One mile range proposal

Via email from Jason comes this link to a proposal for a one mile range in central Washington State.


It sounds like they are talking greater than .30 caliber. My hottest loads with the highest BC bullets in my .300 Win Mag won’t meet the requirement of being supersonic at the target.


For those of you that want to run the numbers yourself assume range conditions of 400 feet above sea level and 75F.

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11 thoughts on “One mile range proposal

  1. Why would they require the bullet to still be supersonic once it reaches the target? I understand the other requirements. But that one is a bit puzzling.

  2. Interesting. That’s definitely not something you can encounter living a few miles from the ocean. I’m lucky to find a place with a 200 yard shooting station.

  3. Actually the elevation is around 750 feet at the 1000 yd range.

  4. Might have to modify the backstop also. The line where he mentions that bullets will be coming into the pits at a steeper angle makes me cringe. Instead of skipping up the backstop there is a real chance of them bouncing back into the target pulling area. I’ve seen this, real “intersting times”>

  5. Jason, physically that sounds right. But day-to-day variations in air pressure affect that. My notes from the last time I used the range showed an effective altitude of 400 feet.

    Using my .300 Win Mag with a temperature of 75F the altitude would have to be above 3500 feet before I could should one mile without going subsonic. Boost the temperature to 110F (not all that unusual for that range) and it would still have to be about 2000 feet before I could pass muster. It’s not going to happen…

    Now if you were to move the range to Dillon, CO (9000 feet) then I could pass muster at temperatures greater than about -25F. Even at Boomershoot altitudes a temperature of 90F would give me a chance of getting a supersonic bullet to a target one mile away.

  6. Berger’s best BC in 7 mm is .659 for a 180 VLD, whereas their best 30 cal is .617. Sierra’s .338 300 gr Match King has a BC of .768. Maybe you need a bigger rifle. I say you need a .416 Barrett. Yes. That will do it nicely.

  7. Lyle, they changed the .30 caliber 210 grain bullet BC again. When I first started using them they claim 0.640, then it was 0.631 and now it is 0.617. Hmmmm…

    Even going with the 7mm bullet I would need over 3100 fps at the muzzle at the suggested range location. What 7mm gun is going to deliver that kind of velocity with the required accuracy?

    I think a bigger rifle is called for.

  8. Joe,

    The 7mm WSM will hit 3100 fps, as will the 7mm RUM, (the RUM quite easily, the WSM with careful handloads), both shooting the 180 Bergers. It’s a bit of a stretch with the WSM. I shoot the 180 Bergers at 2950-3000 fps for F class, but that is simply because its the most accurate load I’ve found with the powders I’ve tried. Many people shooting the WSM’s claim that Reloder 17 will bump velocities by 200 fps easily in the 7mm WSM.

    That said, I think the mile needs a bit more. A .338 or .416. .338 Allen Mag, .416 Big Baer, .416 Barrett, .408 CheyTac, are all viable.

    The REAL question, is how to do it on a budget. The Barrett and CheyTac are astronomical!!

    Bill

  9. For now, I’d settle for a 1000 yard range within 50 miles of Moscow. My equipment doesn’t meet their requirements for the proposed mile range, but it sure is an interesting idea.

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