Help with cheat sheets

[lodgepoleJoe]

Hi all,
I've always been an iron sights guy but as my eyes get older I'm trying to get used to using a scope. My question is on building cheat sheets, how much difference does elevation and temp make. Those are actually kinda hard to pin down since they can change during a hunt, so looking for a general idea. How much difference would it make at say 200 yds. Can you just take an average within say 1000 ft for elevation. Our elk season last year started at about 60 degrees and the last 3 days was 4 below so that would be a large spread to average. Maybe I'm just overthinking this but all the ballistic calculators ask for this info.
Thanks

 

[Deleted member 16014]

The short answer is at 200 yds it matters basically none.

 

[Don Fischer]

Simple problem to address. What cartridge is the rifle? Simply sight it in for say an 8" target and go for it. Very likely your gonna end up with something you can just hold dead on for closer to 300yds than 200! With most cartridge's I've done it with, max generally come's out 275 yds or so. Bullet will never be more than 4" high and at max range will be 4" low!

 

[lodgepoleJoe]

I'm shooting 308 with 165 Nosler accubond and figure max effective range about 400 yds. I live and hunt local at about 5000 ft and wondering what the difference might be at say 8000 to 10000 in Colorado.. Thanks for the help

 

[Don Fischer]

Looking for an effective range at 400yds, I doubt you'll find many cartridge that will do that if any. With a 308 you want to shoot to 400yds, your gonna have to compensate by raising the reticule. Yea, the cheat sheet. I did that with a rifle just for target shooting. You need to know the true velocity f the cartridge in your rifle, the BC of the bullet and be able to run the data to get drop at the different ranges. I used my Pact Chronograph, it has a program in it to figure that stuff out. Then verify the data byt shooting against it at different ranges where to sight's need raised. Next once I had the data, I covered it with plastic film and taped it to the rifle stock. I think shooting at long range like that your far ahead of the game to have a scope that adjust's well that you can adjust and when done return to zero. I can actually do that with a couple 2-7's I have. Don'tknowhow well 7xmight work at 400yds though I expect it might. I was shooting target's to 500yds and had a 4 1/2x14 scope. Never used more than 8x! Could have done that with a decent 3-9x scope! All my hunting rifle's are zero'ed for MPBR at some size target and in big game I limit myself to 300yds shot's. That 300 yd shot I've only done once, not because I needed to but just to say I did it, on a deer. I've shot my 30-06 to 300yds with success at target's of opportunity, plinking. It has a 2 3/4x scope on it.

 

[FLS]

Download one of the ballistic apps and you can play with your atmospherics and see how it effects your trajectory. They are only as good as the info you input and you will need an accurate muzzle velocity or it’s just a guess. As said above it won’t be enough to worry about.

 

[std7mag]

lodgepoleJoe,

I'd highly recommend getting a ballistic app for your phone, and playing with it.
I use Strelok Pro, and love it.
First round hits on targets out to 1,000 yards. When I say hits, I mean 1 MOA or within about 10" at 1,000 yards.
Takes all manor of variables into account.
And you can set it up at home, or if you travel, update your weather/elevation.

 

[lodgepoleJoe]

Thanks I'll give that a try...

 

[VikingsGuy]

Play around with jbmballistics free web calculator and you will get a sense of how variables effect your ballistics. There is a $ iphone app based on it also, Ballistics AE.