Badlands Fieldcraft: From zeroing to 1000 yards in an afternoon

This excellent piece orginally appeared at Badlands Fieldcraft. -NCS

I recently acquired a new precision rifle system and I wanted to get it “up and running” so to speak. This involves finding a load the rifle likes, mounting optics and accessories and then determining the ballistics for this combination of rifle and ammo to get a reliable and repeatable system.

Although I can hand load and have developed many sub-MOA loadings for quite a few rifles, it’s a time consuming task and I’d rather spend the money on good ammo and spend the time on training. I chose to go with a factory match loading from Hornady for this rifle and it produces sub-MOA groups right out of the box. Good enough for me since I’m really only concerned with sub-MOM (Minute of Man) accuracy.

So with the equipment side of things handled, its time to start developing the “D.O.P.E.” for this particular rifle and ammo combination. Traditionally this was done through meticulous recording of the results and conditions of every round fired to eventually develop an overview of what to expect under similar firing situations.

While I’m a big fan of trying to keep things as low tech as possible, there’s also no reason to ignore a useful tool when it’s available. Rather than keep a specific data book, I utilize a ballistic calculator on my phone until I have developed the data enough to create ballistic tables for “off grid” use.

There are many advantages to this over the traditional route, including the fact that it’s quicker and uses less ammunition. It also produces a more accurate product in the end that is then able to be replicated over different atmospheric conditions more accurately.

The farther you need to shoot there are more variables that need to be taken into account, and I wanted to have solid and proven ballistic data for this rifle. While there are some good ballistic calculators that can get you close just by putting in the factors that you know out of the box, going out and shooting at distance will get you corrected data so that you can “true” your ballistic calculator.

During this process I’ll be using an IPhone ballistic calculator app called “StrelokPro”. While this isn’t a review of the app itself, I have used it extensively on multiple rifles and it has helped me to develop solid analog (off-grid) rifle data. That should be the goal when using electronics, use them to help you get to a point where you don’t need them anymore. In addition to the app I also take notes on every shooting session so if my phone should get destroyed or lost I still have all the data. Additionally I print a ballistics table from within the app with all the pertinent data on it as well.

StrelokPro utilizes the actual reticles you use to give you real time data for your reticle.

The rifle is a Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor. Thus far I’ve got about 50 rounds down the pipe and she’s a shooter to say the least. I’ve recently installed a Silencerco Saker Brake/ Suppressor Mount and I need to rezero the rifle since adding the mount will affect the barrel harmonics and throw off my zero.

This time with an ACSS reticle.

The day starts me out with a bore sighted rifle. When I get to the range I take out all the ammo and my rifle and set them up in the Sun to warm up. It only takes me about 5 minutes to get to the range from my house and all my equipment is still cool from being inside. This is important because the temperature of your powder has a large effect on the velocity of your rounds. When you’re recording the air temperature in your ballistic calculator it’s assumed your rounds are the same temp, if not you won’t have repeatable results when you’re done.

I put in the temperature, humidity and barometric pressure into the ballistic app to get started and after letting my ammo warm for about 10 minutes I start off firing prone with a bipod at 100 yards. It takes me two 3 round groups to get the rifle zeroed at 100 yards. I slip the turrets to set them back to “0”, then install my suppressor and fire three more rounds. Since I’ve already marked my previous hits, these three new holes will be obvious. I go down range and measure to the centerline of this new group and get about 3.25” down from where I was aiming. I’ve aimed at the same place on the target for all my shots. This 3.25” is a rough measurement for my zero shift with my suppressor.

Next I take the target out to 425 yards. I check the ballistic app for the predicted elevation and windage settings and I fire three rounds unsuppressed, then go check the target. The group is just under 1 MOA and about 1/4 MOA high on elevation but I didn’t hold enough for wind so I’m about 4 inches left. I’m using an IPSC silhouette target and this group still has one “A” and two “C’s”. Not too big of a deal there, I really wanted to make sure my elevation was good since it’s come from my ballistic calculator and hasn’t been trued yet. The app itself has a Truing section, so I tell it to add another .25 MOA at 425 yards and it recalculates the ballistic curve of the round. It can do this two ways, either by adjusting the entered muzzle velocity or the ballistic coefficient. Since I don’t have a chronograph with I just let it adjust the muzzle velocity.

I return to the rifle, install the suppressor, then fire three more rounds. In between all my groups I leave the bolt open both as a safety courtesy to other shooters should they arrive but also to help cool my rifle between firing.

This next group is a bit larger than one MOA and this time I’ve held too much for wind, being about 3 inches right. This group also centers about 3.25 MOA low so it’s pretty safe to say my zero shift is 3.25 MOA. I record all this information in my notebook, take a picture of the target for future reference than pack up my gear. I load up and head to a friends house to do some more shooting.

I arrive at my friends house a bit later. The first range I was at only goes out to 425 yards, but my friend has steel at 600 yards and also a 1000 yard steel target. I pull up to the house and he loads his gear in my pickup and we drive to the firing position. It’s about 90 degrees out and luckily there is only a small breeze, enough to cool us off but not make shooting too difficult.

We had discussed gathering data earlier and he is graciously going to let me borrow his chronograph so I can get more accurate data for my rifle. Friends in high places indeed.

I bring up my ballistic app, ensuring the atmospherics are good and it shows me the firing solution for the 600 yard target. The wind is coming from our 5 o’ clock and is gusting from 0-10 MPH.

I proceed to fire six rounds, adjusting slightly left and right as I feel the wind change. All six times I’m greeted with a nice “gong” sound as my bullets impact the heavy steel targets. I’m also happy to have a solid velocity with which to put into my app.

2677 Feet per second is my new number. I change it in the app and then put my previous dope back in to true it again. This time I’ve added my dope under the BC truing instead of muzzle velocity. From now on all truing will be done here.

After my friend annihilates the 600 yard target it’s time to try for the 1000 yard target. I once again go to the app for the predicted firing solution and begin firing. My first round kicks up dust way high of the target, about 3 MOA according to the measurement in my reticle. It felt like a solid shot but I decide to fire another just to be sure. Once again dust kicks up in nearly the same spot. I dial down 3 MOA on my turrets and fire again. At first I think I’ve missed, but then after about a second I’m greeted with the lovely “gong” sound again. I proceed to engage the target three more times using these sight settings. Once I’m satisfied I go back in the app and input the new settings for 1000 yards. It adjusts the BC once more so now I will confirm it at 600 again.

I adjust the app for 600 yards and notice that the elevation is the same as I previously had used. I engage the target three times with three “gongs” returned. I’m highly satisfied with the results of this afternoons shooting, walking away with trued ballistic data out to 1000 yards and having more than proven myself and rifle system capable of shooting at those distances.

While I have a very solid start I would like to repeat the process in cooler weather to gain more muzzle velocity data to put into my ballistic calculator to help refine it further. There will be a bit more refining to do until I’m happy with everything but I feel this system is well on its way should it be needed soon.

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About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

19 Comments

  1. Alan Burquist August 21, 2020 at 09:25

    Cool writeup, I like it.. 6.5 Creed, don’t have one of those.. From what I have seen and heard, excellent caliber.. The way things are now, don’t foresee adding a new caliber any time soon.. I’ll be ridin the storm out with calibers and rifles I already have, in this case most comparable would be good ole 7.62×51..

    LOL, I am an Analog guy, in a digital world.. Still use Mildot reticle scopes, and the Mildot Master to do my calculations.. I know, I should be able to do the math in my head, but what can I say, I’m weak, so I CHEAT! Hahaha! Mildot Master works good, no batteries or electronics needed, low cost, field proof.. I have several of them with inserts matched up for specific rifles/ammo..

    I also cheat with Laser and Stereoscopic range finders, to verify my range estimations.. If I screw up, lets me know immediately.. The great shooters of legend didn’t use any of that crap, wasn’t even available, somehow they did the job in fine fashion.. Makes me admire them even more!

    • Badlands Rifleman August 21, 2020 at 09:58

      Thanks Alan, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I was in the same boat you are as far as calibers but I was able to secure a decent supply of ammo to go along with this rifle so I felt it was as good of an opportunity as I was likely to get. That’s why I stay away from “oddball” calibers typically, keep it simple right? There are some good analog slide rule style ballistic calculators out there, the FDAC and Whiz Wheel are two of them besides the MDM. After a bit more truing I may just send in my data to have a custom Whiz Wheel made for my analog tool. There’s nothing wrong with using a laser range finder, especially to practice your range estimating skills like you mentioned. I’ve heard that in a tactical environment the laser can be seen with certain devices and used to locate and target the shooter. Another method is to use a map if you have one that is detailed enough.

      • Johnny Paratrooper August 21, 2020 at 12:45

        The 6.5 Creedmore is the only caliber that lives up to it’s internet hype.
        You made the right choice.
        Careful with those extreme long range shots. It can be hard to see trace and splash relative to .300 WinMag or .338 Lapua “Ouch, I need to correct my shooting position” Magnum.

        • Badlands Rifleman August 21, 2020 at 16:17

          I debated long and hard about even getting another short action bolt gun with so many good AR’s being built in short action calibers, but the cards kind of fell into place and made it an easy choice for me. I don’t have anything but positive things to say about this Ruger, although the stock isn’t the most comfortable out of the box. Where I’m living the wind is a definite consideration and the terrain demands a weapon that can shoot long distance, so the 6.5 was a good compromise between the .308 and .300 win mag. Equivalent enough in price and energy to the .308 with windage similar to the .300. It is difficult to see splash at times for sure, that is a definite plus to the larger magnums. Take care and thanks for the comment!

          • Johnny Paratrooper August 21, 2020 at 17:56

            https://oryxchassis.com/us/oryx-bolt-action-rifle-chassis.html

            My friend and His wife purchased these for the exact same rifle you have.
            And volunteered the same concerns about the stock. Which is, in fact, a little anemic.
            We were shooting on top of 1MOA with these things out of the box. Using cheap ammo.
            But noticed we couldn’t hold a proper zero for whatever reason. Probably thanks to the heat, and the plastic. But I don’t have enough experience behind the gun to comment.

            Wait time was said to be 6 months upon order. That’s not true. His came within 2 months. Which isn’t bad considering the current year.

            You will love this chassis. It is a clone of the old one, but at half the price. Buy now, cry later.

            Have you fired this weapon before? I’m curious if it will hold zero. My friends couldn’t be happier.

    • Johnny Paratrooper August 21, 2020 at 12:37

      2 MOA is the size of someone’s eyeball @ 100 meters
      4 MOA is the inside the hand of your target @ 200 meters
      6 MOA is the inside of their face @ 300 Meters
      8 MOA is on their face @ 400 meters
      10 MOA looks like they have a basketball/Frisbee in their hands @ 500 Meters
      12 MOA fits inside of their Nipple/Hips @ 600 Meters
      14 MOA is on top of their Nipple/Hips @ 700 Meters

      Remember, NIPPLE/HIPS is a very important word. I always had trouble with orders of operations in Arithmetic. A fly formula works fine. And remember, it was designed to use a 25/300, 25/250, or 25/200 zero for a reason. If you have military spec ammo and weapons, I suggest you use the systems they already designed.

      Aim at your target, Guess the range. Fire three rounds. One High, One Medium, One Low. Like A Hip, Chest, Headshot group.

      Basically anything within 700 meters is ALWAYS gonna die. I suggest the low shot first, because if your round falls short it is easier to correct for than if your round goes high and disappears into oblivion. Change Targets, and Repeat until you have achieved victory.

      If you shoot 6.5 Creedmore out to the limit, compared with a .300 Win Mag. You will notice the impact splash is ALOT harder to find on the 6.5 Creedmore. Plus the Bullet Trace is harder to see for both the shooter and spotter. Don’t feel bad about not owning a 6.5 Creedmore. The .308 provides a much better splash effect and trace. Especially in the Northeast/Southeast where things can be juicy and moist. Eating your rounds on impact. Compared to Wyoming/MiddleEast where you can see your rounds skipping across the desert into oblivion.

      “Aim a Hair Low If You Don’t Know”. Like a Machine Gun. Best to walk UP AND IN than OVER AND ON TOP. It has a more effective suppressive effect as well. I noticed in Baghdad that warning shots over someone’s head never scared them. But putting a round in front of them(Next to them, you don’t want to ricochet into your non-combatant target) works every time.

      Try it at the range one time. I know ammo is a little scarce now, but I think you’ll be surprised how effective this is. This works with pistols and PCCs as well. And frankly, any weapon you are unfamiliar with. It works.

      • brunop August 21, 2020 at 13:54

        4MOA is 8″ @ 200 yards, so not “inside the hand” @ 200.
        6MOA is 18″ @ 300 yards, so not “face” at 300
        8MOA is 32″ @ 400 yards, so not “on their face” at 400.
        12MOA is 72″ (that’s 6 feet) at 600 yards, so it does not fit inside “nipples and/or hips” at 600.

        either I don’t understand your point, or you have some incorrect information.

        • Johnny Paratrooper August 21, 2020 at 17:49

          I’m borderline stupid with Math. And, of course, have embarrassed myself.
          You are correct and as soon as I saw this I knew what I had done.

          I’m gonna rewrite this. It can be used with nearly any weapon. Including in conjunction with Iron sights. If you pick up a weapon in the field and know the width of your front sight post, you can really put a hurting on an enemy force. Even if you have never used the weapon before.

          It really works great with red dots in the 2 MOA and 1MOA variety. Aimpoint and Eotech respectively.

          My Leupold has a 2 MOA gap in the Cross Hairs. I can blast targets are some pretty ridiculous ranges using just the same formula as my red dot weapons. And correcting off out the impact assuming I can get the crosshairs back on target to see the splash. A simple correction, no different than Bracketing a Mortar System or artillery strike. Works the same way. That’s why I always recommend the ACOG with the Brackets for Indirect. The one same ACOG we used to issue to Squad leaders, Forwards Observers, and Mortar Crews.

          Forgive my poor math. As you can imagine, I have been to summer school for math every year since the 3rd grade. One of the reasons why I developed this formula, is to compensate for my extremely poor math skills. I had a great copy saved to my computer, but I appear to have lost it.

          Imagine what it’s like being tired and hungry trying to solve math with my brain. Even if I have a calculator, I still input the orders of operations backwards. It’s always been one of my weakest character flaws.

          I think you will enjoy this. I have taken Marksmen with basic rifleman skills and turned them into very dangerous men using this formula.

          My formula includes using the AK and AR magazine, or a Glock/Machette in someone’s hand, to get even better measurements. because you will almost always be able to see one of those things, and the size remains constant.

          Hold on, this may take me the rest of the weekend. You are really going to enjoy it. It works for every small arm on earth inside of Point target ranges. LR can be difficult because a lot of bullets go transonic around 700-800 meter/yard ranges and the results can be aggravating, and confusing to the uninitiated and inexperienced.

          Forgive me.

          • Badlands Rifleman August 21, 2020 at 20:27

            Haha JP, I still carry crayons in my kit for those slow days too ? it’ll be interesting to read about your method though. I remember the front site width method from boot camp. Thanks for sharing!

      • Badlands Rifleman August 21, 2020 at 16:29

        Johnny, I’m not sure I follow your first two paragraphs exactly. Are you referring to holdovers? If so I like the way you were going with it I need to memorize my holdovers yet. For some reason the MOA reticle is easier for me to use with matching turrets than the MIL/MIL scopes I’ve used in the past. Most of my wind calls are between .5 and 3 MOA, making it pretty easy to hold in shifting wind. One handy part of the StrelokPro app is the capability to lay your ballistics onto the actual reticle you’re using so you can see the hold overs.

        • Johnny Paratrooper August 21, 2020 at 17:33

          Sorry. I screwed this up really, really badly.
          I have serious trouble with numbers, despite having a higher than average IQ.
          This comment should be ignored, or mocked with absolute resolve.

          Allow me to rewrite this. The Fly Formula works. I’m the problem.

          Damn. That’s. Embarrassing.

          • FlyBy August 21, 2020 at 19:16

            JP

            “Aim a Hair Low If You Don’t Know”. Like a Machine Gun. Best to walk UP AND IN than OVER AND ON TOP. It has a more effective suppressive effect as well. I noticed in Baghdad that warning shots over someone’s head never scared them. But putting a round in front of them(Next to them, you don’t want to ricochet into your non-combatant target) works every time.”

            I really like this comment! It shows the knowledge and experience that you have gained by operating in a hostile environment. It is succinct and to the point. Even this former B/N can incorporate this concept into my limited skill set.

    • Georgiaboy61 August 22, 2020 at 00:00

      @ Alan Burquist

      Stereoscopic range-finding? How and with what? If you don’t mind sharing your equipment and methods, that is….

      I’ve looked for a decent, repeatable optical (passive) RF for years, but they either aren’t available or cost too much. Even surveyors have largely gone to lasers instead of theodolites. Optical methods were highly refined back in analog days before integrated circuits and all the rest of it. Lasers are great, but not a panacea. They do not work in all atmospheric or climatic conditions, nor against all surfaces/targets with equal reliability, and if in a tactical environment, can be detected with low-cost tech.

      Optic RF methods were well-developed before the dawn of the electronic age – ICs, computers, lasers, etc. – and were used for everything from astral telescopes to fine cameras to surveying to military use (such as mortar, artillery, naval gunfire, anti-tank guns, etc. A simple mortar sight for a 60mm tube was man-portable, yet accurate enough to get a skilled crew on target out to the practical limits of its ordnance, i.e. about two miles.

      It isn’t so much that I fancy myself Tommy Tactical – at my age that’s a joke – but that I like simple instead of complex, and whenever possible, analog over digital. A mechanical device with lenses fits the bill.

      • Alan Burquist August 22, 2020 at 09:12

        Mine is a Rangematic MK5 1000.. I bought it back in the late 90s, I think at Sportsmans Guide, might have been Natches tho, can’t remember.. Back in those days consumer laser rangefinders were just becoming available, and were super expensive.. These optical units weren’t all that cheap either back in the day, but it was worth it, pretty slick deal.. Look through the eyepiece, see two images, put the fixed mark on the target, rotate the wheel until the two images coincide, read the scale, done..

        No where near as precise as a laser, but good enuf! And as you and badlands mentioned, they do have a few advantages.. No batteries, no emissions that can be detected by badguys.. Mine has been very durable, but I don’t even know if they still make them.. I bet Ebay would have used ones tho!

  2. Jon August 21, 2020 at 21:57

    Badlands

    Thanks for sharing your TTP. Strelok is awesome. Especially when paired with an anemometer and range finder.

    Please do update as you get some rounds on the barrel. Frequent rumors of losing accuracy at the 2500 round mark are what’s keeping me from diving into the CM. 2500 is a lifetime of deer hunting but not much useful life for a general purpose rifle.

    • Badlands Rifleman August 22, 2020 at 09:27

      You’re welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’m hoping the hammer forged barrel combined with using a factory loading versus a tweaked hand load will mean a longer barrel life. It was only doing 2677 FPS at the muzzle with a 147 grain bullet and 1:8 twist. Compare that to a .308 shooting M80 ball (which is similar in weight) and you’ll get very similar velocities, yet nobody assumes a .308 barrel will be unusable at 2500 rounds. I’ve also seen no indications of over pressure on the primers either. My theory is that this “low barrel life” is produced by shooting a lot of very hot custom rounds in competition settings, something that will wreck any barrel. There also seems to be a lot of “bitter clinger’s” to the .308 when it comes to the 6.5 Creedmoor, and I’m sure they love to repeat the broscience. For the tasks I intend to use this rifle for I would definitely consider it more in the “deer rifle” category than “general purpose”, but that’s something each of us have to consider themselves. If you want a 6.5 I’d say go for it while you can, nobody can argue with the higher BC and better windage. Take care!

  3. Badlands Rifleman August 22, 2020 at 09:38

    JP – in reference to the idea of changing out the stock, I don’t intend to because it still produces acceptable accuracy without adding the extra weight of the chassis systems. Chassis’ and adjustable stocks are nice for getting a perfect fit, but I don’t think the extra weight is worth it for me. There’s an interesting video on YouTube where a guy changed out the factory stock to a bunch of different chassis’ and doesn’t experience any appreciable change in accuracy, I thought that was interesting. I’ve found accuracy can be tuned just by adjusting the torque on the action screws, I’ve got a 1939 Mosin Nagant that I turned to shoot 1 MOA with silver tip spam can ammo. I’ve since fixed the issue I was having with the stock and I’ve got about 70 rounds through the rifle and don’t have any issue holding zero. I’ll be doing a full write up shortly on this rifle and how I set it up.

    • Johnny Paratrooper August 22, 2020 at 12:03

      Roger that Badlands Rifleman,

      My friends would love to see your thoughts and experience. As they are running the same rifle as you. Great Choice on rifle. I was surprised how light they are. Also, If you could test for stringing from heat. That would be curious topic. The rifle I was shooting did string. It grouped about 2-3 inches high and a hair to the left, and opened up about double. Still acceptable if one needed to compensate for a higher than average volume of fire. The barrel cooled down quickly and was right back on target. Perhaps our trouble holding zero was due to the low round count on the rifle, and it still “bedding” itself.

      Long Range topics have always fascinated me because of my lack of available ranges and funds. I live vicariously through shooters like yourself. You have no Idea how important this is to guys like myself.

      Thanks BR. Cool pen name too. Are you in the Dakotas? I always wanted to do a peasant hunt in Nebraska or the Dakotas.

      • Badlands Rifleman August 22, 2020 at 16:01

        I’ve never specifically tested for stringing before, I’m hoping that the hammer forged barrel will help with that problem too. While I wasn’t testing for stringing, I ran about 20 rounds through the rifle in about 20-30 minutes that day at my buddies on a fairly hot day. I started at 600 yards and ended at 600 yards with all hits using the same dope. If there was any stringing I didn’t notice it at that time. As long as I’m producing Sub- Minute of Man accuracy (and I mean that as in the vitals) in field conditions any day of the year I’m not too worried about the finer details that a target shooter might be concerned with. My objective for a long time has been that on any given day you need to be able to be dropped off on the side of the road, infiltrate miles into your ORP, make an 800 yard shot, and E&E back to a pickup point. I’m more concerned with accomplishing that during rain, snow, or shine then I am specifically playing long range shooter on a range or at a competition. This rifle is just another tool in the toolbox.

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