How many of pick your cartridges so the trajectories are similar, as in a 257Roberts 120gr for deer and similar sized game, 30-06 with 180gr for elk and similar size and then something like a 375H&H or whatever combination that would have similar trajectories?

I don't pick them that way on purpose but they just turn up that way.
Yes I have a 257 Roberts shooting 117 grain Sierras and a 30/06 shooting 180 grain Sierras and a 375 H$H and their trajectories are all very similar.
I also have a 6.5 Swede that fits right in there too.
One things for certain if I sight them in similar (2" high at 100 yards) I don't have to think much about where to hold out to at least 300 - 350 yards.
I also have them all set up with similar scopes (Leupolds)and have 3 position safeties on them all too. I think this makes me a better natural shot completely accustomed to my rifles without having to "think" about anything, all movements, adjustments, loading etc without giving it a thought.
This was something I never gave much thought to but they just turned out that way.

Another thing you can do is sight in @ 200 yds so that they have the roughly same amount of drop @ 300.. I usualy try to dial in @ 200 so they have about 6" of drop @ 300 yds. Ymmv.

actually if you look in a ballistics book you will find that most hi intensity rounds have similar trajectories.

i don't look at them this way..
but same BC and same vel usually equals about the same traj

quote:

Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:
Another thing you can do is sight in @ 200 yds so that they have the roughly same amount of drop @ 300.. I usualy try to dial in @ 200 so they have about 6" of drop @ 300 yds. Ymmv.

Like Wstrnhuntr, I sight most of my rifles just about the same (about +1.5-2" @ 100 yds). That naturally lands me with pretty similar trajectories for most common hunting distances (e.g. 0" @ 160 - 180 yds). In turn, that offers me trajectories closely rembling each other, and compensation at longer range which does not differ too much. Having to think less is good in a high pressure hunting situation.

- mike

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
actually if you look in a ballistics book you will find that most hi intensity rounds have similar trajectories.

This is true and as a matter of fact my "rule of thumb" is to load for 2-0-8-2-4

Many cartridges will surprise you that if done right you will be 2" high at 100 yards, dead on at 200, 8" low at three hundred, 2 (feet) low at 400 and 4 feet low at 500.

2-0-8-2-4 is easy to remember as the numbers are related it really fits a lot of big game cartridges regardless of caliber.....just find a bullet at about 2700-2800 FPS and it'll follow this path with surprising reliability.

One may have to modify a couple inches here and there but for the intended use it's a great rule to remember.

I reload my big game rifles to 2800-2950fps, in an effort to have very similar trajecoties. 2" high at 100yrds, and on big game I can hold the same at 300yrds no matter what gun I'm shooting.

I use either a .270 or .300 Win for pretty much 99% of all my hunting (I also have big bores for bears, etc). I have all my rifles set up the same way with same LOP and trigger pull. 130gr .270s and 180gr .300 both at 3000 fps. Ballistic twins- +3" for my travel rifles and dead on for my deer rifles.

All I need to do is sling one downrange to check my zero and it's like the same rifle.

Unfortunately my reloading room is gathering dust- I only pull the trigger once and X times the number of animals shot. I haven't had to reload in a couple-three years.

Scope manufacturers used this line of thinking when designing their ballsitic compensating reticles. It is surprising how many cartridges and loads will match up with similar trajectories. While they will not exactly match every caliber and bullet they can be relatively accurate. Nothing beats range time at actual shooting distances tho.

When I work up my loads, I try to keep this in mind. I like to be able to hold roughly the same with every rifle for shots out to 300yds. Just makes it that much easier on me to remember where to aim.

With my high octane rifles I use the ballistic recitals on them so I know to simply place the right dot for the appropriate range.

quote:

Originally posted by Mke / Tx:
When I work up my loads, I try to keep this in mind. I like to be able to hold roughly the same with every rifle for shots out to 300yds. Just makes it that much easier on me to remember where to aim.

With my high octane rifles I use the ballistic recitals on them so I know to simply place the right dot for the appropriate range.

I use "Quicktarget" software W/the actual, chronograph measured, Mv along W/the [ublished BC of the bullet I am using.

I then enter the MPBR value of 3" to determine the 100 yd zero.

Surprisingly, it is usually between 2 1/4" to 2 3/4" high @ 100yds for everything from a 140gr Interbond .284 bullet @ 3100 fps Mv to a 200 gr Nosler Partition .323 bullet @ 2700 fps Mv.

@ the maximum 3" low distance is where the difference comes in. Even @ the extreme instances above, that distance is less than 40 yds.

Basicly, on Whitetails, I hold for the vertical center of the rib cage on all of the shots I am likely to encounter. ( 50 to 300 yds)

A 250 Accubond in my 9.3x62 @ 2600 fps is very similar to a 180 gr 30-06 @ 2700 fps.

Alan