Road_Clam - to try and answer your question. I consider "long range" anything over about 300 yards
This project is just something I am playing around with. I don't even have regular access to a range that has targets beyond 300 yards. Who knows when, or for that matter if I will ever shoot at the ranges this rifle is capable of, realistically 800-1,200 yards IMO.
What I wanted to build is a basic rifle that when or if opportunity presents itself to shoot out to 500-1,000 (+\-) yards I could. So while anything other than a regular scope base may be not needed for my purposes, I wanted to get a base capable of giving me the most elevation potential.
From everything I see the 15 MOA base was the way to go. And for those who may add up numbers and say something still does not seem correct, I can only say those were the results I got.
I am learning as I go along. Both about the build, and ballistics which will be running on a computer program, based off of my loads chronographed information.
If I am throwing anyone off with my verbiage I apologize.
FWIW - with the rifle sighted in "dead on" exactly at 100 yards, with Federal Gold Metal Match 168 grain ammo, my scope is exactly 29 "clicks" away from being bottomed out - or not being able to make any more downward adjustments. So where I wrote 12 clicks previously was wrong - At least now that I am using the 15 MOA base. With the 15 MOA base I have 29 clicks of downward adjustments left.
Again thanks for all the comments and input.
Rob