another hundred, confirmed 500 (informal tracking test) and fired 700. Came back to my bench at zero yards, confirmed 600 and fired 800... If I had to shoot an aspirin at 100yrds, I might miss, BUT I’d kill a rabbit at 100... I know they both hold MOA or sub-moa to 800yrds. Since then, I haven’t shot any less than 300 with either, just those 2 shots at 50 to get the scope on the steel.

I do, however, have the luxury of private property, developed into semi-featured ranges for my use. It’s hard NOT to shoot at 100yrds if you show up to a range where the berm is 100 and the bench is zero...

 

[DDDWho]

No my rifle is not 400 or 300 or even 200 yards ready.
I live 3/4 or a mile down a 1 lane gravel road. Timber surrounds my house in all directions. 100 yards is the maximum I could even see a yote.
Last year I had one come out of the timber and across my side yard coming as close to me as 25 yards. I hit him in the head with a .223 varmint tip out of a Mini 14.
To me the Mini 14 is a heavy gun. I've tried multi X scopes but they're heavy on the Mini for my taste.
Now I shoot a very light weight shotgun scope in 4X. I've hit ground hogs in the head with it at 70 yards. It is dead accurate at the distances I need.
I envy those that can shoot sub MOA at great distances but I don't have the need to do so.

Here's my Mini with the inexpensive, light weight, 4X shotgun scope.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I have good groups at 100yds, but using my bdc 3x, i wasnt even on paper at 400yds. The first bdc horizontal mark was supposed to be 365yds with Hornady 55gr vmax.

For kicks try the 53 gr vmax. It has a higher BC than the 55. I've also had awesome groups at 100 that were about 10 inches at 300. Keep testing.

 

[ms6852]

I have a RRA zeroed at 200 yards and ready to go to 600 yards using a 75 grain Hornady BTHP. Last coyote I took was at 502 yards.

 

[milemaker13]

I'd love to try a couple of mine out to 400+, but sadly, I don't think facilities exist in my neck of the woods... None that I'm aware of anyhow.

Any body know of one near Chicago?

 

[69Precision]

I have good groups at 100yds, but using my bdc 3x, i wasnt even on paper at 400yds. The first bdc horizontal mark was supposed to be 365yds with Hornady 55gr vmax.

 

[Legionnaire]

Alright, rifle guys, would you suggest i concentrate my longer range goals on my recently inherited 700 Remington in .243?
The SR556 is my only rifle that is kept quickly accessable.

... I have good groups at 100yds, but using my bdc 3x, i wasnt even on paper at 400yds. The first bdc horizontal mark was supposed to be 365yds with Hornady 55gr vmax.

Something wrong there. I personally prefer bolt action rifles and would definitely favor the .243 (I've got a couple of .243 Ackley rifle projects in process). That said, to not be on paper at 400 with your current setup suggests that your load isn't calibrated to the reticle. I think I'd shoot a group at 100 with your zero, and another group at 100 with the first lower BDC stadia and measure the distance between them to get an idea of the MOA difference for your load. From that you can estimate (calculate) what is actually happening out at 400. Still think your AR should be up to the task.

 

[Skylerbone]

I’d start back at the 50 yard line with a proper scope target (grid pattern) and make sure up is up and not up and left or up and right when adjusting elevation. From there I would shoot at 100 and 200 to make sure your POI is where you expect it to be. Then I would check the scope holdovers for the heck of it.

Plug everything into your favorite ballistic program and see what you’ll need for 400 yds.

It can never be overstated that without a rangefinder or a known distance, most people grossly misjudge distance.

 

[FL-NC]

OP- you realize that with the MK 262, zeroed at 100 meters, target at 400 meters, depending on MV and environmental factors, you are looking at 30-35 inches of drop? Many variables, but no matter the round/MV/conditions, there WILL be considerable drop with a 223 at 400 yards/meters.

 

[LoonWulf]

The Nikon .223s i believe are calibrated for a 55vmax at 3250, which is the expected velocity from a 24" barrel. The 16.5 on the SR556 will likely only be delivering about 3k with that loading. According to Nikons software, that puts your first hash mark at 330, second at 540, and post at 638.

Now as to the question, yes my rifles are easily capable of 400yds. My range finder is only got to about that on live game the size of a coyote, and only if it holds still. If im shooting inanimate objects and can get a reliable hit farther, I can usually make a first round hit with little or no wind.
Wind is the real issue for me.

 

[chicharrones]

Not quite.

View attachment 776067

 

[Armored farmer]

you are looking at 30-35 inches of drop?

Yes.

We had two rangefinders. Both within a couple of yards of 365.
Target set at 365. Spotting scope zeroed at 60x.

 

[Klint Beastwood]

I spend most of my long rifle time on the range imputing dope or verifying it. Depending on the rifle I’m using. My SPR is just barely good out to 1050y, for steel, not so much soft targets. The long actions quite a bit more. However I spend a lot of time on that stuff and getting a consistent distance measurement in my dope so there’s minimal disconnect for unknown distance shots which is/can be problematic in non paper/steel shootings scenerios.
Wind reading is an art however. I rely on my experience with it, mirage, and some formulas for varification to see if I’m in the ball park if aloted the time.

 

[Newtosavage]

Yes

 

[ourway77]

I have shot a 243 for years for Deer This past spring after having my 243 rebuilt I used it on Deer crop damage permits I shot one 543 yards out DIThave killed my share of deer in the 69 years I have hunted Here are some

 

[Demi-human]

I know my Savage F/TR is Aspirin ready at one hundred. I know it is paint can at six hundred fourty yards ready. Unfortunately, with the swamp in between here and there, I do not know if my rifle is four hundred yards ready.

With a Vortex HST scope and rings, EGW twenty minute rail and Sinclair bi-pod, it should be. The Hornady seventy five grain hollow points should be striking the six fourty yard steel at sixteen hundred and fifty feet per second. And they should hit like a fourty five auto at the muzzle.

I have eighty grain ELDs to use this spring. I have been introduced to a farmer with a one jug, one shot, one thousand contest.

 

[PapaG]

I have a half dozen rifles that would perform well out to 400, a 243, 308 77 Rugers, a. Couple 223s, one a special ar and the other a contender carbine, plus a pre sixty four model 70, 30-06. However, my advancing age, deteriorating eyesight, and nerve damage from an event a few years ago limits MY ability to about 150. Longest clear shot on my farm, coincidently is about 150 yards so I'm about even.
Love your posts, Farmer. I have a buddy bear Elizabethtown. Are you neAr there? Like to meet up in person. Think we'd click.
Stan

 

[Armored farmer]

I have a half dozen rifles that would perform well out to 400, a 243, 308 77 Rugers, a. Couple 223s, one a special ar and the other a contender carbine, plus a pre sixty four model 70, 30-06. However, my advancing age, deteriorating eyesight, and nerve damage from an event a few years ago limits MY ability to about 150. Longest clear shot on my farm, coincidently is about 150 yards so I'm about even.
Love your posts, Farmer. I have a buddy bear Elizabethtown. Are you neAr there? Like to meet up in person. Think we'd click.
Stan

Nope Etown us way down south of me in the Shawnee country. I have been there with horses though. Also had catfish there on the famous barge restaurant.
We'r about 20 miles south of I-70