Learning about ballistics

[Freightliner45]

a few weeks ago I got a Howa 1500 30-06 used, and have been shooting with it a few times, including today. I was able to get comfortable enough to know that while shooting at 75 yards it was shooting good, just about 2 inches high. By aiming low I was able to hit a bullseye. I've been reading articles about ballistics and have a basic understanding of the bullet's flight patch with respect to the LIne Of Sight.

Because my rifle shoots a tad high at 75 yards, is that because it's dialed in for 100+ yards ?

Where could you reccomend a newbie to look for knowledge regarding ballistics and things? My goal is to become comfortable enough with this rifle to coyote hunt with

If you want any more info ask me

 

[venomballistics]

for your purposes, your best course of action is to shoot at various ranges and figure it out.

option B might be ballistics software, providing you know your actual B.C. and velocity.

Option C ... same as above but also add working knowledge of Mayevski's function to calculate the bullets retardation and time of flight, and bend your remaining uncooked brain cells with functions surrounding acceleration due to gravity (32 FPS per sec) along with finding your max ordinate.

at the end of the day ... you'er at option A to confirm and refine anyhow so cut to the chase and go with it, and have fun.

 

[Bill Bates]

It depends a little on what you want to shoot with your .30-06 rifle. I shoot a .243 Win. at western mule deer. Ranges often stretch out to 3 or too yards. I sight my rifle so it is zeroed at 250 yards. That means at 100 yards it is about 3 inches high; zero at 250 yards and about 4 inches low at 300 yards. Pretty much I can hold dead on out to 300 yards and not worry about bullet drop. Past 300 yards I need to add a little elevation because by 400 yards the bullet drops another 11 or 12 inches.

So how high and at what range you zero your gun depends on the intended purpose and the cartridge.

There are a number of good ballistic charts out there on the ol' inter web.

 

[shouldazagged]

If the rifle wears a scope (you didn''t say), you can zero it at any range you prefer.

Some iron sights are very adjustable and some are less so. What sights does your .30-06 have?

 

[Snapping Twig]

1 ~ 1.5" high at 100 yards is point blank aim up to 150 yards more or less.

You'll be dead on at 25 yards and again just over 100 yard. The bullet swings upward in an arc and drops back, so sighting in the scope as described should be a good start.

If you were to take a bare bullet and a loaded round and simultaneously shot the round and dropped the bullet from the same height, both would hit the ground at the same time - refer to Sir Isac Newton.

This is why a scope or sights make you actually point the barrel UP at the muzzle from horizontal and the fired bullet travels in an arc to the target.

 

[Freightliner45]

If the rifle wears a scope (you didn''t say), you can zero it at any range you prefer.

Some iron sights are very adjustable and some are less so. What sights does your .30-06 have?

I've got a tasco, and I'm shooting yotes around 75 yards, jacks even closer. A 30-06 may be overkill for the situation

 

[Rastoff]

I've got a tasco, and I'm shooting yotes around 75 yards, jacks even closer. A 30-06 may be overkill for the situation

Yes, definitely overkill. But, it's your gun.

There are hundreds of places to learn about bullet trajectory on the internet. Just Google "30-06 trajectory" and start reading. There is a forum called, "Sniper's Hide" and it's full of long range shooters.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

Since you're using a .30-06, and it's summer, I take it you're not to concerned with pelt damage. Therefore shot placement is not super critical. I'd do like Bill Bates said and zero for a long range, like 250 yds, and forget about it. Anything out to 300 yds just hold dead-on center of mass. This is what's known as the "point blank range". The high at the mid point will still be low enough to score a hit, and any hit will kill the coyote (the cartridge was designed to kill horses at 800 yds). Further than 300 yds, put the cross hairs across the coyote's back. That will take into account 5 or 7 inches of drop. Further than that is probably to far to shoot anyway.

 

[Freightliner45]

Since you're using a .30-06, and it's summer, I take it you're not to concerned with pelt damage. Therefore shot placement is not super critical. I'd do like Bill Bates said and zero for a long range, like 250 yds, and forget about it. Anything out to 300 yds just hold dead-on center of mass. This is what's known as the "point blank range". The high at the mid point will still be low enough to score a hit, and any hit will kill the coyote (the cartridge was designed to kill horses at 800 yds). Further than 300 yds, put the cross hairs across the coyote's back. That will take into account 5 or 7 inches of drop. Further than that is probably to far to shoot anyway.

If I zero for 250, and put my crosshairs on a yote much closer than that, will the rise/drop of the bullet be insignificant enough for me to score a hit

 

[DWalt]

If you are really interested in the exterior ballistics calculation, you just cannot do any better than run the numbers from here: JBM - Calculations - Trajectory Some of the ammunition and bullet manufacturers also have software on their websites to calculate a range table.

Note that every loading and every different bullet will give you a different trajectory range table. In general, the term "Point Blank Range" means the distance at which a zero is made which will result in a hit within the target area over a certain target distance, For example, a zero at 75 yards may result in a hit inside a 5" diameter circle at any distance between 25 yards and 200 yards without holding over or under. That is usually plenty good enough for most larger game hunting.

 

[ralph7]

Too bad they don't make the "accelerator" rounds anymore, at least not to my knowledge.
That was an ultra light weight bullet (think 110 grains) with a sabot that would turn that '06 into a flat shooting varmint gun.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

All the ammunition catalogs have tables on the bullet flight. These are crude and not to accurate for an individual's rifle. Hornady.com has a free ballistic calculator. You need to fill in the blanks so you need info on the bullet (weight and ballistic co-effient- any similar bullet data will work for rough idea), the velocity- can get out of on line catalog, and some on the weather temperature approx and wind speed if you wish. You can print out your own table of trajectory and wind drift to take to the field. The better data input the more precise info you get. I won a 500 yard shoot using that program, on a gun I never shot over 200 yards before that day. You also need to KNOW the distance you are zeroed at (DO NOT GUESS!) Use a range finder or measure the distance, it is best in even 100 yard increments.

Have fun! Ivan

 

[LittleCooner]

I have been doing what Bill Bates suggested with all my centerfire guns for decades. Dead on hold for anything within reason (that 300 yards or less), then if it looks a long way away (400 yards, hey that close to a quarter mile) put it on the top of the back and pull the trigger.

Remember, before you get all that engrossed in a trajectory chart of how high your are at 200 yards of 1.8 inch or 2.2 inches, etc. remember, accuracy is measured in MOA, minutes of angle. If you are a new shooter, shooting only factory ammo. I would guess you gun would land in the 3/4 MOA to 1 MOA capacity. At 300 yards, 1 MOA is 3 inches. It takes a lot of prep on ammo, rifle and shooter to keep your shots all under 3 inches at 300 yards.

Bottom line, sight the gun in for 2 to 2-1/2 inches high at 100 yards, then aim a couple of inches low for the 50-250 yard shots and aim dead on for the rest. That will take a lot of game.

If you will post the weight and exact brand and type of bullet you are shooting, I will use this ballistic app on my smartphone and post your trajectory you seek. You have the best of everything with that 2" high at 75 yards.

 

[vonn]

Good info here,set your zero and then just shoot A LOT. Not only will practice make you a better shot but it will show you where your bullet will go at that range,the only way you can know where your gun will hit for sure. Besides it is a lot of fun!

 

[quneur]

Pick a good distance to zero in on, say 100 yards or whatever range you normally shoot game. Shoot it again using the same field ammo at 50 yards and again at 150 yards. It will let you get a feel for the ballistics of that particular ammo and rifle.

Different propellants, bullet shape and weight will have a slightly different ballistic characteristics. Simply put, a heavier, flatter nose, slow burning propellant will drop quicker than a pointed boat tail lighter bullet. Think of an athlete throwing a javelin made of wood and the same athlete throwing a steel post. You sacrifice hitting power vs distance and vise versa.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Give or take... if your rifle is shooting 2in high at 75yds the zero is around 25/200yds figuring that your scope centerline is about 1.5in above bore.

To get more familiar with ballistics I'd suggest using this ballistics calculator.

Select your ammo
Click on advanced options
Enter zero range
Enter sight over bore
Enter distance to show (that's how far in yards you want the data to display)
Enter distance step (that's the increments for each data point, like each 10, 25 or 50yd steps)

Do it a few times with different zeros and it will soon take the mystery out of it.

Ballistic Calculator GunData.org

 

[steelslaver]

Short ballistic lesson to get you started.

If you fire a bullet from a level barrel it will immediately start to drop when it leaves the barrel due to gravity. No matter the shape, weight or velocity if fired over level ground it will hit the ground in exactly the same time as a bullet simply dropped from the elevation of the muzzle.

A faster bullet will go farther before striking the ground.

Trajectories are figured out over level ground and for ranges the barrel is slightly elevated.

Things that effect trajectory.
Velocity-the faster the bullet the farther it travels as it drops

Ballistic coefficient-a factor of the bullets weight length and shape that rates its ability to move through the air and retain its velocity. A longer heavier bullet with a pointed profile will have a better coefficient than a shorter lighter bullet of the same caliber. Around ball is near zero and some 750 gr 50 caliber bullets are near 1. 30-06 examples a 110gr spire point about .256, a 150 grain spire .359, a 165 spire about .382 and a 168 gr boat tail about .550, a 180 grain round nose.228 and a 190 gr boat tail hollow point .610

So, a combination that gives you good velocity with a good ballistic coefficient will give the better trajectories. A light bullet might leave the muzzle with more velocity, but it will shed that velocity faster than a heavier bullet with a better ballistic coefficient and have a worse long range trajectory. 30-06 a 110 grain spire zeroed at 300 yds vs a 168 gr boat tail. 110 MV 3400 fps, 168gr 2900 fps 100 yds 110 is 2.8" high, 168 is 4" high at 200 yds the 100 gr is 3" high and the 168 is 4.8" high both are dead on at 300 but at 400 yds the 110 is 111.1 low while the 168 is 10.8" low (the ballistic coefficient is no working well in its favor) at 500 yds it really shows with the 110 dropping 31.3" and the 168gr 29". Also the 110 has 698 ft# of energy and the 168 has 1638 ft#.

The 110 shoots flatter out to 300 yds and would be a clear winner for coyotes to 300 yds, but would have only 1269 ft# poor penetration and be poor on deer while the 168 would have 2142 ft# and with about twice the energy be very effective on deer.

Knowing the ballistics for your rifle and round is necessary to become a proficient long range shot. That and learning to be good at range estimation. I hear people state they are going to sell their 30-06 and get a 300WM so they can kill game at longer ranges. Yet without knowing the ballistics and being able to estimate ranges a 300WM only has maybe a 50yd advantage over a 06. If I am shooting an 06 with 180 gr spires at 2800 fps zeroed at 300yds I am 4.6 high at 100yds, 5.4" at 200yds dead on at 300yds and 12.4" low at 400yds. So I need to know I am going to hold a bit low at 100 and 200 and high considerably high at 400yds. By holding slightly high or low center of mass on the chest cavity of a deer I should be effective to about 350 yds if I estimate range fairly well. With a 300WM and the same bullet and zero I will be 3.5 high at 100yds, 4.3"at 200yds and 10" low at 400yds. Notice that till 300yds the bullet trajectory is with in an 1" of the 06 and I only gained 2.4" at 400. Not much improvement unless I know my ballistics and how to estimate range.

I shoot a little Remington 600 in 308 and load it with 168 grain spires. The 18" barrel cuts my velocity to about 2600 fps. I sight it in at 200yds and am 2.4 high at 100 and 10" low at 300. It is 29.4 low at 400. Yet I have made a 1 shot kill on a mule deer buck at 350 by holding over his back about 12". I figure that 350 yds is max for me with that rifle.
My 338WM is sighted in with 225gr at 400yds. This means I am about 7" high at 100, 11" at 200, 9" at 300 and 17" low at 500. I hold at bottom of chest till over 300yds and after 400 hold high, at 600 I would need to hold around 30" over an elks back to make a killing shot. Won't happen because I can not estimate the range accurately enough to make the correct hold over. It drops so fast after 400 yds that a even a 25 yd miss in range estimation would mean a miss or a cripple. Our range has a 600 yd gong and I can hit it regularly off a bench with my 338WM, but in the field I will not have a bench (I do carry a shooting stick) but worse without a range finder I won't be able to say if it is 550yds or 625. With that gun I figure 500yds is my limit.

 

[H Richard]

Check out the back of most all reloading manuals. Usually there is a comprehensive listing of their loads and trajectory charts for every velocity and bullet weight.

 

[4barrel]

Like H RICHARD said. I use a Nosler manual. Bullet weight speed drift & drop for most popular calibers out to 500 yards. The lower mounted scope will be better on the 06. I use a higher mount on my 30x30 so it will hit the same at 100 &200 yards. You can get different yardage target knobs for elevation at long distances. A good scope with different yardage adjustments inside the scope works well also. Like a built in range finder.

 

[DWalt]

"accuracy is measured in MOA"

Accuracy is measured in whether you hit the target or not. Precision is measured in MOA, i.e., how small a group size is. Big, big difference.