Practicing hitting (accurately) at the distance one is shooting at...
This is obvious, right?
Well, let us look at this a little closer, still from a practice perspective
As
shootist~ alludes to, aside from the cost perspective I previously mentioned, the .22-250 super flat shooting trajectory may be a little counterproductive for Safari practice shooting.
Why?
Because in Africa, you will likely shoot PG at random between 25 and 600 lbs., and at random between 50 and 300+ yards (maybe 400 yards if you are a really very experienced game shot). Some shoot longer, but it is rarely necessary and often results in wounded game that either cost them a wasted trophy fee, or a precious half-day of safari time, or most often: both
Between 25 and 600 lbs. at 50 to, say, 350 yards, most PG calibers will require to account one way of the other for trajectory drop.
The .223 is a good practice choice from this perspective too, because it too requires trajectory adjustment when you walk back and forth with the shooting sticks between 50 and 350 yards in order to take shots at all distances.
Which prompts the point regarding training: how to deal with range?
A few thoughts...
Regarding scopes, to simply SEE a 6" plate at 300 yards, the classic variable 1-6 (Europe) or 3-9 etc. (USA) can be a little challenging for aging eyes. Shooting at game that has a 6" vital zone is different, because the whole game itself, even something as small as Duiker, is considerably larger than the 6" vital area, and we know where the 6" vital area is in the game, so standard power variables are fine. Not so on plates, you generally need higher magnification... Do not scope that .223 (or .22-250) with too low magnification
Regarding trajectory drop, for generations folks sighted (and many still do) for the Maximum Point-Blank Range (MPBR), depending on the animal they hunted, repeat:
depending on the animal they hunted.
The concept of the MPBR is to aim at the center of the vital area, and let the shot land neither more, nor less, than half the vital area diameter, higher or lower than the point of aim at the center of the vital area.
For a small animal with a 6" vital area, aim at the center of the vital area, and let the shot land neither more, nor less, than 3" higher or lower than the point of aim at the center of the vital area.
But even with relatively flat shooting calibers, the MPBR 6" is relatively short. For example a .30-06 shooting a 180 gr bullet with a good ballistic coefficient (e.g. TTSX 0.484 G1BC) at 2,750 fps, has a MPBR 6" of 273 yards, for a zero 2 3/4" high at 100 yards.
Of course, if the target is bigger, for example a 12" vital area, then the shot can land 6" higher or lower than point of aim at the center of the vital area, and that same .30-06 load now has a MPBR 12" of 359 yards, for a zero 4 3/4" high at 100 yards.
This works great ...
when in America or Europe, you only have one tag for one predetermined animal: you just zero for this specific animal's vital area.
But in Africa, when on the same morning you may shoot a Duiker with a 4" vital area at 50 yards and a Kudu with an 18" vital area at 350 yards, for which do you sight???? And regardless of the one you decide to sight for, how much do you hold over, or under, on the other at, for example, 185 or 275 yards??????????????
THAT needs to be practiced, a whole lot, and this is where a practice cartridge that has a trajectory "somewhat" similar to that of the hunting cartridge, is very, very useful.
Sharing a little secret...
I used the MPBR, extremely successfully, for decades, in Europe, then in America. Things were simple, I knew exactly what I had a tag for and could not shoot anything else, therefore I sighted for the MPBR of the vital area of the game I was hunting and just limited my shots to ~300 meters, simply aiming dead center of the vital area. That worked well too because in those days the range-finder was your naked eyes and your scope reticle (when you knew how to use it, wink, wink), and judging distance was, let us just say, a lot less certain, so no one, even the crazies, attempted too much to play sniper and the MPBR was good enough out to realistic hunting distances. All good...
I used the MPBR too on my first Safari. Not so good... If you are sighted for a Kudu size MPBR, dropping Springbok, Impala, Duiker, Vaal Rhebok, anywhere between 50 and 350 yards, becomes, let us just say, a lot less certain...
It is a bit easier the other way around (sight for 6" MPBR then hold over for bigger and/or farther animals) but holding over accurately the right amount requires considerable practice.
To make a long story short, the scopes on my .257 Wby and .300 Wby barrels, which are my PG barrels, and therefore the scope on my .223 practice barrel, are now bullet drop compensator (BDC) scopes with custom BDC rings calibrated to my load in my barrel (hint: google Kenton Industries). Things are a lot more certain, and a lot more ethical: range quickly and accurately 275 yards with the laser range-finder, turn the turret to 275, aim, shoot, kill cleanly, and practice the same drill with the .223.
