338 yards

[ATH]

Got a nice, reasonably calm opening day, took a doe at 338 yards and 2 more around 200. The 338 yard shot was still a pass through with obvious expansion, so there was decent energy left (200gr Shockwave).

[killahog]

Now you have my attention what rifle and loads were you using That is a very long shot with a smokepole, well done.

[Sludge]

what kind of muzzle loader are you using? I have been thinking about buying one at some point in the future. However, the few I have shot have been really poor performers when it comes to accuracy.

[Len Backus]

Amazing!

[Roll-Yur-Own]

Wow, thats awesome!

I have to admit that I used my Savage smokeless ML all season long, including rifle. I just love that gun and muzzleloading in general. The spots I hunt dont offer much more than a 200 yard shot.

[ATH]

Sorry I haven't checked back in awhile.....

This was done with an Omega thumbhole. I installed aluminum pillars, bedded and floated it. I went through every high BC available, settling on the flattest-shooting load with maximum accuracy, which was the 200gr Shockwave over 110gr of FFg 777. The gun wears a Barska SWAT tactical scope and all shots over 100 yds are off a Harris bipod. Nothing special about this setup other than some simple accurizing, careful load development, and lots of practice. I have a 400yd range out back and it saw lots of use this summer. Drops are 6 MOA at 200, 14.5 MOA at 300, and 27 MOA at 400 yds.

I've been doing 200+ yd shots for a number of years, but I don't purposely set out to take them so I get a lot down to 100 yds or less. Last year I got busted rounding a woods and could get no closer so took one at 272 yds.

The full story is even more amusing. I was still-hunting and saw a buck bed down in a ditch a quarter mile away, so I crawled an hour to close the range. When I got there two does and a fawn ran in, and not knowing if the buck was even there anymore I set up on the does. The bigger lead doe bedded down, and when she stood at 209 yds I dropped her. The other two stayed put, so I rolled on my back and reloaded, then dropped the second in her tracks at 180 yds. This was when I realized there was a guy in a treestand 300 yds away watching this whole thing; rifles are not legal here so I figured he was thoroughly confused watching me drop deer from that far out.

I reloaded, figured the buck would have bugged out, but snuck 80 yds down the ditch to check anyways. He exploded out at my feet, and I managed to find him in the scope and roll him over too. A nice 8pt. I went to locate the does then returned to the buck, and noticed 2 does back where I had started my crawl. I set up and ranged 302 yds, clicked up, but they moved down to the next bend at 338 yds. I added another MOA, held slightly right for the very light breeze, and rolled the 4th deer in 20 minutes. I had called the property owner while walking to the does to get help with them and he was on his way over; he said from 1/4 mile away he heard the last shot AND the bullet impact about a second apart.

The guy from the treestand waited by my truck for the better part of an hour to find out what I was shooting. The property owner later told me I'm now somewhat of a legend around there (I'm not local to there). I'm sure by next year there will be tales of the half mile shot or something like that!

I was pleased with the shots, the 200 yd-ish shots were within an inch or two of where I aimed. The 338 yd shot drifted about 3-4 inches left due to a slight gust I felt as the trigger broke. The nearly calm conditions that day were another reason this was my first shot over 300, I usually pass them due to crosswinds. Long shooting doesn't bother me but if I am not confident in placing the first round in the boilerroom I don't take the shot (I have never made a bad shot over 100 yds). Popping a deer in the rear due to errors in wind estimation and walking the second or third shot into the chest isn't my idea of hunting and with a ML it isn't even an option.

I recovered the 209 yd bullet under the offside skin well expanded...plenty of energy. The other shots were all good pass-thrus.

[Nomosendero]

What a great hunt, thanks for sharing