MDhogger
04-12-2008, 11:30 PM
Brother Jim and I just got back from our semi-annual guided groundhog trip to Ohio. Jim had his new Custom 6AI rifle by Stockade Gun Stocks and I a new 6AI barrel for my Savage 12 BVSS. We had both decided to try groundhogs at long range and had developed loads using the Berger 108 match bullets for their high b.c. and retained down range energy.
We both had Nightforce 8-32 scope with the NP-R2 reticle sighted in for 500 yards. We choose that zero range that enable us to turn our turrets one turn up or down to take us from 200yards out to 700 yards. Less mistakes that way. After two full turns of the turret we can start using the 2 Moa spaced lines on the reticle and clicks of 15 or less to take us out to 1200 yards.
We had about a dozen shot opportunities from 650 yards to 850 yards. With that we probably threw about 2 dozen shots down range. The wind was very tricky to deal with blowing and gusting from different directions. We had three to four kills with the longest at 749 yards. Many times we were just missing by one or two inches high or low and left to right. Even with the misses we were happy with our performance and the guns at those distances.
We filmed many of our shots with a 32X camcorder while not of great quality it enabled ust to review hit and misses by zooming in and slow motion. The thing that I noticed the most was without a hit in the vitals the gorundhog would roll with the shot and get up and run off. The longeat shot at 750 yards we thought was a miss even though it roll over. Upon reviewing the action in slow mo we saw a clear hit in the mid body. we our now going to try the Hornady 105 A-Max's to see if they will be more explosive.
In the 2 1/2 days of shooting we got approx 33 groundhogs with I would say half shot over 500 yards. I also shot a 6Br with the longest shot at 580 yards. What was most spectacular about this shot was the wind was howling at 15mph plus. I held 18 inches left and it hit 18 inches right. The groundhog was standing upright and I held another 18 inches and connected right in the chest knocking backwards.
We had a great time and can't wait for our return fall hunting trip. In the meantime we have prairie trip scheduled for June and I know the prairie dogs won't stand up to those 108's.
We both had Nightforce 8-32 scope with the NP-R2 reticle sighted in for 500 yards. We choose that zero range that enable us to turn our turrets one turn up or down to take us from 200yards out to 700 yards. Less mistakes that way. After two full turns of the turret we can start using the 2 Moa spaced lines on the reticle and clicks of 15 or less to take us out to 1200 yards.
We had about a dozen shot opportunities from 650 yards to 850 yards. With that we probably threw about 2 dozen shots down range. The wind was very tricky to deal with blowing and gusting from different directions. We had three to four kills with the longest at 749 yards. Many times we were just missing by one or two inches high or low and left to right. Even with the misses we were happy with our performance and the guns at those distances.
We filmed many of our shots with a 32X camcorder while not of great quality it enabled ust to review hit and misses by zooming in and slow motion. The thing that I noticed the most was without a hit in the vitals the gorundhog would roll with the shot and get up and run off. The longeat shot at 750 yards we thought was a miss even though it roll over. Upon reviewing the action in slow mo we saw a clear hit in the mid body. we our now going to try the Hornady 105 A-Max's to see if they will be more explosive.
In the 2 1/2 days of shooting we got approx 33 groundhogs with I would say half shot over 500 yards. I also shot a 6Br with the longest shot at 580 yards. What was most spectacular about this shot was the wind was howling at 15mph plus. I held 18 inches left and it hit 18 inches right. The groundhog was standing upright and I held another 18 inches and connected right in the chest knocking backwards.
We had a great time and can't wait for our return fall hunting trip. In the meantime we have prairie trip scheduled for June and I know the prairie dogs won't stand up to those 108's.