Long Range Rifle/Scope/PRS question(s)

@Walkalong , I went by the Seekins booth at the SHOT show and took a look at the Havak rifles. I see what you mean about the plastic but the KRG Bravo will be enough to get you going until you figure out an upgrade. It's a beautiful day here so I'm going outside to shoot a few rounds and zero the Premier on the AI AW. I need to order a couple of Switchview levers for the Premiers and I notice that your fancy Bushnell has one built in. :D

havak.jpg
 
@Walkalong - while mine is in a McMillan fiberglass stock, not the KRG Bravo, I run 45in.lbs. Been my standard for Rem footprint actions for a long time. I don’t mess with torque tuning anymore, definitely not for PRS games.
 
I need to figure out the torque spec for my AI rifles! :p I use 65 in-lb on any 1/4"-28 or similar action screw if there's a pillar, bedding block or chassis.

@Walkalong , what's your plan for your upcoming matches? You mentioned reloading but do you think you'll shoot the matches with factory ammunition?

It's been a beautiful day here in NW MT and I got to shoot 10 rounds to get the Premier figured out. It took me longer to wade through 18" of snow to put the target out and then recover it than it did to shoot but hey, exercise and fun so it's all good. Last night I cleaned the barrel using the usual SS-R Wipe-Out, mounted the Premier 5-25X and torqued the three AI scope mount screws to 35 in-lb. I grabbed 10 rounds of Hornady 143gr ELD-X ammo this afternoon and headed out to the shooting bench. I looked down the barrel to bore sight and figured it was close enough and then shot 3 rounds which landed a couple of inches left. I dialed .6 mil right and shot 7 rounds. Both groups are easily under 1/2" so nothing to complain about there and the 3-shot group is cold/clean bore. I'll dial .1 mil down and .1 mil right before I shoot again and try to do a box test since I haven't checked that aspect of this scope yet. I don't think I've shot this AI with the Omega 300 and 6.5mmm end cap before but it was hearing safe or at least seemed to be. I already have a really good load worked up using Reloder 17, Hornady brass and 140gr A-MAX bullets that might be ok for Dupuyer in May. I'd rather leave Hornady brass on the ground than Lapua but I did buy 100 Lapua cases a while back and have a couple of pounds of H4350 so will work up a load using those components to see what I get. I expect velocity to be 150-200 fps slower than my current load but accuracy should be outstanding. The May match mentioned shooting out to 1,800 yards so I might need to look at Berger 140gr Hybrids since I've heard good things about them. I'm heading down to Belt the week before the match for a friend's son's graduation and they have two ranges with targets out to 2,000 yards so I'll get some data then. In the meantime I have steel at my house at 100, 200, 400, 700 and 1050 yards. I could probably find some spots to put targets at 900 and maybe 1,300 yards. Fun stuff.

aiaw_6.5cm_horn_143gr_eld-x.jpg
 
What 1911 said. 65 inch lb

Walkalong uou need to plan to come up here for a weekend and let’s shoot
 
I use 65 in-lb on any 1/4"-28 or similar action screw if there's a pillar, bedding block or chassis
What 1911 said. 65 inch lb
They were practically loose when I got it, and I tightened them up, wondered if I shouldn't have.
Walkalong uou need to plan to come up here for a weekend and let’s shoot
That would be good. Right now I can't plan past today.
 
  • Like
Reactions: z7
What bore guide would y'all suggest? I used an adjustable one similar to the Pro Shot that worked pretty well. I have a Possum Hollow #5 that is for the ".308 class", but it flops around in the body of the chamber, so the o-ring doesn't seal.

I am using a 44" Dewey coated rod and jag. Oh, and Butches.
 
Yes, a nice simple bore guide. I did ask Seekins through the website yesterday. I actually made my own for a Hall actioned BR gun that I had for awhile. Slid in and caught on the bolt release to keep it in place.

Edit:

From Seekins...
Thank you for checking in with us about your Havak. We do not have an official bore guide recommendation since the Havak is a unique action you may need to get one custom made.
No help, but they were nice enough to respond.
 
Last edited:
I don't know about anyone else but all this anticipation of seeing that Havak shoot has me doing more shooting of my own. :p I shot 20 rounds this morning and even made a 10 minute video to show the AI AW in action shooting Hornady factory ammunition. I bought a cheap adapter so that I could mount my cell phone on my spotting scope. It works ok and I was able to film a 20-shot, sub 5 minute string. Mirage was an issue for sure.



That 143gr ELD-X stuff is so darn accurate out of my AI that it's almost not worth handloading, but what fun is that right?

Here are the first two 5-shot groups from this morning.

143gr_eld-x.jpg
 
Here's my AI AW. The Switchview came in yesterday so I added it this morning. I think I'm ready for a PRS match equipment wise at least. Mentally & physically not so much. I have some work to do before the match in May.

ai_aw.jpg
 
Very nice rifle! The aiaw are awesome. The “old” axmc are even more awesome. I saw old cause milehigh and europtics both have them discounted over $1000 off to make room for the asr.

Wish I’d collected one of each lefthanded while I could. Oh well
 
@taliv, I don't really have the money to buy another AI at the moment but did get an email from MHSA and Europtics and was sorely tempted to get a loan to buy an AI AXMC. I really like the AW/AWM rifles but don't have any experience with the AXMC. I have an AI AW and two AI AWMs but what are the advantages of the AXMC over the AWM other than the easier barrel swap? I'm not trying to be clever but genuinely would like to know what someone of your experience sees as being the benefits. I guess I'm looking for an excuse to spend a bunch of money that I don't have! :)
 
Lol I just think they’re cool. The switch barrel plus switch caliber. I think you can use an insert so they can take short long and magnum magazines. And swap bolts to get the normal and magnum faces

To be fair I think the way the stock feels is different and I like the newer stuff better. None of it is super great for prs barricades but a few accessories fix that
 
Last edited:
taliv said:
Lol I just think they’re cool. The switch barrel plus switch caliber. I think you can use an insert so they can take short long and magnum magazines. And swap bolts to get the normal and magnum faces

To be fair I think the way the stock feels is different and I like the newer stuff better. None of it is super great for prs barricades but a few accessories fix that

An AI AX50 has been on my wish list for a long time but I might just have to get one of the AXMC rifles while I can. I have the Anshutz (UIT) rail on my AI AWs and have a hand stop but currently am using a section of Picatinny rail with UIT nuts along with a Spartan Precision bipod/tripod mount attached to it. I need to do some digging to see if anyone makes quick adjust barricade stops that will work with the UIT rail. It shouldn't be that complicated so someone must be doing it.

@Walkalong , as @Nature Boy stated … nice setup there. I hope your wife is doing well and that you get to do some shooting this month.
 
Last edited:
Had to hurry, but was able to run to the range and shoot four groups before rushing back to town for the docent banquet for the zoo where my wife volunteers.

I should have brought a front rest and my Edgewood rear bag. Using the bipod my edgewood was too tall and my Bald Eagle (at least the one I brought) was too short, so I put two pieces of cardboard under the bag and it slid all over the place on the slick finished concrete bench top.

I had trouble loading up the bipod the same each time and blame most of the vertical on that.

The Fed 105 Berger Hybrid load shot so so again, but did at least have two bullets touching a couple of times vs last time when none touched.

The rifle definitely showed an affinity for the Hornady 108 Gr ELD load. I shot two groups of each, one Fed, one Hornady, one Fed one Hornady. I set up the chrono and got numbers on the second five shot groups.

73 Degrees 60% RH

Federal Match Berger Hybrid 105
3044
3016
3065
3030
3044
Hi=3065
Lo=3016
Avg=3039
ES=49
SD=18

Hornady Match 108 gr ELD
2936
2911
2886
2886
2892
Hi=2936
Lo=2886
Avg=2902
ES=50
SD=21

Get rid of some of the vertical and these would be very acceptable groups. Hashes are 1".
Bushnell 4.5-30x50 XRS II on Seekins Havok Bravo 2nd Range Trip Pic 4b@50%.JPG
 
@Walkalong those groups are not bad for fighting a rear bag. I don’t shoot a 6mm but I really like the Hornady eldm bullets, they are cheap compared to the competition and have a high BC,

With the atlas all you need to do is take the slack out of the bipod, minimal load that takes out slack is easiest for me to be consistent with

Once you figure out how you want to feed the gun, get off the bench with the leather rear bags and work in shooting 1” dots at 100 yds or similar 1 Moa to 2 Moa targets at varying distances, I was practicing some barricade techniques on a 2” paper target at 100 yds, it helps to track the impacts based on wobble and hold

Some time in the prone with a field type rear bag will serve you well as well
 
minimal load that takes out slack is easiest for me to be consistent with
That is what I was shooting for, but the rear bag was sliding back and forth. Need to do better. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: z7
That's damn good considering you were fighting that bag

I'd love to see what hand loads do
 
z7 said:
Once you figure out how you want to feed the gun, get off the bench with the leather rear bags and work in shooting 1” dots at 100 yds or similar 1 Moa to 2 Moa targets at varying distances, I was practicing some barricade techniques on a 2” paper target at 100 yds, it helps to track the impacts based on wobble and hold

This is where I'm at. Can you provide some insight into a good home made barricade that could cover most if not all of the bases, and will enable me to practice exactly what you describe above. I remember @taliv posting a photo a few years ago of a barricade that he built. I'd like to make something this spring that I can wheel around the yard and use for practice so that when I get to my first match I'm not scratching my head and thinking huh!

@Walkalong, you're off to a good start and it looks like that Hornady stuff is more than good enough for a match or two. As @Nature Boy noted, it will be good to see what you can do with handloads, probably tiny little bug holes.
 
Back
Top