Finding the Limits of a Factory 30-378 Accumark

[Broz]

Got kind of a neat project going on here so I thought I would start a thread and share it. It all started last summer when a good friend of mine came along on a range trip to bang some steel with my .338 Lapua. I set up a steel target then drove to the next hill where we ranged it. He thought I had lost my mind practising at 900 + yards. I got the rifle out, read the wind, doped the scope and sent one. BANG......................... Clank!!!! He was amazed I was 4" right of a 2 1/2" dot. I gave the scope 1/2 moa left and told him to give it a go. He got settled in and let one fly......... Clank!! In the 2 1/2" dot.. He was hooked!

So every since he has been watching, asking questions and trying to buy my 30-378 accumark. He says he would love to be able to shoot to 500 yards. Then this year in Kansas he was with us on the trip when I shot my WT doe at 1137. He worked on me and I finally gave in. He is buying my 30-378 Accumark and we are going to see how the factory rifle will do with a good scope and my 210 Berger VLD load.

The plan is for it to be a rifle he can carry, that will shoulder fairly easy, but will stretch out there when you get down on the bipod and shoot prone.

His scope arrived today. The glass we chose for the task is a 3.5 x 15 x 56mm Nightforce NXS with their Big Game hunting reticle. The lower power will be great while stalking deer in timber. The 15 x should be plenty good to 1000 yards on deer. The 56 mm objective will get all available light while on evening stands. And this modle has 110 MOA on elevation adjustmen so that should get us out way past where we need to go.

I mounted it tonight and roughed in the scope with a level on the scope and another to the top of the base. This is just a preliminary set up for the scope. I will confirm and fine tune the reticle for square at the range with a plumb line.

I already have a sub moa load worked up for the rifle with a Fed 215 GM primer, H-1000 and a 210 Vld @ 3050 Muzzle Velocity. So hopefully this won't take long to get to the long range steel. I have a Anti can device on order so maybe next weekend.

Here are a few pics. I think she is pretty sexy with that big ole NF on top.

Jeff.

[Mr Pat]

Got kind of a neat project going on here so I thought I would start a thread and share it. It all started last summer when a good friend of mine came along on a range trip to bang some steel with my .338 Lapua. I set up a steel target then drove to the next hill where we ranged it. He thought I had lost my mind practising at 900 + yards. I got the rifle out, read the wind, doped the scope and sent one. BANG......................... Clank!!!! He was amazed I was 4" right of a 2 1/2" dot. I gave the scope 1/2 moa left and told him to give it a go. He got settled in and let one fly......... Clank!! In the 2 1/2" dot.. He was hooked!

So every since he has been watching, asking questions and trying to buy my 30-378 accumark. He says he would love to be able to shoot to 500 yards. Then this year in Kansas he was with us on the trip when I shot my WT doe at 1137. He worked on me and I finally gave in. He is buying my 30-378 Accumark and we are going to see how the factory rifle will do with a good scope and my 210 Berger VLD load.

The plan is for it to be a rifle he can carry, that will shoulder fairly easy, but will stretch out there when you get down on the bipod and shoot prone.

His scope arrived today. The glass we chose for the task is a 3.5 x 15 x 56mm Nightforce NXS with their Big Game hunting reticle. The lower power will be great while stalking deer in timber. The 15 x should be plenty good to 1000 yards on deer. The 56 mm objective will get all available light while on evening stands. And this modle has 110 MOA on elevation adjustmen so that should get us out way past where we need to go.

I mounted it tonight and roughed in the scope with a level on the scope and another to the top of the base. This is just a preliminary set up for the scope. I will confirm and fine tune the reticle for square at the range with a plumb line.

I already have a sub moa load worked up for the rifle with a Fed 215 GM primer, H-1000 and a 210 Vld @ 3050 Muzzle Velocity. So hopefully this won't take long to get to the long range steel. I have a Anti can device on order so maybe next weekend.

Here are a few pics. I think she is pretty sexy with that big ole NF on top.

Jeff.

Jeff Nice looking piece and wwwooooww..Pat
How about a picture of your 378 and is it for sale or trade?

[Broz]

Jeff Nice looking piece and wwwooooww..Pat
How about a picture of your 378 and is it for sale or trade?

Have to talk to "Madman" about the 378. He bought it last fall. I need to update my signiture.


Jeff

[hemiallen]

Nice looking rig Jeff.

It looks like it still wears the Accubrake.... hope mine looks that good, lol. Is that a 26" bbl, it seems to have more unfluted bbl at the end than my 26" -300 wby ,but I haven't seen my gun in 3 weeks....

It also seems the dd or windage adj. rear based Leupold bases works for you. After reading threads here ( costly idea) I was thinking of selling the DD leupold bases for ltwt Tally's, or god forbid my wallet... the NEAR setup....

If yours shoots that good, I suspect the Leupolds I have will be fine. I think such a rig, after learning to dope distance from someone like you, would be way cool, and expensive...lol

Thanks for the post
Allen

[superducky307]

wow thats a nice set up jeff keep us posted on how you get it to shoot with the nf optics

[JB257460]

Got kind of a neat project going on here so I thought I would start a thread and share it.
Here are a few pics. I think she is pretty sexy with that big ole NF on top.

Jeff.

I definitely agree! Very nice looking set up

[Broz]

Nice looking rig Jeff.

It looks like it still wears the Accubrake.... hope mine looks that good, lol. Is that a 26" bbl, it seems to have more unfluted bbl at the end than my 26" -300 wby ,but I haven't seen my gun in 3 weeks....

It also seems the dd or windage adj. rear based Leupold bases works for you. After reading threads here ( costly idea) I was thinking of selling the DD leupold bases for ltwt Tally's, or god forbid my wallet... the NEAR setup....

If yours shoots that good, I suspect the Leupolds I have will be fine. I think such a rig, after learning to dope distance from someone like you, would be way cool, and expensive...lol

Thanks for the post
Allen

Allen, this is a stock barrel rig with the accubrake. I have bedded the action, cut a coil off the trigger spring, honed the sear and readjusted the trigger to a crisp 1 1/2 pounds.

I have used the Dual Dovetail Lupy 30mm rings and bases with good results with lighter Lupy scopes. But I always grind an X in the bottom of the base and bed the bases with JB epoxy. Then I lap the crap out of the rings. This is not what I would call a good set up with the heavy Nightforce scope. I will be keeping an eye on them. Plus if the rifle seems to shoot good, I will urge my friend to replace the rings and bases for Nightforce or Near. We had these on the gun so we are going to try them. If it was for me, with this heavy scope they would be gone. I would not even try it at all with the Lupy rear adjustable windage base. I have seen too many of those side screws break right off during recoil. The guy on the next bench could loose an eye..

Jeff

[madman]

Jeff Nice looking piece and wwwooooww..Pat
How about a picture of your 378 and is it for sale or trade?

I'll give you a photo Pat, but NO it's not for sale

--Mark

[madman]

If yours shoots that good, I suspect the Leupolds I have will be fine. I think such a rig, after learning to dope distance from someone like you, would be way cool, and expensive...lol

Mine shoots extremely well with the brake on OR off. It's dead on accurate at 700 yards, and I shot a pronghorn last fall at 650 with mine. I also use the Leupold DD bases with Leupold scopes, but the Near setup looks to be the trick setup. I need to save my pennies and get one for my .338-378.

--Mark

[guest]

The Limiting Factor of a round is 1150FPS once it drops below this and enters the Transonic state the bullet does some funny stuff, Most of the time BUT some bullets go threw the Transonic state just fine!! Also a 15 power scope will limit you too! So there for if your gun want shoot out to the transition between Supersonic and Subsonic........well if it were me I would give TRGRMAN a call!!!! LMFAO

Wish you luck