How to lob a football (7.62x39mm) 600-800 yards
The rifle
Czechoslovakian VZ24, Krieger 26” .308 bore 1x10” twist, chambered in 7.62x39mm Lapua., adapted Romanian single stack mags to trigger guard with AK latch, feeds smooth as silk with mags.
How to lob a football (7.62x39mm) 600 yards.
Made it to the Sac Valley 3x600 yard prone match today April 21st 2012 with the Mauser in 7.62x39mm Lapua chamber with the 1x10” Krieger .300/.308 barrel. 15X scope with mildot reticle.
Load was 27.7 grains of RG (Radway Green) 4895 halfway up the neck and seated the 155 grain Lapua Scenar Palma bullet to 2.480 .015” off the lands in Winchester cases. Estimated velocity is 2100 FPS
Conditions for the first match were perfect 70 Degrees with a 3-4 MPH 7-2 o'clock wind direction. 31 minutes of elevation 200-600 yards (double std .308/168 elev/wind values).
Took only 4 sighters to get in the ten ring of the MR-1 600 yard target and went for score, ended up a 190-7x for a very comfortable predictable drift/holdover corrections of mostly 1/2 minute thru out the string.
Second string wind worked up to 6-10 mph 7-2 o'clock wind direction and the 155 Scenar went south, way south and unpredictable drop/slide/and dive. Started by running out of elevation and had to use dot reticle for 3 more minutes elevation and windage, ended up with a 144-1x, the 155 Scenar hit the ballistic wall at 7-10 mph and at 2100 FPS velocity.
You cannot drive them fast enough to take advantage of the ballistics at the low velocity and higher wind drift values.
Last match winds were still 6-9MPH and then calmed down to 2-4MPH; I redeemed myself with a 168-2X
Lesson learned is the gun will shot sub MOA with 155 and 150's out to 500 yards but are too heavy to reliably drive them out to 600 yards with current load in all but very mild conditions 2-6 MPH and steady winds to take advantage of bullet ballistics. (500 yard max reliability?) “More Powder”
Will now move on the my original target bullet of the Sierra 135 grain HPBT bullet at around 2300-2375 FPS to see if we can pick apart that 500-600 yard gap.
How to lob a football (7.62x39mm) 800 yards #2
Made it to the Sac Valley 300/500/600/800 military rifle long range prone match Sunday April 29, 2012 with the Mauser in 7.62x39mm Lapua chamber, 25.5” 1x10” Krieger .300”/.308” barrel, with 15X scope with mildot reticle.
300 yard load was 27.7 grains of RG (Radway Green) 4895 halfway up the neck and seated the 155 grain Lapua Scenar Palma bullet to 2.480 .015” off the lands in Winchester cases. Estimated velocity is 2100 FPS. Conditions for the first match were perfect 80 Degrees with a 3-4 MPH 9-3 o'clock wind direction. 3 minutes up from my previous 200 yard elevation.
Took 2 sighters, both 10's and went for record, X,X, 8 (squib load went low) 10, X,X,X,X,X,X, for a 98-8X
Moved to 500 yards with same load of 27.7 grains of RG (Radway Green) 4895 halfway up the neck and seated the 155 grain Lapua Scenar Palma bullet to 2.480 .015” off the lands in Winchester cases. Estimated velocity is 2100 FPS. Conditions for the second match were again perfect 80 Degrees with a 3-6 MPH 9-3 o'clock wind direction then a reversal right to left of 3 mph. 12 minutes up from my previous 300 yard elevation. Sighters were to tens and proceeded to shoot tens and liner nines with four windage changes of 1 moa or less in mild switching winds for a 91-1X
Moved to 600 yards with same load of 28.1 grains of RG (Radway Green) 4895 halfway up the neck and seated the 155 grain Sierra Palma bullet to 2.380 . in Winchester cases. Estimated velocity is 2200 FPS. Conditions for the third match were again perfect 80 Degrees with a 3-6 MPH 9-3 o'clock wind direction then a couple of boils thrown in and back to 3-6 mph. 21 minutes up from my previous 300 yard elevation. Sighters were 10/x and proceeded to shoot tens and liner nines with three windage changes of 1 moa or less in mild switching winds for a 94-1X
Moved to 800 yards with same load of 28.1 grains of RG (Radway Green) 4895 halfway up the neck and seated the 155 grain Sierra Palma bullet to 2.380” OAL . in Winchester cases. Estimated velocity is 2200 FPS. Conditions for the forth match were again perfect 80 Degrees with 6-9 MPH 9-3/11-5/8-2/3-9/2-7 o'clock wind directions with a couple of boils thrown in and back to 3-6 mph 9-3. 34 minutes up from my previous 300 yard elevation. Sighters with 135 Sierra's were not promising due to light charge and went with 155's, sighters were 7/10 and proceeded to shoot all over the place due to switching winds/reversals using 3-8 MOA windage with three misses, also believe I made two over and two under corrections for windage. Ended with a 64-1X
Total score was 347-10X, X400. Open class winner shot 372, I believe I came in 3rd out of 7 open class shooters. The gun continues to shoot sub MOA with 155's out to 500, 1 MOA out to 600 yards and 40% of the shots at 800 were 1 MOA elevation but left or right of center. The .4 grains heavier charge of RG4895 and 155 sierra's shot better then the Lapua's as the Lapua's have more bearing surface and show more pressure and vertical signs. I now think I can go .2 to .4 grains heavier with the 155 Sierra's. for 600-800
How to lob a football (7.62x39mm) 500 meters #3
Shot the Sac Valley Military Rifle Silhouette 40 shot match May 19th, 2012 with the 7.62 x39mm AK round, Krieger 1x10 twist barreled VZ24 Mauser rifle.
I have now gone up approx. ½ grain in powder charges and this rifle is coming alive.
Knocked down all 10 chickens @ 200 meters, 135 Sierra MK , 90% center (less then MOA) hits
Scope elev. on Zero. 29.3 gr. AA2230
Knocked down all 10 pigs @ 300 meters, 135 Sierra MK + 5 moa from 200 meter. Zero.
90% center (less then MOA) hits, 29.3 gr. AA2230
Knocked down 8 turkeys @ 385 meters, 135 Sierra MK +14.25 MOA from 200 meter. Zero.
80% center (less then MOA) hits, 29.3 gr. AA2230
Knocked down 6 Rams, and rang (center hits) 3 rams @500 meters, +19 MOA from 200 meter. Zero.
60% hits in 1.75 MOA group on head/neck/horn (only way to knock them down) with the 155 Sierra Palma MK loaded with 28.8 RG4895
34 total downed, 3 hit but left standing out of 40, good for 1st place in the open military sporter class.
Gun is accurate, held ½ MOA elevation all the way out to 500 meters, am now only 6 MOA off of std. 308 Winchester 168MK loads
New loads are working fine, no high pressure signs but I am getting close.