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600 yard accomplishment, begining M1A shoother.

7K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  grndpndr 
#1 ·
Rifle:
Springfield M1A Loaded Match
22" Douglas NM barrel, parkerized
Standard GI sights
standard black fiberglass stock
NM Trigger group

Ammo:
Argentinian 147 grn surplus, 83 headstamp

shooting conditions:
Sunny
89 Degrees F
wind left to right 5-10 mph, Gusts 15-20 mph

I don't get to shoot too often, and when i do, i'm tinkering with a new AR build or Bolt action Build that i work on.

I had the chance a couple weeks ago to shoot some longer distance than i normally do, (300 yard max). The club i was at helping RO a small group of new shooters had a 600 yard range. since most of the new shooters had never held a gun before they needed some extra help. we supplied the guns, and they supplied the ammo for the ARs, .22lr's, and the handguns.

We started them off on the .22 rifles at 50 yards. and then moved them into an AR platform. i did bring my Springfield M1A for them to try out as well.

after the event was over, another instructor/RO and myself started reaching out to the 600 yard steel plates. during the day i found out from the rifle league that these were 16" AR500 steel plates suspended from heavy rubber straps.

The Instructor was using a Springfield National Match M1A and i had my Loaded Match M1A. he started out shooting and i was spotting for him. he made the adjustments to his peep and settled in to shoot.

His first shot was about 4 feet low, windage correct. second shot, same place. he dropped two clicks and then had correct elevation, but the wind had picked up right as he shot and hit about 10"s right, off of the steel.

once i gave him wind corrections, he was hitting steel almost every shot after. this is his home range and he shoots more often then i do.

now it was my turn. i'm zeroed in at 100 yards with my sights and since he has the NM M1A and this was my first time taking the rifle out to 600 he said do 38 clicks up for your elevation, it will put you right on.

well my first shot went 20 feet over the backstop and into the hillside. i came back 10 clicks and was 4feet over the back stop into the hillside.

again another adjustment and another shot, finally the 7th adjustment and 8th round i hit the steel. 9th round the wind picked up and i was about 2" right of the steel, 10th round hit the steel.

put the next 10 round mag in and hit 8 of 10 shots on the steel.

i marked the sight knob for 600 yard so i can quickly referenace it.

i was suprized i was able to hit that plate so many times with my M1A, with open sights once i had the correct elevation adjustment made.
 
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#2 ·
Outstanding! Isn't it a nice warm feeling to know you can pull off shots like that with IRON sights! Keep up the good work!

MC1 EXPRT1
 
#3 ·
Good show! With some practice and some guidance from an experienced shooter (I wonder about your buddy there!), and some good ammo, you should be able to keep them all on a dinner plate at 600 yards - no matter the weather!
 
#6 ·
Thanks guys, i love to shoot distance, but the club i belong to only has a 300 yard range and we are trying to install a 600 yard range, but that will take a year or two.

i built a couple precision bolt guns that will shoot sub-MOA @ 100 yards and still hold less than 2" at 300 yards but want to really reach out and see what these can do at some real distance.

here's one rifle with targets from the range:

Rifle:
Winchester M70 Action
Hart #7 HV barrel, 1 in 10" twist
Choate Ultimate sniper stock
Leupold Mark 4 M3 ILL. TMR
Night Force Rings
Farrel Base

Ammo:
.300 Win Mag
180 Grain Match Kings
73 grains of H4831
case length 2.6195
OAL 3.410
Muzzle Velocity 2950

and

.300 Win Mag
180 grain Game Kings
72 grains H4831
case length 2.6195
OAL 3.390
Muzzle Velocity 2920

Rifle:


100 yards, 5 shots each:


200 yards, 5 shots each: pulled a little on the one shot at 200 with the Match King load:
 
#7 ·
clicks up for 600 yd...

I bet you will find that from your 100 to 600 yd zero is about 18 clicks (minutes), where your friend ever got 38 from. Maybe if it was 1/2min sights, but the rear sight on a M1A is 1 min sights, unless someone has added a 1/2 min sight disc...

Scott
 
#8 ·
I bet you will find that from your 100 to 600 yd zero is about 18 clicks (minutes), where your friend ever got 38 from. Maybe if it was 1/2min sights, but the rear sight on a M1A is 1 min sights, unless someone has added a 1/2 min sight disc...

Scott
Scott, that is exactly what happened, my Buddy has the 1/2 MOA disc on his NM appeture and i have the 1 MOA disc on my Rifle.
 
#10 ·
If you dothis it would be wise to doublecheck what your sights say
in yds or M at the exact ranges with the ammunition you intend to use or in other words does the POI coincide with your sights stated Range?
500m or 600yds with a rifle that shoots 2.5 moa It doesnt take alot of operator error,ammo variables etc etc etc to cause misses on a 16 wide silouette.500m is the max range i normally shoot to with iron sights from 100/500. Steel silouettes @300m and 500m with an M1a open sights and ball ammo are downright great fun and excellent practice for a service rifle like the M14.What it was designed for IMHO and the 500m or 600yd silouette sized targets W/ Iron sighted STD m1a/ball ammo will show you what you and your rifle are about.GI6
 
#13 ·
I agree wholeheartedly!First time @ 600 yds and 8 of 10 after
settling in?Thats outstanding,Im sure you were deservedly proud!
Thats not bad shooting for an experienced hand and its my guess iron sights and long range 500 to 600m grow on ya big time.Im making the most out of what I suspect may be the last 5
to 10 years of Iron sights at that range optimistically.

Yup most of the time were gonna have sighters at our comfy ranges.Should that change for some unforseen reason and its
imperative that first shot connects ill be glad I verified my POI
with my elevation knob/various ammo.

Have a nice secure day.
 
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