I AM VERY NEW TO RELOADING AND I HAVE BEEN TESTING MY LOADS AT 50 YDS W/280 REM. IS THIS TO CLOSE TO SEE WHAT THE LOAD WILL DO. SO FAR MOST SEEM REAL GOOD. BUT IT IS ONLY 50 YDS. I PLAN ON TAKING THE BEST AT 50 AND THEN GOING BACK TO 100 THEN MAYBE 200. I ONLY HUNT WHITETAILS IN NC AND SC. BUT SOMETIMES HUNT CLEARCUTS THAT GIVE LONG SHOTS. ALTHOUGH I DONT THINK THAT I WOULD SHOOT AT ADEER OVER SAY 200 YDS OUT OF A TREESTAND. WHAT DO YOU THINK AM I WASTING ROUNDS AT 50 YDS? MAJORITY OF THE DEER THAT I KILL ARE UNDER 100 YDS.

Swampfoot,

Push down on that shift key and your computer will go back to the lower case.

Most of us test high power rifles at 100 yards. If someone were to say they got a 1" group I would assume it was at 100 yds.

100 yards has been a kind of "standard" for many years. I test at 100, then usually recheck with a couple of rounds at the zero range of 250 or 300 just to make sure nothing is awry.

I don't think you'll learn too much shooting a modern scoped bolt action at 50. 50 yards is more appropriate for rimfires or something like a "cowboy" style carbine.

SWAMPFOOT,
Usually most of use shoot at 100 yards. Fifty yards is too close to be able to see the difference in good loads. Shooting at fifty yards to eliminate poor loads is not a bad idea but may require an unnecessary expenditure of components.
Shooting at longer ranges is a good way to verify trajectory once you have a final load. The problem with shooting at the longer ranges is that it also compounds our wobble. I hope that this is of some help. Good luck.

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BigBob

As with most, I do the initial work-up at 100. Then I go to 200 with the most promising, and that really separates the wheat from the chaff. 300 yards is a long way out, and usually, what works at 200, works at 300. FWIW, Dutch.

I use a 100yd range since that's what I have. Then I use a "book value" to set my scope for dead on at 300yards. Then I go over to my bro in law's house (he can go out to 700yds) and check my scope setting against reality. I find that what the books say and what my rifles do is two different things. I'll be on the target but not close enough to suit me. You can match the books in powder charge, case, velocity, etc but the only way to tell what YOUR rifle is going to do at extended ranges is to shoot it.

Yes shoot them if you can at the farthest you think you well be shooting. I have 700 yd range wish it was longer.

P Dog, jeez, you don't shoot MK's at that distance do you? have you no respect for the sacred, majestic paper target

rogerinneb, I about fell out of my chair laughing.

rogerinneb no MK's work way to well on game to waste on mere paper targets.

are you trying to tell me that i shouldn't be using a hunting round to shoot paper if it works well? but if it works well, i can't use it be cause that's not what it was designed for? thing i'll start a new topic with this, may people may feel this way too.

nated

Nated I do not think it well make the 15 pages that the MK's did.