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.