Range report: VOD Tactical, Sig Kilo3000, Kestrel and Tikka

Tim

Checked Out
Staff member
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
Charter Life Member
Benefactor
Vendor
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Dec 17, 2016
Messages
16,369
Location
A Glass Cage of Emotion
Rating - 100%
85   0   0
TL/DR: The video sums it all up.

I worked all last weekend, am heading to Vermont next week for work...so I decided to play hooky today and get some much needed ballistic therapy. Perfectly awesome day.

First, let me say that I was really impressed with @VOD Tactical at our gathering a couple weeks ago and ended up joining Frank's range. He's just an awfully nice guy and it's clear he wants to make the best of his range. His attitude is awesome and the facility is going to be top notch. I'm glad to be in early.

I started off with about 200 rounds of pistol on the plate rack and dueling tree. It seems the only time I shoot my pistols is during a 3 Gun match, so the opportunity to practice was welcome. I got my 15yard plate rack (6plates) down to consistently ~4.8 seconds.

Then I headed over to the rifle range.

Last fall I sold off a perfectly good, tack driving Savage because it was right handed. I replaced it with a LH Tikka T3X Tac A1 in 6.5CM. Before today, I would have traded for that Savage I sold off in a heartbeat. Looks like I finally have a load figured out as of today and have really warmed up to this rifle. Definitely a smoother action than the Savage and I really like the chassis system and stock.

After getting dialed in with some factory ammo (Hornady American Gunner), I chrono'd the handload with my Magnetospeed. 2665fps with a 140gr Hornady ELD-M over Reloder 17.

Then the fun really started. A couple months back, I stumbled onto a smoking deal on a NIB Kestrel 5700 Advanced Ballistics . The Kestrel combines your iPhone ballistics app (Strelok, Ballistics ARC, etc) with a handheld weather station. So, as the Kestrel gathers wind, temp, humidity, altitude, etc, it's also running your ballistics calculations through Applied Ballistics Elite and telling you your MIL/MOA adjustments. Very handy to have for long range!

It's also Bluetooth enabled to link with other gear, such as....

The Sig Kilo3000 BDX laser range finder binoculars. Again, I caught these on sale recently, but they're still rather spendy. What you get is 10x42 binoculars with integrated laser range finder. Nice to consolidate a spotting scope and range finder into a single unit.

What's REALLY cool is that the binocs and the Kestrel talk to each other. So, you can spot a target, range it, the Kestrel calls the adjustment, and then displays the adjustment on the Kestrel AND in the display on the binoculars. (Note: you don't need a Kestrel per se...the binocs will do basic calculations using AB LITE out of the box).

So...what does all of this lengthy prelude lead up to?

1st shot hits at 400, 450 and 500 yards. Woot! Granted, we had very little wind today, so that helped.

All in all a perfect way to blow off a work day.

The 5.5" plate was 450 yards (same size plate at 400), the 10" plate was at 500.



8F7CB378-354D-4C81-A2BC-CA0E1CB56DE5.jpeg 66ADAF84-A06E-49D3-A259-DCFA5A335407.jpeg 27D5D6CD-0A46-48B5-A242-FC892645979C.jpeg 43793C96-B36B-4F39-9961-C0039392B827.jpeg A7C98796-0BBB-4DDF-8D1C-F453760B4238.jpeg
 
Last edited:
What tripod is that on the rifle?

Nice base.
 
Last edited:
Have you noticed much improvement with accuracy while using that? I shoot from a weapon mounted Harris bipod and TAB rear bag and see great accuracy.

Just wasn't sure if you're seeing much improvement.
 
Very nice.

GA Precision has a deal now where for the purchase of some optics the Kestrel is free.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Tim
Have you noticed much improvement with accuracy while using that? I shoot from a weapon mounted Harris bipod and TAB rear bag and see great accuracy.

Just wasn't sure if you're seeing much improvement.

Yesterday was my first real experience with the tripod. I was very pleased. I shot for groups on paper at 100 and 260 yards with good results. I think I'll be MORE pleased when I get a leveling base or ball head.

My experience with a bipod and shooting off the bench or prone has not been great. I seem to get a lot better results with a good front bag or a dedicated rest. That's for shooting groups from bench/prone; for field/position shooting I think the bipod is critical.
 
Last edited:
For my Sig SSG 3000, I plan on buying a swiveling Harris to replace my fixed position Harris bipod, as I can't guarantee that I'll always have a level shooting platform. I have one on my MR762 and it's very convenient.
 
For my Sig SSG 3000, I plan on buying a swiveling Harris to replace my fixed position Harris bipod, as I can't guarantee that I'll always have a level shooting platform. I have one on my MR762 and it's very convenient.


In one of the pics above you see a Harris swivel model sitting on a paving block. I played around with having one leg on the block and one on the bench yesterday to test out the 'unlevel' ground situation. It worked really well. I'd highly recommend the swivel lock modification: https://www.shortactionprecision.com/products/harris-swivel-bipod-locking-handle

note that my bipod also has an RRS rail adapter so it can slide fore/aft without being locked into a stud or Mlok position.
 
Last edited:
For my Sig SSG 3000, I plan on buying a swiveling Harris to replace my fixed position Harris bipod, as I can't guarantee that I'll always have a level shooting platform. I have one on my MR762 and it's very convenient.

I like the Magpul better than my Harris. I abused my Harris bipods and the legs always start getting hard to deploy, scraping on the inside of the frame, the springs start reverberating during shooting so I feel/hear them humming through the rifle. The Magpul can tilt and swivel with no noise
 
I'll have to check out the Magpul next time I'm near one.
 
Back
Top Bottom