PSA - Bullet drop on the new rifles

[DarkFalz]

One thing I think many of you may have noticed by now is that the new rifles have pretty significant bullet drop. But just how significant is it? I took them to the Hirschfelden range for some testing against some of the more established guns and the results were pretty shocking.

For this test, the target is 300 meters away and all the rifles are zeroed for 150 meters. I didn't do any compensating for the bullet drop either, I just aimed straight for the bullseye. All rifles were given 5 shots.

Test #1 - Arzyna .300 Mag vs. Vallgarda .375

Arzyna .300 Mag results:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385115802https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385115802

Vallgarda .375 results:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385115917

Test #2 - FL Sporter .303 vs. Johansson .450

FL Sporter .303 results:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385116007

Johansson .450 results:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385116120

Test #3 - Zagan Varminter .22-250 vs Fors Elite .300

Zagan Varminter .22-250 results:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385116232

Fors Elite .300 results:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385116337

So yeah better get used to using the mil-dots on your scope if you intend to do any long distance shooting with these rifles.

[VictoriaHuntress]

Have you tried calibrating the drop at each target distance? Too bad the shooting range doesn't state the dimensions of the target circles, like x cm or y inches.

You'd have to take screen shots of the targets at each distance, and measure the diameters in pixels - that would give you the scale factor to convert pixels to linear dimensions, knowing the distance in meters or yards - presumably it would be linear, so if you fit a straight line to that data, the intercept (distance = 0) would tell you the actual size of the target. From there you'd be able to measure linear distances of bullet POIs on the target - screen shots of the target picture, because you'd be able to relate the apparent size of the target image to the actual size. In turn, that would let you calibrate the scope reticles. I'll bet that the calibration would only be accurate at the highest magnifications, though, since the scopes behave like Second Focal Plane designs.

[DarkFalz]

Originally posted by VictoriaHuntress:

Have you tried calibrating the drop at each target distance? Too bad the shooting range doesn't state the dimensions of the target circles, like x cm or y inches.

You'd have to take screen shots of the targets at each distance, and measure the diameters in pixels - that would give you the scale factor to convert pixels to linear dimensions, knowing the distance in meters or yards - presumably it would be linear, so if you fit a straight line to that data, the intercept (distance = 0) would tell you the actual size of the target. From there you'd be able to measure linear distances of bullet POIs on the target - screen shots of the target picture, because you'd be able to relate the apparent size of the target image to the actual size. In turn, that would let you calibrate the scope reticles. I'll bet that the calibration would only be accurate at the highest magnifications, though, since the scopes behave like Second Focal Plane designs.

I've done a bit more testing to try and calibrate it and here's what I've found. Bear in mind I'm using the Odin scope on all the rifles and I have the Mil Dot 02 reticle so this is what I'm seeing when I aim down the sight:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385167852

Anyway. both the Johannson and Vallgarda seem to have almost identical bullet drop characteristics. Even better with my setup if I have either of these two zeroed for 150 meters, the first mil-dot down on the scope hits dead on at 400 meters:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385172440

I also moved the target out to 500 meters and at that distance zeroed for 150 meters, I could hit the bullseye consistently if I aimed directly between the first and second mil-dots so safe to say that the second mil-dot down would be dead on at 600 meters:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385180071

This however was not true for the Fors Elite .300 which has even more significant bullet drop. At 400 meters when zeroed for 150 meters, I'm still hitting a bit low if I aim for the first mil-dot down:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3385172295

[Geronimo]

None of your pics show where you were holding the crosshair on target. What do u mean by mil dot?

When I'm testing at the range with the 300 canning I'm hitting bullseye deadon at 300 yards. At 350 I need to aim about halfway between the bullseye and where the black starts above.

[Findus]

Thanks for testing/posting @DarkFalz! 600m should probably read 500m (Edit: my bad, read that incorrectly. You were extrapolating to 600m)

@Geronimo: He aimed at the center and checked the drop (for the first pictures). Mil dots are the dots you see along the axes, allowing for measurements and giving a reference for aiming, e.g. holdover.

[hunterPRO1]

This is no surprise for anyone that is familiar with any of these calibers irl.

All of them heavy slow rounds.

[El Poto]

Am I crazy or the .375 was announced to have an effective range of 200 meter? Most rifle calibers are at 150.