Please excuse the newbie or greenhorn....

After reading the 1000 yd posts it raised some questions in my mind.

I took a quick look at some ballistics out to 1000 yds for a .308 and .270.  I deduced quickly that the 1000yd range is for handloaders only.  Some factory rounds I checked will drop 15 feet at that range. 

So here's my question.  In everyones individual opinion, what is the best combination for the 1000yd varmiter?  Gun?  Caliber?  Optics? Load?

Really I'm trying to find out if my .270 Vanguard is capable or can be made capable of even hitting the paper at such range.  1000 yds isn't something I'd do often, but sure would like to at least try it.

Tee

1000 yards is both simple and extraordinarily complex at the same time. you can see that far. 1000 yards = 3000 feet, or a little over a half mile. simply seeing that far is easy. seeing your target board is do-able, too, even w/ a 3-9 scope. however, distinguishing your spot or specific target is hard to do w/ anything under 10x (and personally, i like a minimum of 18x... but, there are black powder shooters who do it open sighted and w/ 'primitive' guns and loads).

so, teebogr, here's how i suggest you go about this process w/ factory loads and what is essentially a deer-hunting scope (if you have more scope available to you, then all the better, especially if it has turrets on it). first, mark your elevation and windage adjustments on your scope now so you can get relatively close to your zero when you are done. set your target out at 250 yards, and shoot your group. re-zero your scope so you are dead-on at 250. then, back it out to 400 yards, and re-zero to dead on at 400. most modern rifles (270, 308, etc) are flat shooting enough that you can still at least be on paper at 400 w/ a 250 yard zero. after 400, most cartridges are like falling off a table: they really drop!

ok, from 400, back off to 500, then 600, then 700, then 750, then 800, then 850, then 900, then 950, then 1000. you'll have to re-zero your scope w/ every increase. also, w/ standard cartridges, those ranges will keep you on paper for the next range. there's nothing as frustrating as shooting a group, and then not even being on paper, regardless of range because you have no idea where the bullets went. (btw, if this is your first time shooting long, this process may take you several weeks, even months, depending on how often you can shoot, and how many shots per day you can handle).

when zeroing your scope at the further yardages, remember fewer clicks raises poi more. eg, if you have a 1/4"/click at 100, then each click is 1/2" at 200, 3/4" at 300, 1" at 400, etc.

one thing is for sure: you will certainly understand trajectory by the time you are done! you will also see firsthand how and why a gun that shoots .5" at 100 may not make 6" at 200, and it is possible to have a gun shoot 1" at 100, and still make 1" at 200 - but that's another topic for another day! also, keep in mind that wind is brutal once you get past 400 yards or so...

to make 1000 yards w/ a factory gun shooting factory loads, start by getting as many boxes of matching lot# ammo as you can afford. the further out you go, the bigger minor variations become. i'd reccomend black hills ammo, federal gold medal match, and hornady light magnums in that order. also, due to the amount of shooting you'll have to do w/ sporter weight guns, you'll probably really appreciate using the 308 over the 270 - though either will work. last thing is bullet weight... unless you handload, getting some bullets accurately to 1000 yards is hard because they go thru the transonic range (where a bullet will become unstable). this transonic range kicked my ass for over a year w/ my 308 w/ 168's. so, in factory ammo, a 165-168 bullet may pull it off, but you're safer bet is 175's. can't help ya on the 270.

i think your 270 is probably capable. i think our own military snipers pull it off to over 1000 yards w/ a 10x scope.  go out and try it. shooting long really is fun, and whether or not you even enter the contest, it is a riot to send a bullet out a few hundred yards, and after you recover from the initial blast, listen to the bullet whizzing out to the target, then a little bit later hear the 'thwack' of the target board being punched... this post has gotten long enough...

Just some thoughts Teeborg.  What Dakotasin suggest is a great way to start.  I suspect you will find your own maximum range before you  get to 1000 yds.  It will also give you some time to learn about reading the wind as you go.

If you are using a hunting scope you will probably find that you will run out of elevation adjustments before you get there.  You might want to start with a rear shim under the mount before you start walking that gun to 1000 yds.  If you run out of adjustments in the middle (say 700 ) you will need to start over to get it back to the 700 yds zero.

Also keep a diary of how many clicks up to go from each 50 yard increment.  Make a paper chart of these and you can then rezero pretty close.  If you are sighted-in for 100 yds you will need to correct for a 900 yd 'dog, your chart has that info instantly available.

There is still a lot of luck making a 100 yds shot (even a 500 yds shot).  If you have a gun that will group 5 shots within 1 inch at 100 yds; that translates into a 10 inch circle at 1000 yds WITHOUT WIND EFFECTS.  That is about 3 dogs in area; so with 3 perfect holds you would expect to hit one dog.  Ad wind and it gets worse quick.

1000 yards is a nice number, but there is a lot of personal satisfaction shooting a critter at 500 yds too.  A range at which that "luck factor" can be reduced to zero...all skill.

BEAR  

Very well said Nellingford.  You have such a way with words

BEAR

Rob,

 It truly is a feat of marksmanship and practice to land the first round on a pdog mound, or even any place on a 36 inch square paper at 1000 yards. Exactly where it lands don't mean much.

The man who dreamed up a 36 inch square target for 1000 yards was wise to say right up front he isn't going to try it himself.

Payne Nellingford Diaz

Good information all.  Thank you.  I'm looking forward to some long range shooting, dunno if I'll make it to 1000, but I'll definitely enjoy the trip. 

Kingpin, "this HAS to be the first time I ever cursed flat land for ANYTHING"  They don't call the town I live in Levelland for nothin.  From the top of a 6 foot step ladder you can see 10-15 miles. 

Good news is that a friend of mine is retired from the county sherrifs' office and still has access to their 400 yd rifle range.  For the longer stuff I'll hit up my farmer friends...

Thanks again all.  Especially Dakotasin and Bear, great info there guys.

King;

C'mon out!  You can help design my 1000 yard range at the ranch.

900F

For the hell of it I took my 270 Sendero to the range on Saturday and shot it in the F Open class at 900 yards.I made up a load of 135 grain Sirria MK;s and proceeded to win the day with a very low score.(I ain't saying how bad but everyone else was worst.)Wind was pretty horrific but the 270 did hold it's own against 260's 308's and a couple of 6.5's.

I much prefer other calibers for this distance but this hunting rifle held a 1 1/4moa group at 900 and that ain't too bad.

Macca