I don't see where heavy cal. are any different then light calibers. Its about knowing the drop and drift at different ranges and wind speed.
What IS more critical is rifle cant. Cant is more of a concern with rounds with a "rain bow" trajectory.
For this reason, long range shooters have a spirit level on their rifles or sights to keep the rifle level.
My wife use to do quite well with her 243, then one day, all of a sudden she started having problems. I didn't say a word (I like to eat and she is a good cook). But when we got home I put a spirit level on her scope.
At the next range session she notices the level and says "whats this" I told her to just make sure the bubble shows level before she shot. A WHOLE WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. She eliminated her problem. Now she's got a spirit level on all her guns.
She doesn't shoot heavy big bore bullets, but on her light 243s and 6.5 CMs it makes a difference.
Its much more critical in using, for example, a BPCR (Black Powder Cartridge Rifle).
Come up with a Ballistic Chart for every rifle/cartridge you shoot and take it with you.
On my son's recent elk trip he carried his RPR, which is quite heavy so he took my Model 70 375 as a "run through the woods rifle"
He was hunting with a co-worker who was having problems with his rifle. They spotted an nice bull and ranged it at 380 yards, up hill. My son had a ballistic program for the 375 on his phone. They used the program to adjust for elevation, and a cranked a bit of wind. The big slug broke both shoulders and the bull rolled down hill making it easier to get through.
Granted the 375 H&H is a bad example, as it's heavy bullet have the trajectory almost like the 30-06 using 180 gr bullets, but the principal is the same.
All it takes is knowing the trajectory, and knowing the range, and twisting the little knobs. Avoiding the cant and most of all PRACTICE.
If you are serious about Long Range Hunting, (regardless how heavy and slow the bullet), Check out the G7 BL-2 Range Finder. Just plug in the ballistic data in the Range Finder (up to 5 different calibers) and go, it will automatically and instantly account for altitude, temp. Humidity, angle and then give you the adjustments. It will also give you the wind corrections at 5 mph increments from 5-50 mph.
It's pricy, but well worth it in my opinion.
What IS more critical is rifle cant. Cant is more of a concern with rounds with a "rain bow" trajectory.
For this reason, long range shooters have a spirit level on their rifles or sights to keep the rifle level.
My wife use to do quite well with her 243, then one day, all of a sudden she started having problems. I didn't say a word (I like to eat and she is a good cook). But when we got home I put a spirit level on her scope.
At the next range session she notices the level and says "whats this" I told her to just make sure the bubble shows level before she shot. A WHOLE WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. She eliminated her problem. Now she's got a spirit level on all her guns.
She doesn't shoot heavy big bore bullets, but on her light 243s and 6.5 CMs it makes a difference.
Its much more critical in using, for example, a BPCR (Black Powder Cartridge Rifle).
Come up with a Ballistic Chart for every rifle/cartridge you shoot and take it with you.
On my son's recent elk trip he carried his RPR, which is quite heavy so he took my Model 70 375 as a "run through the woods rifle"
He was hunting with a co-worker who was having problems with his rifle. They spotted an nice bull and ranged it at 380 yards, up hill. My son had a ballistic program for the 375 on his phone. They used the program to adjust for elevation, and a cranked a bit of wind. The big slug broke both shoulders and the bull rolled down hill making it easier to get through.
Granted the 375 H&H is a bad example, as it's heavy bullet have the trajectory almost like the 30-06 using 180 gr bullets, but the principal is the same.
All it takes is knowing the trajectory, and knowing the range, and twisting the little knobs. Avoiding the cant and most of all PRACTICE.
If you are serious about Long Range Hunting, (regardless how heavy and slow the bullet), Check out the G7 BL-2 Range Finder. Just plug in the ballistic data in the Range Finder (up to 5 different calibers) and go, it will automatically and instantly account for altitude, temp. Humidity, angle and then give you the adjustments. It will also give you the wind corrections at 5 mph increments from 5-50 mph.
It's pricy, but well worth it in my opinion.