Long range newb

[kcstott]

Awesome responses. I think working the mid range first is a good idea. I have virtually no expierence with bolt guns. My rifle was a howa 1500 target package i bought a year's ago. The package came with a nikko stirling 4-16x44 on it.

Caliber?? Because right now until we (SMGC) get our caliber waivers approved certain ranges are limited to certain calibers
Our typical Med range is 5.56 and 7.62 only and that's NATO
Not just bullet diameter, our long range is 5.56 7.62 and .300 win mag only
That means no 6.5mmx47, 6.5 creedmoor, or anything else till we get our waivers approved

So if it's .308 that scope will do just fine on the 600 yard line.
It'll be a stretch at 1000. And that's if you have good ammo. It needs to be VLD reloads or Federal Gold medal match

[ditchdigger]

Barrel length is critical for 1000 yard shooting.

26" or longer is necessary.

For 600 yard shooting, a 20" barrel will do it.

[kcstott]

I don't want to say I disagree, but to be more specific with a good High BC bullet and this is for .308 or .300 win mag you need to be able to hit 2750 FPS with a SD of less than 20. preferably less then 15. The Federal GMM in 175 SMK is rated at 2600 FPS and I'm going to guess that's a 22"-24" barrel as that is pretty much what all the reload manuals spec their loads to. So in that case every bit of barrel length helps to a huge degree because you are already shooting at a disadvantage. That said when I get 2000 rounds down this tube I going to install a Heavy Palma taper 30" on my .308 squeeze every bit of velocity i can out of it.

But if you have good safe loads that can produce 2750 or better with a 175gr Berger VLD, or their Hybrid, a SMK or even the new Nosler RDF out of your barrel and say for the sake of argument that barrel is 24" well 2" less then 26" is not going to prevent you from being competitive. I will say My rifle, barrel and load combo is at the absolute edge of maximum performance for a .308. I shoot 175's and freely flip flop between Berger, Sierra, and I have 500 Nosler 175 gr RDF's showing up today. F class guys will cringe at that last statement, benchrest guys will facepalm and want to slap me in the back of the head. Here's the deal I can just barley tell Berger VLDs are more accurate out of my rifle with the load I'm currently using, as in about .2" at 100 yards that equates to 2" at 1000 yrds. Well would 2" matter? maybe but I only shoot at the marksmen level for 1000 yard so that's a average of less then 183 for 20 shots that's a 9 ring average. To tell you how tough it is, there is only a 2.5 point spread between classifications.
I'm getting long winded here I have time to kill before a job interview
I typically shoot in the high 170's to the low 180's depending on me and the wind. My last two trips to the range produced my lowest scores ever (140's) and that was all me. New rear bag having to adjust my cheek weld. learning to shoot closer to free recoil like the F open guys do killed my scores, My biggest issue though is my lack of ability to recognize a change in the wind and apply the dope at that moment, I get in a hurry and try to beat the wind, I need to spend more time examining the wind and remembering what it was doing when I released the shot and correct for it as i go not, taking better guesses might help. Wind is my issue at 1000 yards, Wind is nearly everyone's issue at 1000 yards Range 117A is a tough range when it come to wind. I say nearly because we have a hand full of guys that shoot F open and due to the rounds they shoot their wind call is far less then a .308 but they also need to adjust like everyone else. The wind on 117A does crazy things yet these guys still shoot even on the worst wind days 190 or better and on a average wind day they are shooting 196 and up with high X counts. That's High master class right there. I'll be happy if I can pick up a new classification every six month to a year up to expert then it's a whole new ball game.
Sadly for us F class shooters we have a match rifle shooter (sling with or with out optics) that can hold his own right up there with the top F open guys score wise. You ever want cheep entertainment. Sit behind Marc Mittry's firing position with a spotting scope and score for the guy or just observe. He is a machine. He shoots far better with iron sights and no support then most can shoot with a bipod and scope.
Anyway...