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Wind, wind, wind...that is the issue between different bullet weights/twist rates.
CatShooter, how bad are the winds on this egg-shooting range? I've lived back east in NJ and now live out west, I can tell you there's no comparison. What might work in mild breezes in CT would be blown into the next county out here.
I would never purposely buy a slow-twist rifle for western varmints.
Philip, if you shoot in very low wind conditions a slow twist/light bullet will do ok out to 400-500 yards or even more, but if the wind honks where you are, go with the long heavy high B.C. bullets.
Winds here can be light, to heavy - depending on the time of the year, the phase of the moon, and the mood of my Ex in court.
But I have shot a lot in SoDak and Texas, where if your truck has all four wheels on the ground, it is just a light breeze. My first three days in SoDak were a lesson in frustration... the next 18 days saw PD's droppin' at well over 700 yds to a .222 Mag (14" twist) bench gun on a regular basis
Some people think that a fast twist, and heavy bullet is a black and white panache for all shooting situations... not hardly. The heavy bullet thing is way over rated for a varmint rig, and here's why.
When you shoot a match, you put your kit on the firing line, where it IS, not where you wanna set up.
You shoot WHEN they tell you to shoot, not when you wanna shoot. So every little bit helps (but no guarantees).
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But if we can compare two rifles that are 6mmBR - one with a 14" twist and 65gr V-Max, and one with an 8" twist and 105 A-Max... both loaded to acceptable max velocities, in a 10 mph cross wind.
At 700 yds, the light bullet rig has drifted 56", and the heavy bullet rig has drifted 40"... BFD, a 29% difference - on any varmint, you missed both shots... not even close - and 10 mph wind is nothing in open plains country... drifts can easily be 120" at that range.
No one can judge wind accurately enough to make a correction before the shot, so the second shot is a hold off, and depending on your ability to judge holding off, you might or might not be able to make the second shot. It is a crap shoot!
The difference in elevation is ~1/2 moa - again, BFD.
Smart money says that anyone that fights the wind when they don't have to, is a dumb bunny.
For that slight edge (and it is a slight edge) of fast twists/heavy bullets, you pay a price of shorter barrel life, more expensive bullets, and fussier loading, cuz VLD's are not throat friendly...
For a serious match where I have no control over anything... the edge goes to heavy bullets, but it is just that, an edge, no guarantee.
But for a varmint rig, I would not even consider a fast twist/heavy bullet rig.
Shoot smart - don't think heavy bullets are the answer - they are not.
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