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First Range Day of Spring – Fun Experiments With New Loads, New Dials

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It is springtime in the Rockies, in this case, Montana. Randy has spent the winter investigating new loads for some of his rifle experiment with Howa, in this case, a new load for his 6.5 Creedmoor. With new loads comes new ballistics. With new ballistics, comes new CDS dials from Leupold.

Given this is the first shooting session of the summer, not a lot of worry is placed in the “operator.” Mostly, it is to get new CDS dials on the Leupold scopes and see how the Howa rifles like the new load. Get the elevation set for the dials and then start tweaking.

And it wouldn’t be a day at the range without shooting a .308. New Nosler 165 grain E-tip loads seem to be working just fine in the new Howa H-S Precision stock combo (22″ barrel). After a sub MOA group on the target, we move to the fun of banging gongs at 400 meters, the far end of what Randy allows for his hunting range.

Mostly it’s about having fun. Using calm days of good weather to get your zero, then start tweaking your form and your setup over the course of summer.

Nothing like the smell of gun powder on a cool May morning.

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40 COMMENTS

  1. I guess I missed this when it got posted. Hope you could do a video with Leupold on choosing the correct temperature, elevation and other parameters for selecting a good zero condition for your CDS dial when you hunt multiple season in the spring, fall and at different elevations. How much does the temperature and elevation affect your impact position? I understand that it changes depending on what caliber your shooting. I just hope I can shoot my 257 Weatherby for Fall black bear up in the mountains and mule deer out in the sage brush of Washington state. Any good apps to make conversions for weather and elevation differences so I could have a dope chart for each or find a middle ground zero that will be close enough for both?

  2. Ahhh Range therapy its good for the soul. Just one quick Leupold question for you. What is your crews consensus on the VariX5 3 x 15? It seams to me like the best bang for your buck all around scope with great glass dial ability and does not weigh 2 tons. Good luck on the bear hunts.

  3. I agree with you Randy, but even with all the long range training available today I still won't shoot anything past 14,000 yards. The advantage to shooting at longer ranges is that I can sit down and have a little lunch while i wait for the bullet to get there, or have a small coffee or if things are really bad go to town and answer the call of nature all while resting assured that my $60,001.99 ballistic calculator just won't steer me wrong. And since my guns all shoot at .0001 MOA, it's just impossible to miss at anything under 10,000 yards. Oh yeah, I only do head shots so I can save all the meat. Well most of it anyway, some of it spoils by the time I get there. The only thing that gets me is the price of this new copper ammo, I mean I buy a new off road truck outfit it with sat phones, gps, gear, gear and more gear and emergency rescue service, buy my out of state tags, pay for food and a place to sleep and then somebody comes along and tells me I have to use these new copper bullets that just cost too much. Makes me think shooting ain't worth it.

  4. Whats your experience with Howa and 30-06? I would like one but my cousin said he had a bad experience with his. Heā€™s hunted just about his entire life so Im thinking he isnt lying.

  5. The best times at the range are when there is no agenda, no concerns with others' wants/needs/schedules/plans… and you can just settle in and dial your gear and yourself in. My favorite is shooting my old school smoke poles. You get to settle into a rhythm, not heated barrel, relaxation and fun.

  6. Randy. Not to far off topic but after a season with the new Leupold Santiam spotter. Whatā€™s your opinion on it. Howā€™d it perform and is that one that youā€™d recommend? Currently Iā€™m torn between it and the vortex razor.

  7. It's so funny how Randy can't say always. He alllllways says ow-ways. Maybe it's an example of how, "you can take the boy out of Minnesota, but you can't take Minnesota out of the boy".

  8. I would like to see you do the 300 win mag and it looked like you were consistently on the right side of the gongs You should paint them before you shoot the gongs to see in it is tending toward one side or the other. and if it is consistently going higher or lower as you go out further. I would like to see the 300 from start to finish and the other two the same way it was to quick of a video. put some details in it as a lot of people are trying to get their rifle where it can do this type of shooting. do a video for each rifle.

  9. Randy what round would you recommend for someone who is wanting to get into elk hunting. I only have a marlin lever action 30-30 for a deer setup that I never use because I donā€™t really deer hunt. I would love to hear what your thoughts are on a good all around elk round.

  10. Been enjoying the M&M turkey hunting and cooking videos, but it is nice to see you get back out there as well after a long winter/tax season, etc… Good luck this spring bear season to you and your crew. My youngest bro recently bought two Leupold scopes one a VX-Freedom 4-12×40 for his .270 and a VX-3i 4.5-14×40 CDS for his 7mm Rem Mag. He is trying to either develop a handload or find the right factory load for his 7 Mag before sending his turret out for Leupold to customize it for him. He is planning on doing an OTC mule deer hunt in Idaho, so we are hopeful he will get in "DIALED" in before early October.
    On another note, looking forward to the Randy Newberg special edition package with Howa and a Leupold scope in 7mm-08, .308, .300 Win Mag and maybe a few other calibers to become available later this year.

  11. that lead sled is destroying your accuracy….your gun needs to recoil…even shooting of a tripod vs bag will affect accuracy…try shooting off bags that allows the gun to recoil straight back and watch your groups shrink!!

  12. Get rid of the lead sled and get an actual front rest and rear bag setup Randy. Your POI will change from not letting the rifle recoil in a lead sled vs letting the rifle naturally recoil.

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